Summary
Nicknamed “Okayama, Land of Sunshine,” Okayama Prefecture is known by its residents for its mild climate and low precipitation.
This time, we will take a 2-day/1-night road trip to the mountain side of Okayama Prefecture.
We were blessed with fine weather, ate a lot of delicious food, went to a hot spring, and had a fulfilling two days.
Please refer to this page!
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
Travel Itinerary
10:00am Fukiya Furusato Village（吹屋ふるさと村）
The first stop was Fukiya Furusato Village in Takahashi City.
It is the birthplace of “Japan Red (Japan’s image color),” a Japanese heritage site, and the red streets with their traditional houses were wonderful.
Walking Guide Map
Streetscape
Spot Outline
Fukiya Furusato Village, located in FUKIYA, Naruha-cho, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, is a street lined with townhouses in a uniform bengara color. It has been selected as a Japan Heritage Site by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as “the birthplace of Japan Red. The village is also popular for its hands-on activities, such as making handkerchiefs and bags using Bengara paint.
10:10am Suiya Furusato Village Local Museum（吹屋ふるさと村郷土館）
We also went to the Suiya Furusato Village Local Museum.
This is a typical house with bengala latticework, and the museum is very spacious.
It was fun to imagine how people lived in the old days as we toured.
admission fee
in the building
The old furnace
Spot Outline
Suiya Furusato Village Local Museum is located in Nariwa-cho, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture. The museum is a typical house with Bengara latticework, and its spacious interior allows visitors to imagine how people lived in the old days.
10:50am Katayamakejuutaku（旧片山家住宅）
Go to the former Katayama family residence diagonally in front of the local museum.
This one was designated as a national important cultural property.
It seemed more spacious than the local museum.
Entrance
admission fee
in the building
garden
Inside the building 2
Spot Outline
The “Former Katayama Family Residence” located in Fukiya, Naruha-cho, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, is the main residence of the Katayama family, which prospered through the manufacture of bengara. The building is designated as a National Important Cultural Property and is located diagonally in front of the local museum. Visitors can also see where bengara was actually manufactured.
12:00pm Yakiniku Tiyagyuu（焼肉 千屋牛）
For lunch, we decided to eat local wagyu beef.
This yakiniku set meal is a reasonable price of ¥906 for a brand of beef called Tiyagyuu!
The meat was very flavorful and with the addition of garlic and spicy miso, it was so delicious ✨
Exterior
Menu
Spot Outline
Yakiniku Tiyagyuu is a JA-owned restaurant in Shoden, Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture, that sells yakiniku, steaks, beef bowls, and other dishes using locally raised Tiyagyuu Japanese black cattle. The restaurant has table seating and tatami rooms, and is well-reputed by word of mouth for serving local brand beef at reasonable prices.
1:30pm Maki Cave（満奇洞）
The next stop was Maki Cave.
It was very hot that day…I came here to cool off.
The limestone caves are fantastically illuminated, and it is easy to see why they were selected as a sacred place for lovers.
Cool in summer and not cold in winter. It is a wonderful spot!
natural monument
Individual Cave Entry Fees
guide map
Entrance
inside a cave
Lover’s Fountain
(architectural) floodlighting
Ryugu Bridge
Spot Outline
Maki Cave, located in Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture, is a precious limestone cave designated as a natural monument by the prefecture. It is about 450 meters long, fantastically illuminated, and has been selected as a sacred place for lovers. The caves are cool in summer and cold in winter, making them enjoyable throughout the year.
2:30pm Maniwa Aguri Garden（真庭あぐりガーデン）
Next, we headed to Maniwa.
If you are interested in the SDGs, this is a great spot to visit.
Exterior
Spot Outline
Maniwa Aguri Garden, located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a sightseeing complex with the theme of “enjoying Maniwa’s food. The market featuring local foods and local beer is popular, and visitors can enjoy the lush green scenery from the café and restaurant. It is also a good spot for those interested in the SDGs.
2:40pm Sweets Parlor Jujiya Shoten（スイーツパーラー 十字屋商店）
I knew I was going to have caromix shaved ice because it was so hot.
What a surprise, this one is covered with carrot syrup! I was skeptical that it would taste good…but it was a sweet and tasty syrup. Maybe the key is the orange in it.
I also had tomato compote for the first time and it was also good. It was a great break ✨
Exterior
Menu
Seat in the garden
Table seating in the house
Shaved ice menu
Spot Outline
Sweets Parlor Jujiya Shoten, located in Maniwa Aguri Garden, is a store where you can enjoy sweets & cafe. A wide variety of menu items are available for health-conscious customers, such as baked sweets using rice bran, smoothies and shaved ice using local vegetables.
