Kurashiki
倉敷市

Kurashiki's location in Okayama, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku
Prefecture	Okayama
Physical characteristics
Area	298.92 km² (115.4 sq mi)
Population (as of 2003)
Total	433,477
Location	34°35′N, 133°46′E
Symbols
Kurashiki Government Office
Official website: City of Kurashiki

Kurashiki (倉敷市, Kurashiki-shi^?) is a historic city located to the west of Okayama, Japan, sitting on the Takahashi River, on the coast of the Inland Sea. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 563 pixelsFull resolution (1281 × 901 pixel, file size: 35 KB, MIME type: image/png) Map of Okayama Prefecture highlighting Kurashiki city. ... Okayama Prefecture ) is located in the ChÅ«goku region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... Map of the regions of Japan. ... Chugoku region, Japan The ChÅ«goku region (中国地方 ChÅ«goku-chihō) is the westernmost region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. ... The prefectures of Japan are the countrys 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one metropolis (都 to), Tokyo; one circuit (道 dō), Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures (府 fu), Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures (県 ken). ... Okayama Prefecture ) is located in the ChÅ«goku region on HonshÅ« island, Japan. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A city ) is a local administrative unit in Japan. ... Okayama (岡山市; -shi) is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chugoku region of Japan. ... The Takahashi River ) is a major river in the western part of Okayama Prefecture, acting as the main drainage for the Takahashi River Drainage System, and one of the three main drainage rivers in Okayama Prefecture (the others being the Yoshii River and the Asahi River). ... An inland sea is a shallow sea that covers central areas of continents during high stands of sea level that result in marine transgressions. ...

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 433,477 and the density of 1,450.14 persons per km². The total area is 298.92 km². Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ...

History

The modern city of Kurashiki was founded on April 1, 1928. Previously, it was the site of clashes between the Heike and Genji clans during the Heian period. It gradually developed as a riverport; during the Edo period, it became an area directly controlled by the Shogunate. Distinctive white-walled, black-tiled warehouses were built to store goods. During the Meiji Restoration (Japan's Industrial Revolution period), factories were built, including the Ohara Spinning Mill which still stands as the nostalgic tourist attraction Ivy Square.^[1] is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... Minamoto (源) was an honorary surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period to their sons and grandsons after accepting them as royal subjects. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Heian Period. ... The Edo period ), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868. ... Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate Shōgun )   is supreme general of the samurai,a military rank and historical title in Japan. ... The Meiji Restoration ), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japans political and social structure. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ...

Attractions

The main canal in the Bikan district of Kurashiki.

Kurashiki is the home to Japan's first Western art museum, the Ohara Museum of Art. Established in 1930 by Magosaburu Ohara, it contains masterpieces by El Greco, Monet, Matisse, Gauguin, and Renoir. The collection also has fine examples of Asian and contemporary art. The museum itself is housed in a neo-Classical building. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 992 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) En: canals in Kurashiki, Japan Copyright © 2003 David Monniaux File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 992 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) En: canals in Kurashiki, Japan Copyright © 2003 David Monniaux File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... El Greco (The Greek, 1541 – April 7, 1614) was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. ... Claude Monet also known as Oscar-Claude Monet or Claude Oscar Monet (November 14, 1840 – December 5, 1926)[1] was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movements philosophy of expressing ones perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein... Henri Matisse (December 31, 1869 – November 3, 1954) was a French artist, noted for his use of color and his fluid, brilliant and original draughtsmanship. ... Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a leading Post-Impressionist painter. ... Pierre-Auguste Renoir (February 25, 1841–December 3, 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. ...

19th-century warehouses line this quay in the Bikan district of Kurashiki. Nowadays, many of them host merchants of artisanal local wares.

The ancient merchant quarter, called the Bikan historical area. This area of the city is surrounded by almost unique examples of 17th century wooden warehouses called kura (倉) painted white with traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi. The area is extraordinarily picturesque (i.e. there are no electric poles in order to make the area more closely resemble the look of the Meiji period), and is a popular tourist destination. The nearby AEON shopping Center is a popular destination for the locals. One of the city's former town halls was located in the Kurashiki Kan, an impressive European style building constructed in 1917. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Koi ) (IPA: ), or more specifically nishikigoi ) (IPA: , literally brocaded carp), are ornamental domesticated varieties of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ...

The Tivoli theme park was built in 1998, based on the theme park of the same name in Copenhagen, and is not popular with local Japanese or tourists as having lost money every year it has been in operation would indicate. Tivoli Gardens is a famous amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Copenhagen (disambiguation). ...

Colleges and Universities

• Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts

Nightlife

There is a night time and life during the night, but that is about it.

Crossing the street

Drivers in Kurashiki are notoriously aggressive, therefore, utmost caution should be taken when crossing the street, regardless of what color the light may be.

Mergers with Mabi and Funao in 2006

In 2006, the towns of Mabi and Funao merged with Kurashiki.

Lodging

• Ryokan Kurashiki, a well-known ryokan in the Bikan district, located in what was formerly a traditional warehouse. Includes a tea garden and a lovely collection of European and Japanese antiques.

This article is about the Zen monk. ...

References

1. ^ Kurashiki's History. City of Kurashiki (August 7, 2006).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Kurashiki, Okayama

• Kurashiki's official homepage
• Ohara Museum of Art website
• Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts website
• Ryokan Kurashiki's website (English)

Okayama Prefecture
Cities
Akaiwa | Asakuchi | Bizen | Ibara | Kasaoka | Kurashiki | Maniwa | Mimasaka | Niimi | Okayama (capital) | Setouchi | Soja | Takahashi | Tamano | Tsuyama
Districts
Aida | Asakuchi | Kaga | Katsuta | Kume | Maniwa | Oda | Tomata | Tsukubo | Wake
See also: Towns and villages by district edit