"ECYC" is a new tourist and transportation service that uses French-made three-wheeled bicycles. It introduces you to hidden spots not found in guidebooks and popular local shops, allowing you to efficiently enjoy sightseeing in the center of Okayama City!
2024.12.25-
Table of Contents
- "ECYC" debuts! Heading to the boarding area
- An in-house venture originating from a local department store
- Okayama Smile Hall, which was also used as a filming location for the movie
- Okayama Prefectural Office: the first government building designed by Kunio Maekawa
- Okayama Castle's Uchigemamon Gate and Meinbashi Bridge
- The remains of Okayama Castle's Honmaru citadel, located in an alleyway in a residential area
- The charm of Okayama Castle's Tsukimi Tower
- ECYC's service #1: Photo service
- ECYC's service No. 2: Request a place you want to go
- Okayama Momotaro Street
"ECYC" debuts! Heading to the boarding area
"ECYC" is a transportation service that uses the French-made "Cyclopolitain" and its name is a combination of "Ethical," which means environmentally friendly, and the name of the vehicle itself, "Cyclopolitain." I headed to the boarding area, excited to see what kind of experience it would be. When you leave the east exit of JR Okayama Station, the boarding area is behind the Don Quijote Okayama Ekimae store right in front of you. When making a reservation in advance, you can specify a boarding area around the east exit of JR Okayama Station, so even first-time visitors to Okayama can use the service with peace of mind.
Now, let's head to our destination!
Leaving the bus stop, we headed down Haremachi Street towards the prefectural office from the intersection where AEON MALL Okayama is located. ECYC rides on the road on his three-wheeled bicycle, but since there are no doors or windows, the feeling of openness is outstanding. We were able to borrow a warm blanket, and with gloves, a knitted hat, and a scarf, the December breeze felt pleasant. It was a fresh experience, different from the view from a car and different from the perspective of a pedestrian.
An in-house venture originating from a local department store
From the back seat of the ECYC, you can discover interesting manholes and other things, and the car can stop to look at them. As you drive along Haremachi Street, you will see Okayama's department store, Tenmaya Okayama Main Branch. ECYC is a business launched by Tenmaya as an in-house venture, and the driver, Nomura, is also the initiator of the project. Of all the travel experiences he has had, he says he was particularly impressed by vehicles that let him feel the "breeze" of tourist spots, and this became the starting point for his trip.
Okayama Smile Hall, which was also used as a filming location for the movie
Okayama Smile Hall was used as a location for the movie "If My Favorite Idol Came to Budokan, I'd Die" and is still popular as a sacred place today. It is also known as the base of operations for local Okayama idols.
"If My Favorite Idol Came to Budokan, I'd Die" filming locations in Okayama | Okayama Tourism WEB
Okayama Prefectural Office: the first government building designed by Kunio Maekawa
The Okayama Prefectural Office was the first government building designed by Kunio Maekawa, who worked for the world-famous architect Le Corbusier. The wall panels have creases to give them character, making them look like chocolate bars.
Okayama Castle's Uchigemamon Gate and Meinbashi Bridge
Uchigemamon Gate was Okayama Castle's main gate, connecting the lower Honmaru area with Ninomaru. The Aimanbashi Bridge, which spans the water moat, was used as a defense in the event of an enemy invasion by lowering the wooden bridge. You can also walk to Okayama Castle from here. Meanwhile, Sotogemamon Gate is located on the Okayama Prefectural Library side, where the outer moat of the castle once stood. The stone walls still remain, allowing you to feel the atmosphere of the past.
The remains of Okayama Castle's Honmaru citadel, located in an alleyway in a residential area
The current Okayama Castle was relocated, and the original castle site is now located in an alleyway in a residential area. The ECYC can also travel through narrow alleyways, making it the perfect place to explore the vestiges of the past.
The charm of Okayama Castle's Tsukimi Tower
You can get close to the Tsukimi Tower behind Okayama Castle by ECYC . The stone walls of the Tsukimi Tower were built in the 1620s by Ikeda Tadao, the second lord of the Bizen Okayama Domain, and are made from stones quarried from Inujima(Okayama City ) in the Seto Inland Sea . Inside, you can see a seal stone with a "circle +" engraved on it.
ECYC's service #1: Photo service
As one of the services offered on board, you can have your photo taken with Okayama Castle in the background. Even if you go alone, you can take a commemorative photo of your trip to Okayama.
Tsukimi Bridge and Peach Boat
We head home from here, looking at Tsukimi Bridge, which connects Okayama Castle and Okayama Korakuen Garden. The peach-shaped boat floating on the Asahikawa River below Tsukimi Bridge is a popular pedal boat inspired by the Momotaro legend of Okayama.
At your feet is a Momotaro manhole
Manholes unique to Okayama Prefecture, famous for the Momotaro legend, are dotted all over the city.
ECYC's service No. 2: Request a place you want to go
Another feature is that the driver will wait for you, and you can stop by stores along the way. On the way back to the station from Okayama Castle, we stopped by the "Harenokuni Okayamakan" in the Omotemachi shopping arcade. The store has the recently introduced "Okayama New Discovery! GACHA" where you can win acrylic key chains limited to Okayama, including Momotaro manholes and peach boats. We tried our hand at gacha together with our driver, Nomura.
"Okayama New Discovery! GACHA" Official Website
Yellow chives and Gon-chan
I won "Gon-chan", the character of the Tsuyama Gongo Festival, and Nomura won "yellow chives", which originate in Okayama Prefecture and boast about 70% of the national production. It was so much fun that I wanted to try again and again. It was a cashless gacha, and I paid with PayPay. "Sunny Country Okayama Hall" has a wide variety of Okayama specialties, making it a great place to choose souvenirs.
Sunny Country Okayama Hall | Okayama Tourism WEB
Okayama Momotaro Street
On the way back, we walked along Momotaro Street, which was covered in beautiful autumn leaves, towards JR Okayama Station. It was a refreshing and thrilling experience to see the view from the road along the main road, where trams and buses also pass by. The autumn leaves were at their best late that day, and the view from the road was spectacular.
If you have limited time to sightsee in Okayama City, we recommend the highly maneuverable ECYC. It was a wonderful experience to be able to enjoy the cityscape up close while feeling the breeze like an attraction!
【ECYC】
Business hours: October to March: 9:00 to 17:00, April to September: 10:00 to 18:00
*No reservation required, just raise your hand and board at any time
*Pick-up available within the operating area
Closed: Tuesdays and when it rains Capacity: 2 people (excluding the driver)
Charge: 500 yen per vehicle, plus 500 yen for every 500m thereafter
TEL: 080-8985-5869
Email: ecyc@tenmaya.co.jp
Other: Advance reservations accepted by phone or via the website
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