Following its launch in 2022, Kurashiki Architourism began again on October 1, 2023.
This is a new style of travel that involves visiting buildings that symbolize different eras and exploring Kurashiki’s history and culture through its architecture.
Now, get your hands on a “Memory File” and set out on a journey to experience the charms of Kurashiki as you collect “Building Cards.”
The information presented was current when this article was published in November 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Kurashiki Architourism?
Kurashiki Architourism invites visitors to explore beautiful and captivating buildings that have stood the test of time, enjoying a stroll through town and rediscovering the charms of Kurashiki.
Kurashiki flourished as a storehouse for goods and as a shogunate-controlled territory known as a “tenryo.”
In the Bikan Historical Area, modern architecture coexists with streets of white-walled storehouses and residences that preserve the atmosphere of the past, creating a beautifully balanced townscape.
The buildings remaining in the Bikan Historical Area tell us about the eras, culture, and lives of the people that have shaped Kurashiki.
Kurashiki Architourism 2023
Among the wonderful modern buildings in the Bikan Historical Area, the 2023 event introduces five buildings designed by three famous architects through ten Building Cards.
Three Famous Architects
Here are three architects, based on the Memory File.
- 1884–1965
- Born in Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
- Made a major contribution to the development of Kurashiki alongside Ohara Magosaburo. He is also known as the “architect who created Kurashiki’s landscape.”
- He was involved in designing many buildings representative of the Kurashiki Traditional Buildings Preservation District (Kurashiki City Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings), including the main building of the Ohara Museum of Art, Yurin-so Villa, and the Kurashiki Branch of the Daiichi Godo Bank (formerly the Kurashiki Honmachi Branch of the Chugoku Bank).
- 1884–1963
- Born in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture
- In 1921, he founded the private Bunka Gakuin school, based on the principles of freedom, respect for the arts and sciences, and gender equality. A leading cultural figure of the Taisho Democracy era, he was also an architect, ceramic artist, painter, and educator.
- He designed Wakatake no Sono Nursery School, the oldest nursery school in Japan, and the former Hayashi family residence (now the Nishiguchi residence, a nationally registered Important Cultural Property), among other buildings in Kurashiki City.
- 1913–2005
- Born in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture
- Known as “Tange of the world,” he was one of the first Japanese architects to work internationally. Specializing in modernist architecture, he designed many large-scale buildings, including public facilities.
- His designs include the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Kagawa Prefectural Government Office, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Tokyo, and the National Indoor General Stadium for the Tokyo Olympics (now Yoyogi National Gymnasium).
Buildings Featured This Time
This time, the featured buildings are five sites built between 1923 and 1960 and designed by Yakushiji Kazue, Nishimura Isaku, and Tange Kenzo.
| Building | Architect | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Ohara Museum of Art Main Building | Yakushiji Kazue | 1-1-15 Chuo, Kurashiki City |
| Yurin-so Villa | Yakushiji Kazue | 1-3-18 Chuo, Kurashiki City |
| Cafe El Greco | Yakushiji Kazue | 1-1-11 Chuo, Kurashiki City |
| Kurashiki Church, United Church of Christ in Japan | Nishimura Isaku | 1-5-15 Tsurugata, Kurashiki City |
| Kurashiki City Art Museum | Tange Kenzo | 2-6-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City |
Building Cards
Each card introduces one of the five buildings, with exterior and interior photographs, along with information about the building’s features, stories, and points of interest.
The backs of the interior and exterior cards feature bird’s-eye views of the area around the buildings from 1963 and 2005, allowing you to see how the town has changed.
The cards are distributed free of charge at five locations in the Bikan Historical Area.
- Ohara Museum of Art Main Building (baggage storage beside the admission ticket counter)
- Yurin-so Villa (reception at Ohara House Katalyzer)
- Cafe El Greco (counter inside the cafe)
- Kurashiki Church (in front of the cafe entrance)
- Kurashiki City Art Museum (office on the third floor)
Memory File
This file contains useful information for exploring the town, including information about the three architects and a town-walking map.
The 12 clear pockets can hold Building Cards, as well as tickets, postcards, and other travel mementos.
Scan the QR code inside the file to access bird’s-eye views of Kurashiki City and maps of former town names, and learn useful tidbits for enjoying a stroll through town.
The entirely handmade, very cute Memory File costs 500 yen per copy.
A limited edition of 500 is on sale at five locations in the Bikan Historical Area.
- Tourist Information Center (Kurashikikan)
- Kurashiki City Kurashiki Monogatari-kan
- Cafe Sharon (inside Kurashiki Church)
- Ohara Museum of Art Museum Shop
- Cafe El Greco
How to Enjoy Architourism
The five buildings selected for Kurashiki Architourism 2023 offer a glimpse into how Kurashiki changed from the early Showa period through the postwar years.
They are all within walking distance of one another, so you can explore the entire Bikan Historical Area at the same time.
Kazuki Utagawa, a staff member of the Kurashiki City Tourism Division involved in the project, said:
“I hope visitors will enjoy even the architectural details they might not usually notice, and see how Kurashiki did not simply value old things, but developed by embracing new things while maintaining harmony throughout the town.” He expressed hope that the event would continue to grow.
From the Writer
I first visited the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area when I was a university student.
I remember excitedly strolling through its streets lined with white-walled buildings.
At the time, I walked around without knowing why the Ohara Museum of Art, which I had assumed was made of stone, was built of reinforced concrete, or what Yurin-so Villa was built for and what role it played.
Looking around the Bikan Historical Area while discovering the stories hidden in its buildings makes me feel that I can understand Kurashiki more deeply—not only its different eras and the way things were at the time, but also how people lived.
Buildings speak eloquently about a town.
Why not take a trip to rediscover the charms of Kurashiki through buildings crafted by master architects, with care given to every detail?
Now, enjoy exploring the town with a Memory File in hand as you collect Building Cards.
Kurashiki Architourism 2023 is held through January 31, 2024.
Kurashiki Architecture Tourism 2023 Information
| Name | Kurashiki Architecture Tourism 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 1, 2023–January 31, 2024 |
| Location | Bikan Historical Area |
| Admission (tax included) | Memory File: 500 yen per copy (tax included) *Limited to 500 copies Building Cards (free) |
| Website | “Art City Kurashiki” Executive Committee Secretariat (Kurashiki City Tourism Division) |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a word to search articles on this site
