Ojigadake Hill is dotted with strangely shaped rocks and enormous boulders that take your breath away.
Near the summit is the Ojigadake Rest House, a Kurashiki City facility built in 1967.
It is an old building that shows the passage of time, but it is also an appealing place where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Seto Inland Sea.
To preserve the Ojigadake Rest House, Kurashiki City is carrying out “Trial Sounding,” a program called Ojigadake Trial, in which the city works with private businesses to explore ways to use the facility.
We spoke with the staff member in charge, Kenta Yabuki, of the Tourism Division, Department of Culture and Tourism, Culture and Industry Bureau, Kurashiki City, about how the project came about.
We also took part in the “Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche,” held on Saturday, April 10, 2021, as one of the “Trial Sounding” events.
We spoke with the event’s organizer, Maki Nishiyama, about the background to the event.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in April 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is “Trial Sounding” at the Kurashiki City Ojigadake Rest House?
Overview of “Trial Sounding”
“Trial Sounding” is a way for Kurashiki City and private businesses to work together to explore how to use the Ojigadake Rest House, a rest facility near the summit of Ojigadake Hill.
The Tourism Division, Department of Culture and Tourism, Culture and Industry Bureau, Kurashiki City, is seeking private businesses to temporarily hold events and other activities at the Ojigadake Rest House during the period from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021.
Applicants may be private companies, nonprofit organizations, sole proprietors, voluntary groups, and others; there are no restrictions on the scale of the business or whether it is a legal entity, as long as they can run an event.
Selected businesses can use the Ojigadake Rest House free of charge to carry out their projects.
The main purpose of “Trial Sounding” is to collect basic data to explore effective ways to use the Ojigadake Rest House.
Through events and other activities, the city assesses the number and needs of tourists visiting Ojigadake Hill, and investigates the facility’s revenue potential and challenges.
The “Trial Sounding” implementation guidelines are posted on the Kurashiki City website, so interested businesses should take a look.
If you have any questions, please contact the office below.
Examples of “Trial Sounding” projects
Five projects were carried out between October 2020, when “Trial Sounding” began, and March 2021.
Here are some examples of how the facility was used.
| Project | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| A playground for adults | Sunday, November 22, 2020 | An educational program for people in their 20s and 30s, designed to encourage personal growth. An experiential event making use of the scenery of Ojigadake Hill. |
| Sweets and coffee sales | Saturday, November 28, 2020; Saturdays, December 5 and 12, 2020 | Churros and coffee sold to hikers and touring visitors. |
| Coffee service | Sunday, November 29, 2020 | Freshly roasted coffee was served. During the heavy rains of July 2018, the business operator had volunteered to serve coffee in disaster-affected areas. |
| Hiking advice and coffee sales | Sunday, March 14, 2021 | A discussion led by a local mountaineer with experience working at a mountain hut on Mt. Fuji, sharing ways to enjoy the mountains. |
| A space for conversations about inner adventures | Sunday, March 28, 2021 | The second installment of “A playground for adults.” An educational program for people in their 20s and 30s, designed to encourage personal growth. The program emphasized conversation inside the facility. |
What is the Ojigadake Rest House like?
Views from the Ojigadake Rest House
The greatest appeal of the Ojigadake Rest House is its beautiful views.
Because it is close to the summit, you can take in a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea.
On the day I visited, the sky was a clear, brilliant blue, and I could see the islands scattered across the sea, the Seto-Ohashi Bridge, and the mountain ranges of Shikoku in sharp detail.
The view from the Ojigadake Rest House can be called one of the signature views of the Seto Inland Sea.
Ojigadake Hill is also known as a cherry blossom spot.
Cherry blossoms in full bloom against the backdrop of the many islands of the Seto Inland Sea are breathtakingly beautiful.
The Ojigadake Rest House is a place where you can fully enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Seto Inland Sea.
The Ojigadake Rest House building
The Ojigadake Rest House is a building with one floor above ground, one basement level, and a rooftop.
The ground floor is a spacious rest area with glass doors on all four sides.
The basement is used for storage and is off-limits to visitors.
There is an observation deck on the roof, accessible by an outdoor staircase.
From the observation deck, you can enjoy panoramic views of the entire Seto-Ohashi Bridge and the mountains of Shikoku.
Where is the Ojigadake Rest House?
The Ojigadake Rest House is in the southeastern part of Kurashiki City, on the border with Tamano City.
Although the building is on a mountain, it is connected to a road leading up from the foot of the mountain, so you can visit by car or motorcycle.
There is also a parking lot a few minutes’ walk from the building.
Being easy to reach by car or motorcycle is another of its attractions.
There are also well-maintained hiking trails, so you can walk up from the foot of the mountain.
The Ojigadake Rest House is apparently a popular place for people out touring or hiking to take a break.
History of the Ojigadake Rest House
The Ojigadake Rest House was built in 1967.
It was completed in the year the former cities of Kurashiki, Kojima, and Tamashima merged.
