Between the Bikan Historical Area and Kurashiki Civic Hall stands Kurashiki Ivy Square, a Western-style building whose striking red brick catches the eye.
One of the settings for the Japan Heritage story “A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower: A textile town woven from Japanese and Western influences”—an essential part of any account of Kurashiki—Kurashiki Ivy Square retains the appearance of the head office factory of Kurashiki Spinning Company. It opened in 1974, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024.
Here we introduce Kurashiki Ivy Square, where improvements to the facilities continue to this day in pursuit of a comfortable stay for guests.
The information presented was current when this article was published in July 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Overview of Kurashiki Ivy Square
Kurashiki Ivy Square is a multi-purpose cultural complex located between the Bikan Historical Area and Kurashiki Civic Hall, a 15-minute walk from JR Kurashiki Station. The four functions it offers for visitors are as follows:
- Accommodation (145 rooms)
- Dining (Japanese and Western cuisine)
- Shopping (local specialties and folk crafts from Okayama and Kurashiki)
- Cultural experiences (Bizen pottery classes and kimono rental)
Guest rooms and the large bath in the accommodation buildings are for overnight guests only, but the dining and shopping facilities are open to non-guests as well.
It also serves as a “place for local residents to relax” and is used for banquets, meetings, and weddings.
Accommodation plans at Kurashiki Ivy Square
In addition to standard accommodation plans, such as room-only stays and one-night stays with two meals, Kurashiki Ivy Square offers student discounts and plans in partnership with various facilities in the Bikan Historical Area.
Accommodation plans in partnership with the Bikan Historical Area include:
- Kimono rental package
- A Kurashiki art trip: special plan for the Ohara Museum of Art
- Cut-glass lantern-making experience
- An adults’ trip to enjoy sake: plan with a brewery tour (unavailable during the winter season from November to February)
- Hands-on pottery class with a painting experience
Since the Bikan Historical Area is just a five-minute walk away, guests can enjoy their stay alongside the surrounding cultural facilities and shops.
History of Kurashiki Ivy Square
Kurashiki Ivy Square was built in 1889 as the head office factory of Kurashiki Spinning Company (now KURABO INDUSTRIES LTD.).
The Kurashiki head office factory of Kurashiki Spinning Company remained closed for many years after the war. However, as calls for its preservation and restoration grew among Kurashiki City and local residents, Urabe Shizutaro, who designed the renovations, began construction in 1973. He had worked on numerous buildings, including the Ohara Museum of Art (Annex) and Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel. The work was completed the following year, in 1974.
Kurashiki Ivy Square’s architecture is featured in the following article.
In 2007, it was designated an Industrial Modernization Heritage site by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and in 2017 it was recognized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as one of the constituent cultural properties of Japan Heritage.
While its value as a cultural property has been recognized, the long warehouse on the southwestern part of the grounds was removed in 2018, and the Ivy Emerald Hall, a large banquet hall accommodating up to 1,000 people, was added. In 2020, all four accommodation buildings underwent major renovations.
Kurashiki Ivy Square continues to offer visitors a chance to experience the traces of history as a “cultural facility where you can stay overnight.” Let’s take a look around, keeping in mind the key features of the major renovation in 2020.
Interiors where you can experience the “Industrial Modernization Heritage” firsthand
The greatest appeal of Kurashiki Ivy Square is that you can stay in a building designated as an “Industrial Modernization Heritage” site.
From the connecting corridors inside, you can enjoy views of the red brick and ivy that are symbols of Kurashiki Ivy Square.
Standing here, where the blue sky reflects on the water and creates the illusion that you are floating, brings a sense of calm.
You can also see walls inside the building where the brickwork is exposed, evoking its past as a spinning mill.
Accessible facilities
I hear that it is not easy to provide accessibility while preserving the appearance of a historic cultural property. However, Kurashiki Ivy Square continues to make renovations with accessibility in mind, so that guests with a range of needs can enjoy a comfortable stay.
An elevator was installed during the 2020 renovation by reducing the number of rooms.
Even the compact rooms are designed to allow wheelchair users to enter without leaving their wheelchairs.
The Bikan Historical Area is a popular destination for international visitors. The accessible environment is likely to make stays comfortable not only for wheelchair users, but also for international travelers carrying large suitcases.
Many accommodations have installed foldable luggage racks, but one of the distinctive features of Kurashiki Ivy Square is its built-in luggage racks with a wood grain that blends in with the room’s interior (not available in some rooms). They are located near the entrance, making them convenient for taking off and putting on your shoes.
Guest Rooms with a Consistent Wood-Grain Look
The guest rooms were also extensively renovated in 2020.
Kurashiki Ivy Square has the following 145 rooms:
- Suite rooms (2 rooms)
- Deluxe twin rooms (22 rooms)
- Moderate twin rooms (14 rooms)
- Standard twin rooms (43 rooms)
- Standard single rooms (4 rooms)
- Family rooms (8 rooms)
- Economy twin rooms (52 rooms)
From deluxe family rooms measuring 55 square meters to compact standard single and economy twin rooms of around 15 square meters, the hotel offers rooms to suit a wide range of accommodation needs, from leisure to business.
Inspired by Okayama’s mild climate, every room is a relaxing space with a natural look that makes the most of the wood. Each features custom-made Japanese furnishings tailored to the room.
The deluxe superior twin rooms are furnished with pieces by TEORI, a furniture maker that uses bamboo from Mabi, Kurashiki City.
Bathing Options
Kurashiki Ivy Square has a large public bath. It is a service exclusively for guests, and some guests reportedly chose to stay at Kurashiki Ivy Square specifically because it has a large public bath.
At the same time, all guest rooms also have bathrooms (some have shower booths).
When the hotel first opened in 1974, it had as many as 180 guest rooms, some of which did not have bathrooms. However, as more guests came to want to bathe in their own rooms with changing times, bathrooms were installed in all guest rooms in 2019.
On-Site Restaurant and Bar
Kurashiki Ivy Square also has a restaurant and bar on the premises.
Both feature architectural designs that preserve traces of the Kurashiki Spinning Mill era, just like the accommodation buildings, and offer a chance to enjoy food and drinks in a setting that feels like stepping back in time to the Meiji era.
Application Services
A QR code was posted in each guest room beside the telephone connecting to the front desk.
Scanning the QR code with the camera on your smartphone or tablet takes you to a webpage with information about the hotel. The service supports multiple languages, making it easy for international visitors to access information in their own language.
You can also contact the front desk not only by phone but through chat on this website.
I have a hearing impairment and cannot make phone calls, so whenever something goes wrong at my accommodation, I always go to the front desk in person. With the chat function, however, I could contact the front desk from my room, which seems convenient for someone like me with a hearing impairment.
The service was apparently developed to provide “contactless” service during the COVID-19 pandemic. It now also serves as a useful option for people with hearing impairments like me and for international visitors.
We spoke with Fukai Ken, head of accommodation at Kurashiki Ivy Square, about how the hotel preserves its historic appearance while continually striving to provide a comfortable stay.
Kurashiki Ivy Square Information
| Name | Kurashiki Ivy Square |
|---|---|
| Address | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-0011 |
| Check-in | 3:00 p.m. |
| Check-out | 11:00 a.m. |
| Payment methods |
|
| Facility information | All rooms are non-smoking (separate smoking area available) |
| Baths | Large public bath; bathrooms in guest rooms (some have shower booths) |
| Wi-Fi | Available |
| Parking | Available 120 spaces *Guests do not need to reserve; 500 yen per vehicle per night (until noon the following day) |
| Website | Kurashiki Ivy Square |
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