Summary
Nicknamed “Okayama, Land of Sunshine,” Okayama Prefecture is known by its residents for its mild climate and low precipitation. Kojima, which we visited this time, is a small town located in the southern part of Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture.
We will introduce sightseeing in Kojima where you can enjoy mountains, ocean, gourmet food, and shopping by purchasing a one-day bus ticket! Please take a look at them for reference.
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
Travel Itinerary
09:00am Ojigadake Hill（王子が岳）
From Kojima Station, take a bus to Ojigatake.
The trip starts with a hike.
Climb the 1,260 steps to the ninth station.
I was a little tired on the way, but the beauty of the scenery blew that tiredness away!
Climbing the stairs
The road continues to be a little flat.
Stairs and Seto Inland Sea
Here is the view on the way to the summit! I am enchanted by the beautiful scenery that makes me want to walk further and further.
Smile Rock（ニコニコ岩）
This is the rumored smile rock. It is so cute that it looks like it is really smiling.
summit
This is what the summit looks like. I was able to stand right up to the edge of the big rock, but I was afraid of heights.
If you are okay with heights, you can get a better picture at the other end of the rock.
Spot Outline
Ojigadake Hill, located in Kojima Karakoto-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is an attractive viewpoint with a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea. The view from the top is breathtaking, and on a clear day you can even see the Seto Ohashi Bridge.
11:30am Okonomiyaki Atchan（あっちゃん）
For lunch, we went to Atchan in search of Kojima’s local delicacies.
Food Menu
Since this is an okonomiyaki restaurant, the delicious teppan-yaki menu is renowned.
Drink Menu
Interior
Counter Seat
The food is grilled on a teppan and served immediately!
Above all, the delicious aroma of okonomiyaki spreads throughout the restaurant, stimulating one’s appetite.
Octopus salt yakisoba (Stir-fried Chinese noodles with meat and vegetables) ¥800
This time, I wanted to try Octopus Salt Yakisoba. It is said to be Kojima’s B-class gourmet.
It was filled with octopus and vegetables and tasted different from yakisoba noodles with sauce!
Spot Outline
Atchan is an okonomiyaki restaurant located in front of Kojima Station in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. It is known as a restaurant where you can enjoy Kojima’s B-class gourmet food, and is recommended for lunch. According to word of mouth, the taste is loved by locals.
1:00pm Kojima tourist port（児島観光港）
Next, we went to the port to board a sightseeing boat.
The sightseeing boat will not depart until three or more passengers are on board, so we were nervous about whether we would be able to board the boat or not.
Four flights a day except in August!
boat ticket office
Unfortunately, there were no other customers on the day I was there and I could not get on…
I want to go back someday and ride it next time!
Spot Outline
Kojima tourist port is a boat terminal located at 3-chome in front of Kojima Ekimae, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. It is used as a departure point for sightseeing boats, allowing visitors to enjoy a boat trip while enjoying the scenery. There are many sightseeing spots in the surrounding area, making it a popular spot for tourists.
2:30pm Kojima Jeans Street（児島ジーンズストリート）
When I say Kojima, I mean Kojima! Yes, the holy land of jeans.
Kojima Jeans Street is located in the Ajino shopping street, a 400 meter-long street lined with local jeans manufacturers.
Map
Many jeans stores line the streets.
Jeans hanging out all over the street.
There are some photo spots!
It looks like you can enjoy it enough without going into the store.
Spot Outline
Kojima Jeans Street, located in Ajino shopping street, is a 400-meter street lined with stores of local jeans manufacturers. Kojima is a sacred place for domestic jeans, and is a popular spot that is now attracting attention. However, many of the stores are already closed around 3:00pm, so an early visit is recommended. The area is ideal for sightseeing, as there are many attractive stores and cafes in the vicinity that offer more than just jeans, making it an area that can be enjoyed all day long.
RIVETS（リベッツ）
The first Jeans Street stop was RIVETS.
Interior
Interior
A wide selection of goods, including sundries made from jeans fabrics, are available.
Indigo soft 400 yen
My favorite is this soft-serve ice cream!