3:20pm Seasonal Storehouse dezi-na（旬の蔵 dezi-na）
This store is also located in Maniwa Aguri Garden. This market is lined with local Maniwa products!
You can buy a variety of foods by weight and seasonal produce is available.
It was exciting and fun just to look around the store because of the large number of items ✨.
Exterior
Interior
Spot Outline
Seasonal Storehouse dezi-na, located in Maniwa Aguri Garden, is a local food storehouse where you can enjoy eco-friendly shopping that reduces waste. Visitors can purchase dashi, rice, and other items in the quantities they need in a quantity-based system, and there is a wide variety of products available. It is also a good spot for those seeking fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits.
4:00pm Kamba Falls（神庭の滝）
The next stop was this nature park.
What a surprise, there are as many as 200 monkeys around the falls. This was the spot where I saw more monkeys than I have ever seen in my life!
The waterfall was huge and I absorbed a lot of the power of nature✨
Explanatory Signs
Admission Fee
Ticket
Lots of monkeys!
Spot Outline
Kamba Falls, located in Kamba, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan. With a height of 110 m and a width of 20 m, it boasts the largest scale in the Chugoku region. It is also famous for the 200 wild monkeys that live in the vicinity.
5:30pm Yubarano-yado Komeya（ゆばらの宿 米屋）
This time, the inn is here. It is Komeya in Yubara Onsen.
Beautiful Japanese-style rooms, a large bathhouse and an open-air Goemon bath.
It was an inn full of happiness✨
Loan of cute yukata
lobby
Something about the art 🖼️
Rooms are here
large public bath
Open-air Goemon Bath (One of the types of Japanese baths)
dressing room
guide map
Stylish lobby
breakfast
Spot Outline
Yubarano-yado Komeya is a hot spring inn located in Yubara Onsen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. Guests can enjoy dishes made with local brand-name ingredients and a bath with 100% spring water. According to reviews, the ryokan is full of happiness with beautiful Japanese-style rooms, a large bathhouse, and an open-air Goemon bath.
6:00pm Yumotoya（湯本屋）
For dinner, we went out to eat. This is a restaurant about a 5-minute walk from the inn.
I was intrigued by the tasteful exterior and decided to stay here!
We end the first day with the perfect combination of okonomiyaki and beer.
Exterior
Food Menu
Drink Menu
Spot Outline
Yumotoya is a restaurant located in Yubara Onsen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, where you can enjoy okonomiyaki and other dishes. It is located about a 5-minute walk from the inn and has an attractive, elegant appearance.
10:00am Hiruzen Horse Park（蒜山ホースパーク）
Day 2 starts here.
At the Horse Park, they experienced giving carrots to the horses and tried horseback riding for the first time in their lives.
The staff pulled the horses by hand, called pulling horses, so I was able to enjoy the experience without worry!
You can also experience feeding the animals.
riding park
Riding Menu
Rice for the horses
Pulling horse experience
Riding Menu
It looks like you can experience horseback riding, too.
Map of the park
Spot Outline
Hiruzen Horse Park, located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a horse riding experience facility adjacent to Hiruzen Jersey Land. Horses and cows graze in the pasture, and visitors can experience petting and horseback riding. An indoor riding arena is available for visitors to enjoy riding even in the rain.
Hiruzen Jersey Land（ひるぜんジャージーランド）
This is Jerseyland, located right next to the Horse Park.
We said hello to the Jersey cows and had some rich soft-serve ice cream.
Full of energy from the morning after a delicious soft serve ✨.
Exterior
Confectionery Workshop
Milk, sweets, ice cream, and other souvenirs available for purchase.
Nice view
Jersey cow
Hiruzen Jersey Land
Spot Outline
Hiruzen Jersey Land is a leisure facility directly operated by the Hiruzen Dairy Farmers Cooperative Association. Word of mouth has it that the cows grazing leisurely on the vast grasslands and the dairy products made from rich Jersey milk are very popular, especially the soft-serve ice cream. There is also a restaurant and a barbecue corner, so you can enjoy lunch as well.
12:30pm Yamana Shokudo（やまな食堂）
For lunch, we went to this cafeteria.
The Hiruzen Yakisoba, Hiruzen’s local delicacy, is a must-try. The sweet sauce and the savory chicken grilled on the griddle are a perfect match.
What a great deal of noodles here, 240g in volume! They were so delicious that I finished them off with a bang✨
Exterior
Menu
Spot Outline
Yamana Shokudo, located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a “Hiruzen Yakisoba” restaurant. Hiruzen Yakisoba, a local delicacy of Hiruzen, is very popular. The rich miso sauce and savory chicken meat are perfectly balanced. With 240 grams of noodles, it is also very hearty.
