Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is Okayama Prefecture's leading tourist destination, visited by approximately 3 million tourists a year. The standard tourist course is to stroll through the charming townscape where Japanese and Western styles coexist, but this time we will introduce some hidden gem restaurants that are loved by locals and are located within walking distance of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter and its surrounding areas.
2025.04.02-
Table of Contents
- 1. Tsuneemon Shokudo - Enjoy traditional home-cooked meals in a traditional Japanese house
- 2. Cafe Ballard - A relaxing hideaway cafe near the hotel
- 3. Tsuki no Utsuwa - A popular ramen shop with delicious soup
- 4. Kurashiki Meigen - Enjoy self-service udon in a historical building
- 5. Marinell - Exquisite Fuchu yaki made by a former sailor
- Conclusion
1. Tsuneemon Shokudo - Enjoy traditional home-cooked meals in a traditional Japanese house
This popular restaurant is located on the north side of Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, just off the alleyway of the sake brewery "Nara." Since there is only a modest "restaurant" sign, it may be difficult for first-time visitors to find the restaurant.
Take a numbered wooden ticket at the entrance and go inside to find a retro-style shop housed in a renovated two-story old house.
A popular menu item is the set meal that includes cream croquettes, and its gentle flavor based on old-fashioned home cooking has earned it many local fans.
[Tsuneemon Restaurant]
Address: 2-22-2 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-454-7616
Business hours: 11:00-13:00 (lunch)
Closed: Mondays
Parking: None
2. Cafe Ballard - A relaxing hideaway cafe near the hotel
Located near the Kurashiki Royal Art Hotel, this cafe is popular for its lunch menu. The warm, country-style interior creates a relaxing space that will help you forget the hustle and bustle outside.
The popular lunch menu is reasonably priced and filling, and it's no wonder that there are so many repeat customers. The recommendation for the day was "Fried shrimp and scallops with tartar sauce." In addition to the set menu, there are also pasta lunches to choose from.
[Cafe Ballad]
Address: 3-21-16 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 050-5303-0803
Business hours: 11:00-15:00
Closed: Thursday
Parking: Available
3. Tsuki no Utsuwa - A popular ramen shop with delicious soup
This popular ramen restaurant is located in an alley off the Ebisu-dori shopping street on the way from JR Kurashiki Station to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. When it first opened, it was located in a residential area at the north exit of JR Kurashiki Station, but later moved to its current location. The surrounding area still retains a strong Showa downtown atmosphere, and there is also a rare public bathhouse nearby, Ebisu-yu.
The recommended dish here is the "Golden Soba." It features an exquisite combination of soup packed with the rich flavor of chicken and boiled egg, and once you try it you'll be hooked.
[Tsuki no Utsuwa Tsurugata Store]
Address: 2-1-11 Tsurugata , Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-431-2135
Business hours: 10:30-21:00
Closed: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Parking: None
4. Kurashiki Meigen - Enjoy self-service udon in a historical building
It opened in 2023 as a branch of "Meigen," the original self-service udon restaurant in Naka Ward , Okayama City , inside "Achi no Sato," a restaurant renovated from the main building of a merchant's house that has remained there for about 230 years.
The building, a renovated historic merchant's house, is located a little way off the main street, and features a more relaxed atmosphere than typical self-service udon restaurants. Inside the restaurant, the steps to making your own udon are explained in both Japanese and English, showing the attention to detail that is unique to Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which is visited by many tourists from Japan and abroad. This way, even those who are trying self-service udon for the first time can enjoy themselves with peace of mind.
You heat the noodles yourself, pour in the broth, and choose your favorite toppings. The appeal is being able to customize it to your liking.
Since there is no other udon restaurant of this style in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter area, it has garnered a lot of support from tourists and locals alike since it opened.
[Kurashiki Meigen]
Address: 3-12 Okayama Prefecture, Kurashiki City
TEL: 086-441-0707
Business hours: 10:00-14:30
Closed: None
Parking: None
5. Marinell - Exquisite Fuchu yaki made by a former sailor
The last place we would like to introduce is "Marin Doll", a specialty shop of Fuchu -yaki, located about a 5-minute walk from the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter and very close to the "Kurashiki City Museum of Art". This shop is run by a former sailor, and the shop name and the shop curtain, which is shaped like a ship's anchor, are named after his career.
The specialty here is "Fuchu yaki."Fuchu yaki is a local food that originated in Fuchu City , Hiroshima Prefecture Prefecture. It is a type of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki that is characterized by the use of minced meat, and is a dish that you can enjoy the unique texture of being crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
[Marin Doll] Address: 2-10-9 Chuo , Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-424-2244
Business hours: 11:00-14:00 (lunch)
Closed: Mondays
Parking: None
Conclusion
What did you think? Our writers who live in Kurashiki introduced famous restaurants of different genres under the theme of "restaurants loved by locals." There are many other attractive restaurants that we were unable to introduce this time, so why not take a stroll around Kurashiki and find your own favorite restaurant?
If you look beyond the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, and look around the surrounding area, you may discover a new delicious lunch spot. Enjoy Kurashiki gourmet to your heart's content at a truly famous restaurant frequented by locals!
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