Kurashiki

A leisurely day

With minimal plans for the day, we were able to have a relaxing two-coffee morning.  We finally managed to nab a vacant washing machine which meant that I no longer had to watch the facility congestion information on the television which provides up-to-the-minute information on time remaining on the washing cycles

It was a perfect day for a stroll around the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.  The streets were lined with white-walled kominika (traditional warehouse buildings) which reflected the town’s prosperity in the 1600s due to its importance on the rice distribution route. Rice was transported into the city via canals and stored in the warehouses that give the city its name (kura) before being shipped onto Osaka and Edo (now Tokyo).  A central section of the canal system has been preserved and was lined with restaurants and shops.

The town had lots of galleries and museums but we were content just to wander the streets and look around the shops as we had dedicated the day to finding souvenirs to take home.  Many of the shops were selling the traditional Bizen ware pottery.  The clay is put into the kiln unglazed and fired with pine wood to give the pieces their own unique, subdued colours.  There were also lots of stores selling jeans and other denim products, as Kurashiki was the birthplace of Japanese denim and specialises in indigo dye production.

We visited Ivy Square, a big hotel complex, that was covered in ivy and the site of the first cotton mill in Japan built in 1889 but didn’t linger preferring the old streets and we made our way to the canal for lunch, where we enjoyed a set menu.  I opted for the local pork whilst Simon had an egg and rice dish. 

 We wandered a little more after lunch, and spied girls dressing in kimonos and people wearing the traditional sugegasa (conical Japanese straw hat) that appears to be mandatory on boat tours.  Returning to the hotel we had a cup of tea before venturing out again for another brief walk.  Having an earlier bath meant that it wasn’t busy, and I had the bath to myself.  We rang home to wish Mum and Dad a happy wedding anniversary for tomorrow then headed out for a Kurashiki udon dinner. 

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