Yakage
Understand
Yakage was built up as a post-town, the Yakage-juku, along the Old Sanyo Road that connected the area to Edo.
Tourist information site
The local DMO (Destination Management Organization) has a multilingual guide site.
Get in
Ibara Railway (井原鉄道) runs through Yakage with three stations falling within town limits; Oda, Yakage, and Mitani. It can be accessed from Okayama by changing trains at Kiyone Station in Kurashiki or Soja Station in Soja. On the opposite terminus, the line is accessible from Kannabe Station in Fukuyama. Ibara Railway offers a "Super Holiday Pass" (スーパーホリデーパス) on weekends and holidays for ¥1400. It provides savings for a roundtrip ticket to Yakage from Kannabe.
Get around
See
- 1 Yakage Museum (やかげ郷土美術館). A museum featuring works by Yakage natives Issho Sato and Kaido Tanaka along with exhibits of modern local artists. Visitors can also ascend the tower for a view of the town.
- 2 Yakage Honjin (旧矢掛本陣). Also known as the Ishii Residence (石井家住宅), the honjin was the principal inn of the Yakage-juku where daimyo and high-ranking officials stayed.
- 3 Yakage Wakihonjin (旧矢掛脇本陣). Also known as the Takakusa Residence (髙草家住宅), the wakihonjin served as the secondary inn where lower-ranking officials stayed when traveling along the Yakage-juku.
- 4 Kibi no Makibi Park (吉備真備公園). A park dedicated to Kibi no Makibi (695-775CE) where he was born. Kibi no Makibi went as an envoy to China and is credited with introducing Go to Japan upon his return. The park was built over the spot of his former residence.