It was salty soft and made a nice dessert.
Spot Outline
RIVETS, located in Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is a cafe and select store. It also serves as an information center for Jeans Street, making it a great place to stop by when sightseeing. It is a homey store.
MuuSAN63
Next we stopped at this jeans store.
Cute skirt with a design you don’t see very often.
Bags and shirts of denim articles
denim mask
goods
Jeans, of course, but also shirts, skirts and accessories. Many products that women would like are lined up.
I was really interested in the frilly skirt✨
Spot Outline
MuuSAN63, located in Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is a port town jeans manufacturer born from a sewing company. The brand is popular for its unique women’s design and functionality.
4:30pm Shimotsui Warehouse Coffee kula-n（下津井蔵珈琲 クラン）
We took a short break because we took a walk.
It is located just a short walk from the bus stop.
hammock
Interior
This café has a number of hammocks installed in the store. You can take a relaxing break.
goods
Menu
The attention to coffee is amazing.
You can choose hot or iced, without or with milk, and even the drip method!
Sweets were also available, including pudding and cookies.
Adult coffee milk (cold) 700 yen
It was hot that day, so I went for ice cream. And I was attracted by the name “adult coffee milk,” so I went with this one.
The aroma of coffee soothed me.
Spot Outline
Shimotsui Warehouse Coffee kula-n is a coffee shop in Shimotsui, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. The store has a relaxed atmosphere and offers not only coffee, but also light meals and sweets. Word of mouth has it that the atmosphere inside the store is pleasant and relaxing.
5:30pm Streets in Shimotsui（下津井の町並み）
The streets around the café are in the prefecture’s townscape preservation district, where the old townscape remains.
We will take a short stroll.
Streetscape
It is a town with a nice atmosphere, with the feeling that the old dwellings still remain.
Spot Outline
Streets in Shimotsui, a historic site in Shimotsui, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is a port town that flourished from the Nara and Heian periods and is designated as a historic site by Okayama Prefecture. The nostalgic townscape with the atmosphere of a fisherman’s town can still be seen today, with the merchant houses of those days still remaining.
Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum（むかし下津井回船問屋）
I stopped here to get to know Shimotsui a little better.
This town seems to have prospered from the Kitamae Ship.
break
There was a place like this in the courtyard.
Taking a short break in the gentle breeze of the harbor.
Spot Outline
Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museume, located in Shimotsui, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is a museum that reconstructed the building of a shipping agent in the Meiji era. In addition to exhibiting materials related to Shimotsui, the museum sells local products and has a restaurant.
6:00pm Mt. Washu Observation Deck（鷲羽山展望台）
Second hike of the day. We came to Mt. Washu!
Map
It is a short walk from the bus stop to the second observatory.
The road is paved and easy to walk on.
Visitor Center
This is the visitor center where the first observation deck is located.
scenery
Looking at the Seto-ohashi Bridge, I realized that I had enjoyed my day ✨
Spot Outline
Mt. Washu Observation Deck, located in Shimotsui Tanoura, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is an observatory near the top of Mt. Washu, which is also designated as a national scenic beauty spot. Word of mouth says that it offers a wonderful view of the Seto-ohashi Bridge and a beautiful sunset in the evening. It is also featured as a great place for hiking.
7:30pm Zen（膳）
For dinner, we returned to Kojima Station!
Go to Japanese-style pubs that are also popular for lunch.
9(NINE) 600 yen
Here is the sake I chose. It is the type that has a soft, sweet aroma in the mouth, and is my favorite!
Appetizer
The appetizers are also delicious. I ate it all up.
Zen Nigiri-zushi set 1,350 yen
When you come near the sea, you have to eat seafood.
All the stuff was so delicious✨
Menu
Since it is near the harbor, there is a wide variety of fish on the menu.
Personally, I loved the many alcoholic beverages on the menu.
Spot Outline
Zen is a private izakaya located in front of Kojima Station in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. The restaurant offers mainly Japanese cuisine, and dishes using local ingredients are popular. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for a meal with family or friends. According to word-of-mouth, the taste is good, the service is good, and the prices are reasonable.
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