As a place to enjoy the Seto Inland Sea’s scenic beauty, there was a public lodging facility at the foot of Ojigadake Hill on the seaside.
The public lodging facility and the Ojigadake Rest House on the mountain were apparently connected by a lift, and the lift station remains in the basement of the building.
A private business operated a restaurant on the ground floor as the city’s designated manager.
At the end of fiscal year 2011, the restaurant closed along with the public lodging facility.
After that, the facility came under the direct management of Kurashiki City and has been used as a rest area.
How “Trial Sounding” came about
First encounter with the Ojigadake Rest House
We asked Yabuki, the person in charge of “Trial Sounding” at Ojigadake in Kurashiki City, how the idea developed from its conception through to implementation.
Yabuki was assigned to the Tourism Division, Department of Culture and Tourism, Culture and Industry Bureau, Kurashiki City, in 2019.
Just before his transfer, he visited Ojigadake Hill for a hike, spotted the Ojigadake Rest House, and learned that it was managed by Kurashiki City.
Yabuki, who worked on disaster preparedness in the department he was assigned to before his transfer, says he was feeling mentally exhausted.
When he looked out at the magnificent scenery of the Seto Inland Sea from Ojigadake Rest House, he was so moved that he nearly cried, and said that it soothed his troubled heart.
Later, he was assigned to the Tourism Division and, by chance, became responsible for Ojigadake Rest House.
He told us that he felt a special connection in being put in charge of a place filled with memories.
A View Worth Preserving
The view from Ojigadake Rest House became precious to Yabuki, inspiring him to want to preserve the building.
However, it is difficult to continue maintaining a public facility that has deteriorated with age.
To find ideas for making use of this appealing building, they adopted a method called “trial sounding.”
Just as Yabuki himself had not known about Ojigadake Rest House, it seems that many Kurashiki City residents are also unaware of it.
The aim is not only to identify the facility’s challenges through events, but also to create opportunities for people to learn about Ojigadake Rest House.
He told us that he hopes people will visit the facility, see the magnificent view for themselves, and think together about how it could be used.
Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche
Scenes from the Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche
As one of the events in Kurashiki City’s “trial sounding” program for Ojigadake Rest House, the Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche was held on Saturday, April 10, 2021.
It was organized by Atelier sora design.
The following six shops took part in the “Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche.”
| Shop | What they offered |
|---|---|
| Mizote Shoten | Live demonstrations and sales by a geta craftsman |
| Patisserie Le Vert | Baked goods |
| Naish Curry | Chicken curry |
| Ikinaya | Ebimeshi |
| Men Yatai Umashi | Ramen and soba |
| 36’Crape | Crepes |
Admission was free.
There is a parking lot a few minutes’ walk from the marche venue, so visitors can also come by car.
Among the visitors were not only people who came specifically for the marche, but also many who stopped by while hiking or touring.
The glass doors inside the building were open, allowing for good ventilation.
Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 had been put in place at Ojigadake Rest House.
The marche was held both inside the building and outdoors.
Many visitors enjoyed lunch while taking in the spectacular Setouchi scenery beneath the clear skies.
The story behind the Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche
We asked Maki Nishiyama, representative of Atelier sora design, which organizes the “Tekuteku TAKE OUT Marche,” about the story behind the event.
Nishiyama began organizing marches in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had spread worldwide.
While continuing to stay home and avoid going out, she realized that even a trip to the supermarket helped her feel at ease.
So Nishiyama planned a small marche in the parking lot of the cafe she ran, where people could stop by for just a little while.
She invited people to participate through social networking services, and the response was tremendous.
Nishiyama continues to hold marches where people can drop in casually, hoping to offer them time to unwind amid the stressful restrictions on going out.
Reflections on holding a marche at Ojigadake Rest House
Nishiyama learned about Ojigadake Rest House through the “trial sounding” program.
She says she was impressed by the magnificent scenery when she first visited Ojigadake Rest House.
She told us she wondered, “Why aren’t there any other shops in such a wonderful place?”
Nishiyama says that, as events are being held while measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are required, it is important to create an environment where visitors can come with peace of mind.
She told us that Ojigadake Rest House is well ventilated and a place where it is easy to implement measures to prevent the spread of infection.
Visiting Ojigadake Rest House
Having grown up in an urban area of Saitama Prefecture, where there are no mountains or sea, I found Ojigadake Rest House, where you can look out over the sea from a hilltop, an appealing building.
Having moved to Kurashiki from elsewhere, I felt that I wanted to introduce Ojigadake Rest House, with its beautiful views of Setouchi, not only to Japan but to the world.
At the same time, I was surprised that some Kurashiki City residents did not even know it existed.
I hope that “trial sounding” will help people discover Ojigadake Rest House and that many will come to see its magnificent views.
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Facilities Section, Tourism Division, Department of Culture and Tourism, Culture and Industry Bureau, Kurashiki City
Phone: 086-426-3411
Email: kankou@city.kurashiki.okayama.jp