On our way to Kyoto today we will be making a stop at the city of Kurashiki (we will have shipped your main suitcase on ahead to Kyoto the previous day so you don't have to carry it).  Kurashiki is usually not included on first-time itineraries to Japan but it is definately worth making a stop here to see the preserved "Canal District" in the center of the town.  The Canal District's streets are lined with cafes, traditional shops and museums which are built in the traditional Japanese style of black-tiled storehouses from the Edo era.

About the Destinations

Travel by Train

Hiroshima > Kyoto

Shinkansen (Reserved)

Kurashiki (Area): Kurashiki is a city in Okayama Prefecture Japan. It has a preserved, and popular "Canal Area" that dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1867) when the city served as an important rice distribution center and white-walled, black-tiled warehouses.

About the Guide

Brent is an American, Colorado native, who has lived in Japan for a total of over 15 years. He speaks fluent Japanese and has travelled all over Japan. Brent is also a professional entertainer in Japan (entertaining the Japanese) and has visited most every city in Japan including it's hotels, resorts, hot springs, amusement parks, castles, temples, etc. and has hob-knobbed with some of Japan's most famous celebrities.