Last year’s Japan trip I visited the Tohoku Region in the north, this year I visited the Chogoku Region in the south of Japan. Precisely in Okayama prefecture.
I happened to stop by here during the summer. So this season is a time of holidays, lots of festivals, and lots of fresh fruit harvest!
Is there anything you can do in Okayama? Let’s see the list below!
1. Watching Sunflowers Bloom at Hiruzen
Sunflowers, or Himawari in Japanese, are a sign that summer has arrived. I took this photo in the city of Maniwa, precisely in Hiruzen Jersey Land which is still in the Hiruzen National Park area.
2. While in Hiruzen Jersey Land, don’t forget to eat ice cream from this jersey cow!
Jersey cows bred in Hiruzen have unique milk characteristics. The taste is very buttery and soft, with a strong body character, indicating that it has quite a lot of fat. If used as ice cream, of course, it becomes ice cream that really spoils the tongue.
Pssst, of course this ice cream is a bit more expensive than if you buy regular ice cream.
3. Soak in Yubara Onsen, the Outdoor Onsen under the valley!
You know onsen right? Soaking in this warm Japanese-style pool does make your body sore all day after work, so it’s very enjoyable.
Still in Maniwa City, there is a very famous onsen pool called Yubara. The famous onsen pools here are the natural outdoor pools, just below the valley, on the Asahi River and the dam.
4. River Trekking!
Yamanori River is located Maniwa city. It is located under valleys and dense forests. Here, we can trekking around the river, while swimming under a waterfall.
We should be grateful to live in a tropical country. We can do activities like this all year round. But for a four-season country like Japan, things like this can only be done in the peak of summer. Maybe I want to jump into this river in winter haha!
5. Stay at a local homestay
Japan is usually rather conservative in accepting foreigners. Finding a host for coachsurfing is also a bit difficult compared to other countries. However, when we received information from Tourism Okayama about homestays in Kibichou town, we were very happy and immediately stayed at Michan Homestay!
Starting from picking vegetables in the garden, helping Michan cook, to eating and sleeping Japanese-style in this fairly traditional house.
Read: The joy of staying at a Japanese house
6. Kibichou Town Cycling Tour
In Kibichou Town, I also went on a bicycle tour with kibi cycle (instagram link). I cycled for hours and tens of kilometers without getting tired. How come? Because I use a bicycle that is assisted by an electric motor! Ha ha!
On the way we stopped several times to take pictures. Also stop by one of the plantations here. I met two Jii-chan owners of the corn garden here and tried the corn. Even though it’s raw, it’s already super sweet and juicy! I don’t know what the Japanese did to make the corn so delicious!
7. Eat Kobe Beef!
Kobe is Japan’s number one beef. The most expensive in Japan, maybe even the most expensive in the world. For a beef to be labeled kobe beef, many requirements must be met. Like having to be raised in a special area in Japan, the food, to the level marble the fat.
While in Okayama City, I tried the kobe beef at the Megu restaurant. Because this Megu restaurant provides halal kobe meat! For the sukiyaki set menu here, be prepared to spend around 1.2 million rupiah per person.
The meat is incredibly tender and it doesn’t take any effort to chew it. It’s also very fresh! I eat sukiyaki style. Boiled in a slightly sweet sauce, then dipped in a very creamy egg. Omaigad….
Restaurant info on the Okayama Tourism website.
The PEACH MARK
Psst, in addition to halal-certified restaurants, Okayama also has the “Peach Mark” logo which can be our reference if we want to find food or lodging. Peach Mark is taken from the peach (peach) which is very famous there.
Peach Mark 1 indicates that the restaurant has an English menu and there will be a sign if there is food that contains pork or its derivatives.
For hotels that have this logo, prayer mats and Qibla markers are usually provided in the rooms. Even hotels like Granvia Hotel Okayama have prayer rooms that can be used by the public, without us having to stay there!
Peach Mark 2 this is a higher level. Restaurants/hotels must have a Peach Mark 1 certification before they can get a Mark 2. If a restaurant has this logo, it must have a vegetarian menu, and a menu that does not contain pork and alcohol.
Hotels that have this logo are usually on the buffet breakfast menu there is a description of the food ingredients. The hotel where I stayed, the miso soup turned out to contain alcohol, so I couldn’t eat it :))
8. Try the Shiny Muscat Grapes
One of the famous produce in Okayama is grapes. Especially the “Shine Muscat” type of wine which is quite expensive. One kilo in supermarkets reaches 10,000 yen or 1 million rupiah!
I visited the Ishihara farm wineries on the outskirts of Okayama. Here we can pick our own grapes and buy them at a more normal price, which is around 300 thousand rupiah per kilo. Still expensive for Indonesia, right? Ha ha!
This shiny muscat tastes really sweet without any sourness at all. It tastes like grape mixed with mango and papaya, without seeds too. Quickly expensive.
9. Take an Emperor-style photo at Okayama Castle
It is located in the middle of Okayama city. Like any castle in Japan, Okayama Castle has a long history of being destroyed and rebuilt.
Well, besides you can enjoy the museum, in this castle you can also take pictures with this emperor-style Kimono! It’s free! It’s just because the quota is limited per day, so if you can come early in the morning to get a photo opportunity wearing this traditional Japanese dress!
10. Enjoy the Beauty of Okayama Korakuen Garden
It is located not far from Okayama castle. Korakuen is one of the three best and most beautiful traditional gardens in Japan. According to the info I got at the Gate, this place is recommended for three stars by the Michelin Green Guide (I just found out, because usually Michelin stars are for restaurants)
This park is really pretty. Super aesthetic. In any season it must be beautiful. In spring there are cherry blossoms. When autumn is colorful. If the summer is green royo-royo. Winter snow must also be beautiful.
You can also invite a girlfriend here, if you have….
*sobs
11. Harvest and Eat Peaches!
Peach, or peach in English, is a fruit that looks like an apple but is not perfectly round. There’s one part that’s shaped like, sorry, the part of the human body to defecate.
This fruit tastes like a blend of Apple, Papaya, and Mango. Tender and very juicy. Great to eat in summer!
In the garden “Oumi no Sato” we can pick peaches, and eat them in a very cozy little cafe.
12. Stroll the “Old Town” of Kurashiki
Kurashiski is a historical area. It has existed since the 16th century as a trading area that is divided by a river.
The buildings here are mostly still in the form of traditional Japanese houses, colored. dominant white with black accents.
There are many museums, gift shops here, and don’t forget to tour the city by boat. You can also rent a Kimono or Jinbei like what I wore. Jinbei is a traditional Japanese men’s clothing in summer. Seen from the short pants and lots of air vents around the armpits haha!
13. Uraja Parade at Momotaro Festival
The Momotaro Festival is Okayama’s biggest summer event. The schedule is in the first week of August. Lots of exciting events around the city center at this time. But there are two main events: the fireworks display and the Uraja Parade!
Unfortunately due to heavy rain, the fireworks display had to be cancelled. But on the last day of the festival, we took part in the Uraja Parade. The roads are closed from the afternoon. People started to fill the streets and took positions to….dance!
The dance is simple with pop music with Japanese folk nuances, but has a cool beat. We didn’t feel the sweat pouring down, because for about two hours we danced with the locals who were wearing costumes and applying unique paint on their faces!
So, next time you go to Osaka, don’t forget to stop by Okayama! Especially if you have a JR pass, it only takes 40 minutes to take the Shinkansen to this place.
Thank You!
–
Create by ipadguides in category of Travel Story