Hiking, Cycling, and Feasting in Okayama, the Land of Sunshine

How an unexpected trip offered a much-needed change of pace

The view of Setouchi Sea from Ojigatake.

In the month since I started my new corporate job, my weekends have been dedicated largely to running errands and recuperating. By recuperating, I mean watching hours upon hours of Shameless in bed. Such is the nature of being neurodivergent in the workforce. 

Needless to say, I was getting antsy to get back out there for another adventure. Unfortunately, becoming a member of the traditional 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday club meant that all hotels were fully booked in the three places I considered. Going back to the drawing board, my coworker, who formerly lived in Okayama, provided the inspiration I was seeking. With an itinerary drawn up in the final hour and a budget accommodation booking acquired, it was go time for a mid-October long weekend. 

Getting started on the Kibiji Cycling Road.

All aboard

Two important lessons have been gleaned from all my previous trips: 1. A 5 a.m. wake-up is almost always worth it, and 2. Minimalist packing immediately reduces the number of transfers one has to do, which is a major plus with my packed itineraries. 

Though it was an early start, the two-hour, three-transfer train journey was luxurious in comparison to more remote places of the past. I avoid the bullet train whenever possible because it eats into the budget, but damn if it isn’t convenient. 

We breezed into Okayama City just after 9, dropping off two out of three of our small bags at the hotel before picking up our rental bikes for the first excursion, the Kibiji Cycling Road. 

Spanning 25 kilometers between Okayama City and the town of Soja, this cycling route offers the chance to glide through miles of scenic rice paddies and mountains, with several historic temples and shrines to stop at along the way. I referenced a couple of English blogs and tourism pages, but couldn’t glean whether it was well-known or worth the journey. So, in the spirit of taking chances, my husband and I set off, hoping the sun would make an appearance at some point. 

The official starting point of the route is Bizen Ichinomiya Station, where there are, evidently, more bike rental places. Taka and I chanced upon a random shop, where it was only 500 yen per person to rent the bike for the day, with the caveat that we would have to cycle all the way back to return the bikes at the same location. This was an oversight on my part, as it wouldn’t allow much time to explore Okayama City itself, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles when plans are made at the last minute. 

Back to the excursion itself, our growling stomachs demanded a stop at Komeda for the morning set before we really got going. Past this point, the trail was decently marked to the point that we no longer needed the GPS, although I would’ve appreciated more signage nonetheless. 

My white-knuckled nerves were equalled by my exuberance about the beauty all around us. White cranes swooped just above the verdant rice paddies, outlined by endless mountains in the distance. The city traffic made way for the rumbling of the farm equipment, which harvested and ground the rice, causing the grainy scent to waft through the air. While these sights are typical of the Japanese countryside, adding in a new mode of transportation gave a sense of childlike novelty. 

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a wannabe cyclist without the chops. Whether it be my Deafness affecting my sense of balance, I feel perpetually in danger on two wheels. The tight turns are the worst, and only after I crashed into railings multiple times, leaving some nasty bruises, did my husband realize it would behoove him to give me some navigational signals well in advance. 

Thankfully, the stops at the shrines and temples gave my pelvis a break from the pounding of the city bike going over the not entirely smooth road. Kibitsuhiko Shrine came first, with a small pond in front that was perfect for turtle-watching. Nearby Kibitsu Jinja announced itself long before we came into its vicinity by way of taiko drums. Evidently, an autumn festival was being held right as we passed through! A short jaunt up a lantern-lit stairway led us to a flute performance at the main altar, playing at frequencies that, I’m afraid to say, missed my very Deaf ears. Diverting away from the small crowd, my husband and I stopped at a hidden koi pond, communing with the golden fish before coming back down to find the same blue-coated procession hauling a massive float up the hill, sprinting and cheering with unbelievable gusto. 

My upper back aching from the tension of staying upright, our final temple stop was the big kahuna: Bitchu Kokubunji. Jutting out from the rice field, this five-story pagoda is situated behind a lily pond, making for effortlessly gorgeous photos. It was after 12 at this point, however, so we swiftly moved on to lunch, our starved frustration mounting when multiple places purported to be open on Google Maps were anything but. 

By the grace of some benevolent spirit above, we at last found an Indian restaurant that was able to satisfy my craving for shrimp curry and masala chai. Soja seems to be one of those random Japanese towns with an abundance of cool, slightly gentrifying restaurants, including a churro ice cream place that had me drooling. Only because we had to cycle the remaining 25 kilometers back to Okayama did I restrain myself from filling my stomach painfully beyond capacity. 

