Okayama city is dotted with modern and contemporary buildings built from the post-war period through to the present day. This time, we will introduce the architecture that stretches from the Okayama Prefectural Office to the cultural zone that includes the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, as well as spots you'll want to stop by on your stroll and delicious restaurants in the area.
2025.03.12-
Table of Contents
- Okayama Prefecture Office
- Kitchen Horiguchi
- Okayama Shinkin Bank Uchisange Square
- Hayashibara Museum of Art
- Okayama City Orient Museum
- Breakthrough (Taro Okamoto)
- Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art
- Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Culture Plaza
- Yumeji Art Museum
- Conclusion
- MAP of the facilities introduced
Okayama Prefecture Office
The Okayama Prefecture Office was built in 1957 and was designed by Kunio Maekawa, one of Japan's leading postwar architects. Earthquake-resistance renovation work will be completed in 2024, and the building has been registered as a national tangible cultural property as a building that well represents the characteristics of postwar modernist architecture. In addition, the Maekawa Architecture and Prefectural Office Gallery is located on the first floor of the main building, and is open to the public on opening days.
A distinctive feature of this building is the presence of a "pilotis" in the middle of the front, giving the building an open space despite its horizontal wall-like design. This is a technique that Maekawa's mentor, Le Corbusier, introduced as an element of modern architecture, and similar features can be seen in the Kurashiki City(now Kurashiki City Museum of Art) and Kagawa Prefecture Government Building, both of which were designed by his student, Kenzo Tange, in the same era. At the time, prefectural offices were perceived as somewhat authoritarian and closed compared to city and town halls, so you could sense the desire of our predecessors to create a building that was more open to the people of the prefecture.
Passing through the pilotis, there is an open courtyard called the Sunken Garden. In the courtyard, there is a monument called "Ring" created by Yasuhide Kobashi, a sculptor from Kurashiki City. It was removed once in 2021 during earthquake resistance construction work, but due to its impressive design, many people requested that it be reinstalled, so it was reinstalled in 2023.
If you go down the stairs from the courtyard, you will find the Okayama Sunny Country Restaurant in the basement, which is scheduled to reopen in 2024. It was closed on the day we visited because it was a holiday, but it is open on weekdays from 11:00 to 18:00 and is open to the public. [Okayama Sunny Country Restaurant]
Location: Okayama Prefecture Okayama City Government Office Kita Ward Building, 2-4-6 Uchisange ku, Okayama Okayama Prefecture, 1st basement floor
TEL: 086-233-0080
Business hours: 11:00-18:00 (last order 17:30)
Holidays: Closed days
Parking: Available *1 hour free
The handrails of this staircase are made of precast concrete, which was prefabricated in a factory and installed on-site. The curved design is an ingenious attempt to soften the cold texture of the concrete.
During the Okayama Art Summit, an international contemporary art exhibition held in 2016, numerous messages left by Kunio Maekawa were written on the barricade in the front yard while construction was underway. Some of the expressions may not be appropriate for today's society, but the words were written as they were to convey his thoughts to future generations.
[Okayama Prefecture Office] Address: 2-4-6 Uchisange , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-226-7499 ( Okayama Prefecture Building Guidance Division, Building Inspection Team)
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays (exterior and courtyard can be viewed)
Kitchen Horiguchi
A recommended spot for a quick lunch is the Western restaurant Kitchen Horiguchi, located just to the right as you turn right from the front of the Okayama Prefectural Office, with the exposed concrete West Building (completed in 1971) on your left.
This chic restaurant occupies the first floor of a retro building and has been known as a popular restaurant with long queues since it opened in 2015.
The writer's recommendation is the hearty fried chicken, which is popular with both men and women as it comes with a generous serving of vegetables.
[Kitchen Horiguchi] Location: 1F Uchisange F Mansion, 2-5-2 Uchisange , Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward
TEL: 086-206-3701
Business hours: 11:00 - closes when sold out
Closed: Sundays, public holidays, and the first Monday of the month
Parking: None (use nearby paid parking) *Payment by cash only
Okayama Shinkin Bank Uchisange Square
This modern exposed concrete building stands about a 5-minute walk from the Okayama Prefectural Office, next to the Renes Hall (former Okayama branch of the Bank of Japan). This building was designed by Tadao Ando, a world-renowned Japanese architect, and was built in 2013 at the birthplace of Okayama Shinkin Bank to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding. You can also tour the building on business days.
[Okayama Shinkin Bank Uchisange Square] Address: 1-7-1 Uchisange , Kita Ward, Okayama City Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-223-1710
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
Hayashibara Museum of Art
The Hayashibara Museum of Art was designed by Kunio Maekawa, who also designed the Okayama Prefecture Government Office, and opened as the Okayama Museum of Art in 1963. It is known for its collection, including national treasure swords.
