What to do in Okayama

Activities, attractions and tours

Okayama
Okayama
Okayama
Okayama
Okayama

Okayama Tourist Attractions & Activities

If you’re searching for an exciting holiday, count on Expedia.com.au to help you find interesting attractions, enlightening experiences, and tons of other fun things to do in Okayama AU$12. From first-rate tours to incredible deals on sightseeing trips – our extensive selection of local things to do and places to visit is just a few clicks away.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re travelling alone, alongside your main squeeze, or with your favourite friends or family members, Expedia has the inside scoop on what to see and do while in this corner of the world. And our search tool makes it simple to score the best deals around. So regardless of if you are on a tight budget or prefer to spare no expense, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for by browsing over 15 activities in Okayama, Okayama Prefecture.

The intuitive booking system here on Expedia.com.au makes planning your holiday easier—and more affordable—than ever before. And not only can you discover all the best Okayama attractions from AU$12, but you can also book flights, hire cars, and reserve hotel rooms all in just a few moments. A world of wonder awaits you and your travelling companions. Count on Expedia.com.au to help you plan the holiday of your dreams, and you’ll have the time of your life.

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Top places to visit

1. Okayama University

Okayama University is a great place to learn Japanese, but you'll also hear other languages spoken on campus. Thoroughly international, the university has a robust exchange program that brings people from all over the world to study on its modern campuses.
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A dynamically modern university, resolutely open to the whole world, occupies a set of campus buildings scattered near Okayama’s downtown.

2. Aeon Mall Okayama

AEON Mall Okayama provides the perfect setting for the exhilarating experience of visiting a Japanese mall. Occupying a modern building, the 300 shops that sell their wares over the mall’s nine levels bring a taste of Japan and the world to the very center of Okayama. The location is extremely convenient, right across from Okayama Station. Purchase something to eat on arrival or before departure, pick up last-minute souvenirs or dedicate a whole day to exploring every floor and corridor.
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One of Western Japan’s biggest shopping malls has more than 300 shops, restaurants and more, just a few steps from the train station.

3. Okayama Castle

Jet black, adorned only with gilded gargoyles, Okayama Castle is an imposing sight. Built in the 16th century as the home of the Ikeda clan, Okayama’s feudal rulers, it was the center of governance in Okayama and Kyushu for hundreds of years until its destruction during World War II. It was reconstructed in 1966. Arrive today to explore a modern museum dedicated to giving visitors, especially children, hands-on experiences of Okayama culture.
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Try on a kimono or attempt to sculpt some Bizen pottery while you tour an accurate reconstruction of Kyushu’s famous “crow castle.”

4. Korakuen Garden

Visiting Okayama without touring the Korakuen Garden means you’d miss out on a whole dimension of Okayama’s art and history. Created in 1687 by Ikeda Tsunamasa, who was looking to create a place of rest near his palace, the garden offers a retreat from the bustle of the city for commoners as well. Go on a quick stroll to see its various vistas or spend the whole day exploring all the surprises, from teahouses to plum groves. You’ll soon understand why it is consistently ranked as one of Japan’s top three gardens.
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Tradition and innovation mingle in a remarkable riverside landscaped space, founded in the 17th century and considered one of Japan’s best gardens.

5. Kibitsu Shrine

In the story most closely associated with the Kibitsu Shrine, a boy, Momotaro, comes to Earth in a giant peach and defeats a demon with the help of a dog, pheasant and monkey. The story is famous in Japan, echoed in the peach-shaped “Momomamori” romance amulets sold in the shrine’s shop. It was inspired by the slightly more realistic legend of Prince Kibitsuhiko no Mikoto, who defeated an evil prince by shooting arrows from this spot. Visit the shrine for its stories and distinctive architectural style, not replicated anywhere else in Japan.
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Kibitsu-zukuri style architecture has an excellent example in is this sprawling temple complex considered the origin of the Momotaro story.

6. Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art

Given the natural beauty surrounding Okayama, it perhaps isn’t surprising that the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art possesses an impressive collection of art by local artists. Dedicated to displaying art that has “a connection to Okayama Prefecture,” the museum gives a glimpse into the sensibility of Okayama’s artists. Look at traditional-style brush paintings or admire the more modern art being produced in the region, looking forward to the future.
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Some of the city’s and region’s most influential artists, going far back into history, provide a sense of Okayama through artists’ eyes.

What to do in Okayama

Discover the most popular places to visit in Okayama

Okayama University

Okayama University

4/5(1 review)

A dynamically modern university, resolutely open to the whole world, occupies a set of campus buildings scattered near Okayama’s downtown.

Okayama University
Aeon Mall Okayama

Aeon Mall Okayama

4/5(5 reviews)

One of Western Japan’s biggest shopping malls has more than 300 shops, restaurants and more, just a few steps from the train station.

Aeon Mall Okayama
Okayama Castle

Okayama Castle

4.5/5(6 reviews)

Try on a kimono or attempt to sculpt some Bizen pottery while you tour an accurate reconstruction of Kyushu’s famous “crow castle.”

Okayama Castle
Korakuen Garden

Korakuen Garden

4.5/5(7 reviews)

Tradition and innovation mingle in a remarkable riverside landscaped space, founded in the 17th century and considered one of Japan’s best gardens.

Korakuen Garden
Kibitsu Shrine

Kibitsu Shrine

5/5(1 review)

Kibitsu-zukuri style architecture has an excellent example in is this sprawling temple complex considered the origin of the Momotaro story.

Kibitsu Shrine
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art

Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art

4/5(1 review)

Some of the city’s and region’s most influential artists, going far back into history, provide a sense of Okayama through artists’ eyes.

Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art
Orient Museum

Orient Museum

This impressive collection of art from the ancient Middle East, Persia and the Mediterranean includes a magnificent Assyrian relief of Apkallu.

Orient Museum
Hayashibara Museum of Art

Hayashibara Museum of Art

Swords and Bizen pottery are part of an astounding private collection that has been expanded into a full museum on the grounds of the former palace.

Hayashibara Museum of Art
Saijoinari Temple

Saijoinari Temple

Find out about the history of Okayama when you take a trip to Saijoinari Temple. Amble around the area's gardens or seek out its cycling trails.

Saijoinari Temple

Explore areas of Okayama

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Kita Ward

4.5/5(9 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Kita Ward, Saijoinari Temple and Kanko Stadium are top sights worth seeing.

Kita Ward
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Naka Ward

If you're spending some time in Naka Ward, Yumeji Art Museum and Parade Hill Park are top sights worth seeing.

Naka Ward
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Minami Ward

If you're spending some time in Minami Ward, Setonaikai National Park and Okayama South Village are top sights worth seeing.

Minami Ward
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Higashi Ward

If you're spending some time in Higashi Ward, Saidaijikannon-in Temple and Ani Shrine are top sights worth seeing.

Higashi Ward

 

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