Kurashiki is a small country town. It is 3.5 hours from Tokyo (3 hours to Okayama Station on the bullet train and then 30 mins on a local train).
It is 1 hour from Hiroshima Station (30 mins on a bullet train to Okayama and then 30 mins on a local train.)
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Kurashiki is the quaint Japanese country town in Okayama Prefecture I lived for one year in high school.
I’ve written about some of that year in my blog post on the first few weeks of settling into Japanese school as an exchange student and I was interviewed by Visit Japan UK about culture shock during that year too.
And now that I’m a Mum, I love (although do feel very emotional) visiting Kurashiki with my own two children.
Here are some of my favourite spots and tips on visiting Kurashiki with children.
Sightseeing in Kurashiki with kids
The most beautiful and famous area to explore is the Historical Quarter called Bikan-Chiku. The beautiful black, white and grey buildings line the river.
Kurashiki is famous for tie-dyed denim, glass blowing and some pottery. So jump on any chance to take part in a craft work shop in one of these fields.
There is one part of Bikan-Chiku called “Denim Street” where you can even indulge in a “denim flavoured” soft serve ice-cream.
Where to eat in Kurashiki with kids
Kurashiki Ramen Masuya
This is a casual (but very pretty for this kind of place) ramen spot near Kurashiki Station. As well as ramen, they also serve fried rice and gyoza. As with all ramen spots, please be careful visiting with toddlers and babies as the soup issue so hot and dangerous for little hands (and for you if they accidentally tip a bowl on you.) Cash only. It’s all counter seating except for one table.
On busy days they close once sold out.
KURASHIKI RAMEN MASUYA
岡山県倉敷市2-22-3-2
2 Chome-22-3-2 ACHI, KURASHIKI, OKAYAMA
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11AM-2:30PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-8PM
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
Kyuhondo-tei
Kyuhondo-tei is French/Italian restaurant in a refurbished old Japanese home. Table charge is 330 yen per person.
They do not have an English menu but the menu items are all French and Italian items so google translate works very well.
I also recommend their take-out bentos with incredible gourmet sandwiches and deli plate style bentos that include things like quiche.
This restaurant welcomes families and is completely non-smoking.
I’d budget 2000 yen for adults for lunch and double that for dinner. Their lunch set menu is so reasonably price and includes dessert.
It’s 5 mins walk from Kurashiki Station.
KYUHONDO-TEI
岡山県倉敷市鶴形1-2-20
1-2-20 TSURUGATA, KURASHIKI, OKAYAMA
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11:30AM-3PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5:30PM-11PM ( Last ORDERS AT 10:30PM)
CLOSED MONDAYS
Ario Kurashiki Shopping Centre (just behind Kurashiki Station) also has a selection of casual cafes and restaurants and makes for really easy meals out with kids – you’ll see lots of Japanese children in there too. Our favourite option here is Pia Sapido a casual bakery restaurant where you order a meal and then can have all-you-can-eat freshly baked bread. It’s so good. Another good options within this shopping centre is a Yakiniku restaurant called Yakiniku Griglia. All restaurants in this complex are open everyday.
At dinner time, I recommend visiting Yakitori Takataya. The staff are so kind. Closed on Mondays. Best to make reservations. Cash only.
The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
YAKITORI TAKATAYA
11-36 HONMACHI, KURASHIKI, OKAYAMA
岡山県倉敷市本町11-36
OPEN 5PM-10PM
CLOSED MONDAYS
Toraiya
Toraya serves Okayama Local Cuisine. Go early for dinner as they close at 8pm.
TORAIYA
岡山県倉敷市本町6-21
6-21 HONMACHI, KURASHIKI, OKAYAMA
OPEN 11AM-8PM
CLOSED MONDAYS
Sukiyaki & Shabu-Shabu
This hot-pot style of eating is so much fun for families and just interactive with kids. This restaurant Syabu-yo is a chain restaurant.
Syabu-Yo Kurashiki Branch is 5 mins in a cab (approx 1500 yen) from Kurashiki Station or 21 mins on foot. You can also take public transport (use google maps) and it will take around 12 mins.
Diners choose the amount of time they would like to have unlimited meat brought to their table (usually 60 or 90 mins) and that price also includes access to a salad and vegetable buffet and ice-cream. The instructions on how to make your meal at the table are here on the Syabu-Yo website but the staff will also help you. My kids prefer sukiyaki to shabu-shabu as it is so sweet and more-ish.
This style of restaurant is tricky if everyone has different dietary requirements (for example if one family member is vegetarian etc) as all the food is cooked in one pot. I guess you could get around this by getting two tables with two separate pots. Sometimes they have pots like the one pictured below that has two sections. This is mostly so you can cook two different flavours but it could also work for a meat side and a veg side too, I guess.
To eat here I would budget for around 2000 yen per adult. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. Syabu-Yo accept most major credit cards.
If you like this restaurant – I’m pretty sure you will! Then you are in luck as you can always google your closest Syabu-Yo branch as they are all over Japan.
They have free wifi. This restaurant is walk~ins only.
There is a change table in the bathroom at this restaurant. They also have the little robots that bring the meat to your table. My kids love this.
SYABU-YO, KURASHIKI
岡山県倉敷市八王寺町103-1
103-1 HACHIOJICHO, KURASHIKI, OKAYAMA
OPEN 11AM-11PM
Where to stay in Kurashiki with kids
Centurion Hotel & Spa Kurashiki is a simple 3 star hotel but its so close to the station and the rooms are so much bigger than many of the hotel rooms I’ve seen in Japan.
Royal Park Hotel Kurashiki has a delicious breakfast and the rooms are very spacious by Japan standards. There is also a public onsen for guests to use. This hotel is 800 metres from Shinkeien Garden. The hotel also rents out bikes (adults size bikes.)
For a ryokan in Kurashiki, I recommend Temari “Oitoma” Inn. There is a public bath for guests to use and a playspace with some toys for kids.
There is a mixture of futon rooms and western style bedding rooms too. It is right next to the Historical Quarter (the most charming part of town.)
They also sell Kurashiki-made pottery and other hand-crafted goods. This hotel also has a remote working space for guests in the most beautiful traditional Japanese room. This hotel can (availability allowing) cater for families as large as 9 people (although the most common room types are for 2-4 people.)
The included meals use local ingredients such as Okayama Prefecture Pork Shabu Shabu Hot Pot or takoyaki.
And alternative idea is to stay in the bigger city near by (also the city with the closest bullet train station) : Okayama.
WHERE TO STAY IN OKAYAMA WITH KIDS
Okayama Koraku Hotel
Some rooms can sleep up to 4 people and there are also two connecting rooms.
This hotel is just 5 minutes walk from Okayama Station ( or 6 mins in a taxi/ approx 800 yen.). There are microwaves for guests to use on every second floor and an in-house coin laundry on floor 7.
WHERE TO EAT IN OKAYAMA WITH KIDS?
Okayama is the closest “big city” near Kurashiki (also the home to the closest bullet train stop to Kurashiki) and is 30 mins away by train.
If you find yourself here and are looking for something to eat – I recommend visiting Alara Curry (11 mins walk from Okayama Station.)
Alara Curry serves Japanese curry and desserts – also wine and cocktails.
I recommend trying a retro melon soda here. You can make reservations or try your luck with a walk in.
I would budget around 2000 yen for an adult meal here. Alara Curry accept most major credit cards.
Some parts of the restaurant do allow smoking.
ALARA CURRY, OKAYAMA
OPEN 6PM-5AM
PLEASE NOTE: This article contains some affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
