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While Spring and Fall are generally considered the best times of year for sightseeing in Japan, Okayama may be an exception to the rule. Located on the Seto Inland Sea, Okayama City, the seat of Okayama prefecture, is known as the Land of Sunshine and has many events during the July and August. For those who like it hot, there's nowhere else to go!		  
     
   
 
To begin with, there is the Okayama Koraku-en Garden, which is listed as one of the three most famous gardens of Japan. At well over 100,000 square meters and with 20 separate sights to see, this world-class, river-surrounded garden is worth a trip at any time of the year. But in the summer it is illuminated for a limited time to create the “Genso Garden”. Glowing in hazy candlelight, Genso's serenity and tranquility present a beautiful image of true Japanese culture.

Since Okayama is said to be the birthplace of the legendary Momotaro (the “Peach Boy” of Japanese fairy tales who slays ogres - http://www.pref.okayama.jp/kikaku/kokusai/momo/e/momotarou/
momotarou.html), Okayama hosts the Momotaro Festival from the end of July to the beginning of August. This is the largest festival in the prefecture, and on the first day there is a huge fireworks display set off in the middle of the Asahi River to commemorate its start. Festivities last for three days, with street vendors selling traditional foods and dances derived from the legend of Momotaro.		  
     
   
 
And speaking of food, Okayama's signature fruits, muscat grapes and white peaches, are in season during the summer as well. Nourished by the warm climate and sunshine, these are treats not to be missed! They make a great complement to the abundant seafood that is to be had from the Seto Inland Sea, all of which is renowned for its excellent flavor.

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  Brewery and beer restaurant TheKIRIN Beer Park in Okayama  
 
Unless you are from Milwaukee or Munich, you may never have experienced a visit to a beer brewery or tasted the freshly brewed draft beer there.

Unlike in Bavaria, where almost every town has its own local brewery, in Japan there are only four beer brands. Kirin is one of the best among them. It’s the only brewery in the Western Honshu area, and is situated in a forest , east of Okayama City.

There you could see how systematic, tidy and eco-conscious Japanese brew the beer, the most ancient alcoholic beverage produced by man. (It was invented somewhere around Mesopotamia, in about the 10th century B.C.)
The Kirin Okayama brewery has metamorphosed to an eco-park where various local flora and fauna flourish 、where you can sample freshly brewed beer (¥400 per pint glass) as well as eat a master chef’s preparations in a beer delicatessen restaurant.

The Kirin Okayama Beer Park is twenty minutes on the JR Sanyo line from Okayama. At the station (Mantomi), a shuttle bus to the park will be waiting for you. No reservations are required.

 
     
 
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But if you can't make it in summer, don't worry. Okayama has breathtaking seasonal scenery as well. The cherry blossoms of Spring and the bright foliage of the Fall is to be found here, and historical sights can be better enjoyed when the temperatures aren't quite as high. Okayama Castle, also known as the “crow castle” due to its black exterior, is a splendid example of Japanese castle architecture and houses a museum. Located across the river from Koraku-en Garden, both can easily be seen on the same day.

   
  There is also the Kibi Road, winding across a plain where an ancient kingdom thrived, and which invites visitors to travel back to times of the past. Interested tourists can rent bicycles at 3locations (including Soja station and Uedo Rent-a-Bicycle, near Bizen Ichinomiya station on the JR Kibi line. Just say, “Kibiji o mawaritai desu kedo” and you should be okay.) and take a relaxing and informative ride along the road to see some of the ancient sites. You can return your bikes at Soja station, which is more or less equidistant from either Kurashiki or Okayama, and then take a short train ride back to either city. You can read about one such representative bicycle journey – along with the Kibi version of the Peach Boy legend - at http://www.travellady.com/Issues/January03/SoftPedaling.htm.
  
     
 

Kinojo

The West Gate of the this castle has been reconstructed recently
Finally, Okayama has many museums to tour, such as the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, home to the prefecture's outstanding collection of fine art. The museum's permanent exhibition includes works of such native sons as calligrapher Sesshu, warrior artist Musashi Miyamoto, and woodblock master Kuniyoshi.

Access to and from Okayama is easy and convenient. Not only is it a major port but every type of Shinkansen bullet train stops in Okayama City and air travel is also convenient from both within Japan and airports abroad.

Access to and from Okayama is easy and convenient. Not only is it a major port but every type of Shinkansen bullet train stops in Okayama City and air travel is also convenient from both within Japan and airports abroad.		  
     
 
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