Bullet train to Okayama

Shinkansen 700 Series

Okayama probably isn't somewhere that figures on the list for every traveller to Japan, and there is no reason why it should do, but it is a relatively untouristy, normal town, and we like to include a few of those in the places we visit; they help us see the 'real' side of the country.

Shinkansen N700 Series

Up to now, we had been using the local trains to get around. They offer a cheap, reliable, frequent service, and the trains are perfectly comfortable and have space for bags, so they are great. But you can't go to Japan and not try out the famous Shinkansen, or bullet train. So as our next stops were a little further afield, we decided to splash out; tickets aren't cheap.

Shinkansen 500 Series

For any train enthusiasts out there, there are, or have been, about fourteen different styles of shinkansen, of which we saw three, the grey coloured shark nosed 500 series and the white 700 and N700 series. We were on the 500 which, like the N700, has a maximum speed of 300km/186m per hour. There are a couple that go a little faster; the E5 and E6 versions can go to 320km/200m per hour.

Of course, while these were the fastest trains in the world, the Eurostar has caught up, with the 373/e300 hitting 300kmph and the 373/e320 reaching 320kmph.

Okayama

But all of this will pale into slow insignificance if the LO series that is scheduled for completion in 2025 comes into being. It is so fast, they are having to build special new tracks for its planned route between Tokyo and Nagoya. How fast? Well, the current expectation is a breathtakingly speedy 500km/310m per hour.

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

So anyway, Okayama. The rise of the city dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1867) and it is most well known for its Korakuen gardens, ranked as one of the top three landscaped gardens in Japan.

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

It is certainly a lovely garden to walk around, with a lake, bridges, and even a mini tea plantation. Originally created in 1687 for the sole benefit of the ruling family, they were opened to the public in 1884.

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

Korakuen Gardens, Okayama

Crow Castle, Okayama

The gardens also give a good view of the strikingly black Okayama castle, known as the Crow Castle because of its colour. The original 1597 structure was sadly destroyed in the last year of World War II, and only rebuilt in 1966, but there is one small part, the Tsukimi Yagura, or moonviewing tower, that survived and dates back to 1620.

Crow Castle, Okayama

Momotaro (Peach Boy), Okayama

Okayama's other claim to fame is as the setting for one of Japan's most famous fairy-tale, the story of Momotaro, the Peach Boy. Momotaro was found by an old couple in a giant peach, and when he was fifteen he united a motley band of a spotted dog, a monkey and a pheasant (which would usually be enemies), to go off and fight the nasty ogres. Of course by working together they were successful, defeating the ogres and winning their treasure. You will see a number of references to him here, such as this statue. 

Okayama

And of course when you visit a place that not that many tourists bother with, you are more likely to interest the locals. We found a nice bar in town, with a friendly couple that run it, where we not only sampled more of the local drinks, we also managed to make friends with a Japanese businessman.

Okayama

He was great to talk to, but there was something slightly sad that he felt the need, after all these years, still to apologise to us for the war. He was very happy when we said that, while of course some of what happened was awful, we all recognise that time has passed and that we, and most people in the UK, bear no ongoing grudge against today's Japanese for what happened then. But it was an interesting conversation, the more so given that our next stop was Hiroshima, which our businessman friend was incredibly pleased to hear we were going to visit.

Okayama