The return was a grind on the hamstrings. We were rushing back with two objectives: to ditch the hellish bikes as soon as possible, and to make it to Korakuen before our dinner reservation at 5:30. In this endeavor, we succeeded, cursing out any fellow foreigners who were too slow to move out of the way. 

Back on two feet, Taka and I popped by the hotel to get cleaned up before heading to Korakuen, the most gorgeous garden I’ve laid my eyes upon, and that’s saying a lot. It was as if a mini diorama of plush fake moss had come to life, manifesting a stunning castle and pond in the center. Adding to the beauty was our prompt arrival for the golden hour, in which the waning sun gave a Midas touch to every angle. 

I’d had an ambitious list of other attractions to see in Okayama, all of which were forgotten when walking through the grounds of Korakuen. Slightly crowded it may be, it was worth it, even without the marching band lending our early evening tour a brassy accompaniment. 

With some time remaining before our reservations, the two of us walked around Okayama in search of bread for the next day’s breakfast. Many bakeries had long stopped baking any fresh bread, so we settled for Aeon’s selections. In the meantime, Okayama’s sunset skyline, with its old-fashioned trollies and reflective buildings, reminded me at once of New Orleans, Hong Kong, and Nagasaki. It’s got a laid-back vibe with the walkable convenience of a big city, and, as it turns out, a restaurant that would serve me the second-best meal I’ve had in Japan (the first, for those wondering, was the seafood dinner at our accommodation in Ise). 

Sitting down at the comfortable chabudai table, Taka and I marveled at the offerings on the menu, which Taka admittedly had to read for me as the handwritten font was not easy on the eyes. 

Being on the coast of the Setouchi Sea, it’s no surprise that Okayama is known for its seafood. Starting with assorted sashimi, I knew we were in for some quality eating. The next plate was an Okayama signature, hamo sashimi. An ugly little fish, the plate was artfully decorated and delicious to consume. Our third dish was oyster tempura, another prefecture specialty, and especially satisfying after a long day of cycling. Fourth was another round of hamo, if I remember correctly, this time drenched in a rich soy sauce punctuated with spring onions, yellow onions, and garlic. I would do unholy things to eat this again. Finally, we wrapped up this already expensive meal with crab miso doria, a casserole-type baked cheese dish with mushrooms and bits of crab inside. As if it couldn’t get any more Pure Okayama, dessert was a nice custardy pudding with a creme brûlée-like charring on top. I cannot sing the praises of the chefs enough. This was a 10/10 meal that I won’t soon forget!

Another adventure awaits

Another 5 a.m. start, this time after a rough night of sleep. Excitement for the day ahead propelled me through the motions of tea and bread consumption. After stretching out my wrecked body and fitting all my belongings back into a hydration vest and fanny pack, we were off to the Starbucks inside the station for my husband’s morning cup of joe. 

Three drunk guys must’ve had a similar thought, as they were lying in front of the Starbucks gates just before opening. Adding to their cacophony was a live piano player and music blaring through the speakers of the underground station, which was not an altogether pleasant start to the day, but I digress. 

Nailing the public transportation for today’s hike was of the utmost importance, as it’s not that regular in these parts. Funnily enough, our first train was bound for one of the destinations I’d originally been thinking about for this weekend: Matsuyama in Ehime! Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be going that far south, instead getting off at Kojima for a bus transfer. 

Just after 8, Taka and I were deposited at a seaside bus stop with a wall of rocks looming before us. Our hiking locale for the morning was Ojigatake Park Center in the Tamano area, on recommendation from my rock-climbing-loving coworker. 

I estimated that we’d take about one hour each way based on reviews, and I ended up being right on the money. The trail consists of 1260 steps, ranging in size, which take you up to the rocky outcrop at the summit. I was reminded of the Dragon’s Back Trail we did in Hong Kong this past summer, with the trail’s similar presence of butterflies, mixed terrain, and views of the sea. Adding to the vibes were an abandoned hotel with the windows smashed out and a few stray cats lounging on the benches. 

While the summit offers panoramic views of the Setouchi Sea, which are breathtaking, the decided-upon endpoint for the trail is Niko Niko Rock, or “Smiling Rock,” which is, curiously, a mere flat boulder that faces the sea, so the name confounds me. It had only taken us about 45 minutes to reach this point, so after some quick googling, Taka found an earlier bus and we zipped back to meet it. 