Upon entering the impressive gate, you will see a building designed to blend in with the Ishigaki in front of you, and which blends in beautifully with the surrounding landscape.
Since 2016, it has also been used as one of the venues for the Okayama Art Summit, which has been held every three years (the photo was taken in 2016).
[Hayashibara Museum of Art ] Address: 2-7-15 Marunouchi, Kita-ku , Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward
TEL: 086-223-1733 (Hayashibara Museum of Art)
Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays, and exhibition change periods
Parking: Available
Okayama City Orient Museum
Opened in 1979, this museum houses ancient Oriental art and was designed by architect Shinichi Okada, who has designed many excellent public buildings, including the Supreme Court. The stone exterior, reminiscent of ancient ruins, is similar to his masterpiece, the Supreme Court, but the lighting from the large windows gives the building a somewhat open atmosphere. This museum is also used as one of the venues for the Okayama Art Summit.
[Okayama City Orient Museum]
Address: 9-31 Tenjincho , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-232-3636
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays (December 28th to January 4th), and exhibition change periods (as needed)
Parking: None
Breakthrough (Taro Okamoto)
Between the Okayama City Orient Museum and the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art is the RSK Sanyo Broadcasting building, which moved to a new location in 2021. One place you should definitely stop by is this avant-garde ceramic mural at the outdoor entrance. It was created by Taro Okamoto, one of Japan's leading postwar artists who left behind many works including the Tower of the Sun, and was originally installed at JR Okayama Station to commemorate the opening of the Sanyo Shinkansen in Okayama in 1972. It was moved here in conjunction with the renovation of JR Okayama Station and the relocation of Sanyo Broadcasting to its new building.
[RSK Sanyo Broadcasting]
Address: 9-24 Tenjincho , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
* "Leap Forward" is an outdoor work and can be viewed freely.
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art
This museum opened in 1988 next to the Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Cultural Plaza and hosts a variety of fascinating exhibitions throughout the year. Like the nearby Okayama City Orient Museum, it was designed by Shinichi Okada and has a unified exterior.
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art: Address: 8-48 Tenjincho , Kita Ward , Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-225-4800
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), New Year's holidays, and exhibition change periods
Parking: Available
Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Culture Plaza
It opened in 1962 as the Okayama Prefecture Prefectural Cultural Center, and is currently used primarily as a base for artistic and cultural activities for the prefecture's residents.
This building, like the Okayama Prefecture Office and Hayashibara Museum of Art, was designed by Kunio Maekawa, and features characteristics of modernist architecture built around 1960 can be seen throughout.
The "Bird Pillar" is a relief that runs through the atrium of the building, which is built to jut out from the slope of the mountain. It is 18 meters high and expresses life with the motif of a bird soaring from the sea into the sky (excerpt from the leaflet).
The first floor piloti is compact yet brightly colored, giving it an open feel.
A floating staircase and lobby lighting that evokes the image of a starry sky.
Additionally, at the Cultural Information Center inside the museum, you can watch videos and read reference books about the building.
[Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Culture Plaza]
Address: 8-54 Tenjincho , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-226-5005
Closed: Mondays, New Year's holidays (December 28th to January 4th)
Parking: Available
Yumeji Art Museum
A 10-minute walk from the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art and just across the bridge from the main gate of Okayama Korakuen Garden , this museum has a distinctive red brick exterior. Since its opening in 1984, it has been run by the Ryobi Cultural Promotion Foundation and exhibits works by Takehisa Yumeji, a Japanese painter from Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture , who is a representative of Taisho Romanticism.
The building was designed by Shizutaro Urabe, an architect from Kurashiki who has left behind many buildings that are deeply rooted in the town of Kurashiki , such as Kurashiki Ivy Square and Kurashiki City . The elegant building, made using bricks, which is Urabe's specialty, blends in with the scenery along the Asahikawa.
[Yumeji Art Museum ] Address: 2-1-32 Hama , Naka Ward , Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-271-1000
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), New Year's holidays, and exhibition change periods
Parking: Available
Conclusion
What did you think of the various modern and contemporary buildings scattered along the Asahikawa from the Okayama Prefectural Office? You can easily walk around in about an hour, but we also recommend taking your time and enjoying the exhibits at each facility. Also, if you combine your visit with a visit to Okayama Korakuen Garden or Okayama Castle , you can return to the starting point of the Okayama Prefecture Office, so it might be a good idea to combine your visit with these.
MAP of the facilities introduced
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