2:30pm Shiogama Cold Spring（塩釜の冷泉）
It was also very hot that day, so we decided to head for the mountains to cool off.
This is Shiogama Cold Spring, which is said to gush out 300 liters of water per second. It is too much to imagine!
The water was very clean, cold and soothing.
guide map
introductory sign
Water temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius all year round
Spot Outline
Shiogama Cold Spring, located in Hiruzen Shimofukuda, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is natural water gushing from a valley at the foot of Mt. The spring water, selected as one of the 100 best waters, is still used by approximately 600 households in the area for their daily lives. Although it is not allowed to draw water directly from the source, it is possible to draw water from a dedicated area.
2:30pm Shiogama-do（塩釜堂）
A short break at a store near the cold spring.
The shaved ice here is made from ice made from cold spring water.
Ice tastes good because water tastes good. The shaved ice tastes good because the ice tastes good! It’s the best summer treat.
In addition to shaved ice, there are also coffee, lemonade, and other drinks, all of which use water that comes from a cold spring.
I bet they are all delicious.
Exterior
Menu
Drink Menu
Spot Outline
Shiogama-do, located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, offers Shiogama Cold Spring coffee, shaved ice, and seasonal soft-serve ice cream. According to reviews, the shaved ice and coffee here are made with ice made from water from the cold spring, and the drinks are also made with water from the cold spring, all of which are delicious. It is a favorite among locals as the perfect spot for a short summer break.
Hiruzen Daisen Skyline（蒜山大山スカイライン）
Then the drive is!
The skyline here is a touring spot, or perhaps it is a place for touring, and there were people riding their motorcycles comfortably.
Spot Outline
Hiruzen Daisen Skyline, which connects to Daisen in Tottori Prefecture, is a popular driving and touring spot. It is easy to drive as a sightseeing road, and is visited by many people who enjoy riding motorcycles. The surrounding scenery is also beautiful, making it a recommended destination for those who want to refresh and enjoy driving.
3:30pm kimendai Observatory（鬼女台展望台）
This is the observation deck where we were headed after riding the skyline.
Located on the border with Tottori Prefecture, the Hiruzen cityscape can be seen to the south and Tottori’s Daisen Mountain to the north.
It is the best observation deck with a nice 360 degree view ✨
guide map
The way to go from the parking lot
View from the observatory
Spot Outline
kimendai Observatory, located in Kofu-cho, Hino-gun, Tottori Prefecture, is an observatory that can be visited by riding the Skyline. Located on the border with Tottori Prefecture, it offers a panoramic view of the city of Hiruzen to the south and Tottori’s Daisen to the north, and is known as one of the best observation decks with a spectacular 360-degree view. According to word of mouth, the view is very beautiful and well worth a visit.
4:30pm GREENable HIRUZEN
After seeing the beautiful scenery, we went back to the town of Hiruzen and came here.
This spot just opened in July 2021.
There is a large pavilion that makes extensive use of CLT, a panel made of glued wood.
I was able to go inside and felt as if I were a part of the architecture.
Nice smell of wood as you approach.
guide map
Spot Outline
GREENable HIRUZEN, located in Hiruzen Kamifukuda, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a facility that serves as a base for communicating the value of sustainability to a wider audience. The building was supervised by Kengo Kuma, who was involved in the design of the National Stadium.
Maniwa City Hiruzen Museum（真庭市蒜山ミュージアム）
This museum is located in GREENable HIRUZEN.
At the time of my visit, the latest architectural models from all over Japan and the world were on display.
Lots of CLT on the stairs!
ticket of admission
Interior
Interior
Exterior
Spot Outline
The Maniwa Hiruzen Museum is located in Hiruzen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, and is home to the latest architectural models from all over Japan and the world. It is a must-see spot for architecture fans.
5:30pm Suitonbo（粋呑房）
The last meal of the trip was wild boar gyoza (A type of Chinese food)500 yen and Hiruzen Okowa (steamed sticky rice) 600 yen, both made with wild boar from Maniwa.
I was worried about what wild boar would taste like, but there was no smell at all, and more importantly, it went perfectly with the green pepper miso!
The okowa was very filling and the miso soup was very satisfying ✨
Hiruzen Okowa (600 yen)
Exterior
Interior
Menu
Spot Outline
Suitonbo is a restaurant located in Hiruzen Kamifukuda, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. You can enjoy local delicacies such as Hiruzen Yakisoba, Hiruzen Okowa and local wild game dishes.
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