I’d originally planned on stopping at the summit’s cafe, which serves various lattes and cheese platters—ideal for my soul, but not necessarily my lactose intolerance. Being a national holiday (Sports Day, fittingly), it was closed, so I was all too happy to be in Kurashiki an hour earlier. 

This is where my knees gave out on me. My patellas are rather unruly, always moving out to the side and giving me grief if I run a little too far, and I guess my cycling the previous day didn’t make them too happy. Every step on the descent grew more and more painful, slowing our return. But make it I did.

Three buses with seat patterns straight out of the eighties later, we were in Kurashiki, the famous canal town of Okayama. Long on my bucket list, it became immediately clear I was not alone in my ambitions. The crowds would be a concern for later, but for now, it was time for Bukakke Udon. 

Known as a sexual thing for most foreigners, bukakke udon is another specialty of Okayama and, as far as I know, just refers to udon noodles with various toppings (tempura bits, scallions, and raw egg yolk) with a light sauce. We’d picked a restaurant with an impressive 4.8-star rating, and the wait that came as a result was well worth it. I went for the bukakke udon with shrimp tempura, and I devoured it all. I’m not normally an udon lover, but for my ravenous appetite, the meal was perfect. 

Our bellies and hearts content, Taka and I braved the crowds for a walk around the canal streets, where we observed a traditional wooden boat and a family of swans paddling through the waters. After snapping the obligatory photos of the canals, I picked up some matcha affogatos, which, upon receiving them, I realized meant “matcha with ice cream,” not a matcha and coffee latte, but what’s another 1400 yen wasted on caffeination, right?

Moving out of the main areas, Taka and I paid a visit to Achi Shrine, an out-of-the-way hilltop shrine that I greatly enjoyed. It was on our way here that we witnessed a group of no fewer than 10 people and their impeccably groomed poodles walking single file up some stairs for a photoshoot. We had a lot of luck with animal encounters on this trip!

Coming back through the canal streets, the final item on my list was picking up some souvenirs for the in-office day coming up that week. I opted for kibi dango in the regular and chestnut varieties, keeping the chestnut variety for myself. I meant to pick up the muscat and kibi dengaku flavors, too, but it was time to head home. 

Reflections

Of course, I knew of Kurashiki and Bizen, which is known for its pottery production, but truthfully, Okayama has never been that high up on my travel bucket list simply because I didn’t know what else the prefecture had to offer. Boy, am I glad my coworker gave me the jump to explore an area completely out of my wheelhouse—and what an important reminder that not every trip has to be somewhere you have been dreaming about forever. For me, the best part about this trip was all the surprises along the way. 

The Kibiji Cycling Road was a challenge I feel proud of conquering. I must paint Korakuen at some point. Ojigatake was genuinely fun, even if a bit casual for my standards. And the food! Okayama has outdone itself on the culinary and nature fronts, and I will certainly be back again for more. 

So let this be encouragement to go to a place that isn’t exactly on your radar. Ask people who have traveled or lived there before for their recommendations, and let them shape their itinerary. You never know, you just might find the exact change of pace you’ve been looking for. 

Access: 

Okayama City: Via the Sanyo Shinkansen, getting off at Okayama Station.

Kibiji Cycling Road: We rented our bikes at a shop nearby Okayama Station, but you can also rent bikes at a few places nearby Bizen Ichinomiya Station, the official starting point. Make sure to confirm whether you can drop them off at Araki Rent-a-Cycle in Soja (seemingly the only rental place in the area) or if you have to return them yourselves! Note that you cannot take the bikes on the train.

Ojigatake Park Center: From Okayama City, take the Seto-Ohashi line from Okayama Station to Kojima Station before transferring to the #82 bus, getting off at Ojigatake Tozanguchi. You can take the same way back to Okayama on the #82 bus or, if wanting to go to Kurashiki, transfer to the #51 bus at Tenmaya Hapitaun-Mae. 

Kurashiki: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama Station, transferring to either the Hakubi or San-yo line and getting off at Kurashiki Station.

I’d advise against staying in Kurashiki, as the hotels are likely to be fully booked and much more expensive than a smaller place like Okayama, Kojima, or Soja. For a two-day trip like mine, I think this is the ideal itinerary, and staying in Okayama is a great (and affordable) base. Regardless of which items you add or drop to the itinerary, I hope this blog can inspire you to try out a new place you never would’ve thought of before!

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