Tours & Activities in Kurashiki

Discover Kurashiki the traditional way: on a rickshaw. As a shogunate crown colony in the Edo period (1603~1868), Kurashiki enjoyed prosperity by storing goods and products from all over Japan. Alongside the canals are white-wall Japanese style warehouses and traditional Japanese houses with willow trees on the bank. This tour can be customized to your preferred departure time, ending point, and length.

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kurashiki! The main attraction in Kurashiki is its atmospheric Bikan quarter, an area of historic buildings along an old willow-edged canal, laneways lined with old wooden houses and shops, and perfectly preserved Edo period mills. Visiting Kurashiki Bikan is like takling a step back in time! Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Hiroyuki Hara, the famous Hara family that lived in Kurashiki for 400 years (Edo period), represents a deeper history of Kurashiki with an interpreter. Speaking of the origin and history of Kurashiki, we will visit places in the Bikan Historical Quarter. At the end of the tour, we will enter Cafe Ueda, established in 1972 and loved by the locals for a long time, you can talk with Hiroyuki Hara. You will experience the "real Kurashiki" that you cannot find on the Internet. You will be able to discover the charm of the Bikan Historical Quarter, which only locals who actually live in Kurashiki can talk about. Let's learn more about Kurashiki from the city's history, not just sightseeing. At the end of the tour, you will receive a wonderful souvenir.

Why don't you make your one and only Temari in the world? She usually runs a glasses shop, but for everyone's benefit, Grandma Yasue will teach you how to make them for those who come to Kurashiki! Temari has long been a favorite folk craft of Kurashiki. Temari is made by wrapping thread around a core filled with rice husks and embroidery. In this experience, you will start by embroidering the core that has been made in advance.

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced English Speaking tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kurashiki! The main attraction in Kurashiki is its atmospheric Bikan quarter, an area of historic buildings along an old willow-edged canal, laneways lined with old wooden houses and shops, and perfectly preserved Edo period mills. Visiting Kurashiki Bikan is like taking a step back in time! Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.

A qualified tea master will hold a full-fledged tea ceremony in a traditional tea room. You can listen to the etiquette of the tea ceremony and how to use the utensils while enjoying the matcha that is made in front of you and the beautiful Japanese sweets. It will be a wonderful experience.

Let's try to deepen your understanding of the Japanese people's love of nature and the culture ikebana experience!! Firstly, the interpreter will explain the history and spirit of ikebana at a flower store that has been loved by the locals for 70 years. After that, you will be able to choose one type of flower for yourself. Then, You will travel from the flower store to the classroom through the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter with an interpreter. A teacher from Ikenobo, Japan's oldest school of Ikebana, who has been arranging flowers for 65 years, will teach you everything from techniques to etiquette. This tour is not just a hands-on experience, but also a springboard to a deeper understanding of Ikebana and Japanese culture. The spirit of ikebana is rooted in the idea of giving life back to life by arranging flowers that had once been cut off by plucking. If flower arrangement is an aesthetic of addition, ikebana is an aesthetic of subtraction.

The viewing room of Kurashiki Observatory, the first private observatory built in Japan, is available for one hour. A small bottle of beer and snacks will be provided. Why not spend a wonderful time lying on a reclining chair and looking at the night sky? On starry days, we will set up a telescope so you can see the stars to your heart's content. The "Kuraten Concierge" will be stationed at the facility to give you instructions on how to use and enjoy the telescope and other facilities, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them anytime.

If you are going to rent a kimono, why not walk through the photo spots? Don't worry! Our English-speaking guide will help you from the moment you rent your kimono to the end of the tour. If you want to wear a more authentic kimono, this is the place to go! There are more than 100 types of kimono to choose from.

Explore Kurashiki’s rich history and beautiful streets on this two-hour short tour with a British-made Brompton bicycle. Starting from Kurashiki Station, the tour enters the Bikan Historical District, Kurashiki Archaeological Museum, and a local café. Enjoy a relaxed cycling experience through the historical streets of Kurashiki, packed with memorable sights within a short time.

This is the only tour that allows you to visit the Kurashiki Museum of Folk Craft with a folk craft expert and a nationally-licensed guide! (As of September 2023) By touring the Kurashiki Museum of Folk Craft with a folk art expert and interpreter, who usually does not have written explanations of the exhibits, you can learn more about folk craft and the exhibits!

Popular Tour! Join us for a special New Year's edition of a DEEP city walk led by the 9th generation of the Hara family, a renowned family from Kurashiki. The guide, a prominent member of this local family, will share the 400-year history of how the streets of Kurashiki, once part of the Edo period domain, evolved into the present-day Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. This tour includes tasting three types of traditional Japanese New Year's dishes, along with a glass of local sake from the Bicchu area. At the end of the tour, you will receive a special gift from the guide!

This is a luxurious cycling tour around Kojima on stylish Brompton bikes, with the breathtaking multi-island scenery of Japan's renowned Seto Inland Sea as a backdrop. As you ride along the scenic coastal routes with stunning views of the islands, you’ll also discover the story of how Kojima developed into the "Sacred Land of Japanese Denim." Enjoy hidden spots that can only be accessed thanks to the smooth and comfortable ride unique to Brompton bikes. Take in the natural beauty and rich history of Kojima for an unforgettable experience.