When you think of the Bikan Historical Area, you picture a beautiful streetscape of white-walled storehouses and willow trees planted along the river.
Famous sights also include the Ohara Museum of Art, which displays Monet’s “Water Lilies,” and Kurashiki Ivy Square, a former Meiji-era spinning mill with ivy-covered red-brick buildings that has been renovated and is also popular as a garden wedding venue.
Among the streetscapes of the Bikan Historical Area, there are several buildings designed by architect Urabe Shizutaro, who was from Kurashiki City.
I wondered what kind of modernist architecture, in keeping with the streetscape and characteristic of Kurashiki, these buildings would be.
I joined Kurashiki Architourism 2022 and set out on a trip to explore the fascinating buildings designed by Shizutaro Urabe in the Bikan Historical Area.
The information presented was current when this article was published in December 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Kurashiki Architourism 2022?
Kurashiki Architourism 2022 is an event organized by the “Art City Kurashiki” Executive Committee Secretariat (Kurashiki City Tourism Division).
Event period: October 1, 2022 (Saturday) – January 31, 2023 (Tuesday)
A limited run of 300 “Travel Memory Files” was sold for 500 yen (tax included), but they sold out due to popular demand.
This card rally invites participants to visit five buildings designed by Shizutaro Urabe and collect a set of two “Building Cards” (free).
The five buildings are as follows:
- Kurashiki Archaeological Museum
- Ohara Museum of Art Annex
- Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel
- Kurashiki Community Center
- Kurashiki Ivy Square
I attended the event
Kurashiki Architourism 2022 was popular, and sales of the “Travel Memory Files” at the Kurashikikan Tourist Information Office, Kurashiki City Kurashiki Monogatari-kan, and Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel had already ended. At the time of our visit, they were available only at the front desk of Kurashiki Ivy Square.
I bought a “Travel Memory File” at the front desk of Kurashiki Ivy Square.
They also gave me the “Building Cards.”
When you turn the “Building Cards” over and arrange them, a charming bird’s-eye illustration of the area around Kurashiki Ivy Square appears.
This is part of the “Kurashiki Bird’s-Eye View Map, 2005 Edition,” drawn by bird’s-eye view map artist Naoki Okamoto.
It’s fun to check the bird’s-eye illustration while looking at the actual buildings.
Kurashiki Ivy Square
Looking up at the passage in front of the restaurant from the entrance to Kurashiki Ivy Square, you can see that the triangular framework forming the teeth of the sawtooth roof, from the building’s days as a spinning mill, remains in use.
Kurashiki Ivy Square, converted from a spinning mill into a hotel, was designed with the intention of reusing as much of the roof tiles and timber as possible.
The door at the restaurant entrance also incorporates reused hand-blown glass, with its gently rippling surface lending it a warm feel.
They say the glass contains impurities, but perhaps glass like this, which can no longer be obtained, is all the more unusual and precious.
Kurashiki Community Center
The exterior of the Kurashiki Community Center has a solid, dignified presence.
The white walls and tile colors blend in with the Bikan Historical Area.
The Meiji Centennial commemorative symbol, etched into the glass, is delicate, and the building’s attention to detail is evident throughout.
The elegant interior is lovely.
The third floor has a Music Library, which houses a large collection of records, CDs, laser discs, sheet music, and books on music.
Apparently, visitors can study music in depth, with a focus on classical music.
Kurashiki Archaeological Museum
Across the Kurashiki River from Kurashikikan (Tourist Information Office) in the Bikan Historical Area is the Kurashiki Archaeological Museum.
The front of the Kurashiki Archaeological Museum has the stately appearance of a traditional storehouse, quintessentially characteristic of the Bikan Historical Area.
The extension blends in seamlessly, creating harmony between the old and the new.
The wall connecting the Kurashiki Archaeological Museum and its extension is covered with tiles in a similar color.
The point where the roof meets the white wall of the extension forms an elegant arch.
From the Writer
I enjoyed strolling around while admiring the white-walled storehouses.
The event has the fun of a card-collecting game, and is enjoyable for both adults and children.
I knew the names Ohara Museum of Art and Kurashiki Ivy Square, but I didn’t know about Urabe Shizutaro, who designed each of the buildings.
Kurashiki Architecture Tourism 2022 is a journey exploring the fascinating buildings of Urabe Shizutaro, an architect from Kurashiki City.
It was a journey that gave me a sense of Urabe Shizutaro’s vision for the buildings he designed with the aim of creating harmony between the old and new streetscapes of the Bikan Historical Area.
Apparently, Urabe Shizutaro designed buildings elsewhere in Kurashiki, beyond the Bikan Historical Area.
It would be nice to take a trip around Urabe Shizutaro’s buildings.
It made me want to learn more about Kurashiki.
Kurashiki Architecture Tourism 2022 Information
| Name | Kurashiki Architecture Tourism 2022 |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 1, 2022 (Saturday) – January 31, 2023 (Tuesday) |
| Location | Bikan Historical Area |
| Admission (tax included) | Free (admission fees apply at some facilities when visiting their interiors → Kurashiki Archaeological Museum, Ohara Museum of Art) |
| Website | “Art City Kurashiki” Executive Committee Secretariat (Kurashiki City Tourism Division) |
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