Getting There
By Train -- If you're arriving in Kurashiki by Shinkansen (which takes about 4 1/2 hr. from Tokyo, excluding transfers, and almost 2 hr. from Kyoto), you'll arrive at Shin-Kurashiki Station, about 9.5km (6 miles) west of Kurashiki Station and the heart of the city; the local train that runs between the two stations departs about every 15 minutes and takes 9 minutes. However, because there are no through Shinkansen trains from Tokyo directly to Shin-Kurashiki Station (except for the Nozomi, which does not accept the JR Rail Pass; all others require a change of trains in Okayama), because not all Shinkansen trains stop in Kurashiki, and because Shin-Kurashiki Station is not the town's most convenient station for sightseeing, if you're coming from the east it's much easier to disembark from the Shinkansen in Okayama and transfer to the local Sanyo train for the 14-minute ride directly to Kurashiki Station (fare: ¥320/$2.65/£1.35).
By Bus -- The same buses that depart from Tokyo's Shinjuku station for Okayama continue onward to Kurashiki, arriving in Kurashiki about 40 minutes after their Okayama stop and costing ¥10,000 ($83/£42) one-way.
Visitor Information
There's a tourist information office outside the south (main) exit of Kurashiki Station, on the second floor of the Terminal Hotel to the right, open daily 9am to 7pm. Another information office, called the Kurashiki-Kan, is right on the canal in the historic district and has a rest area with tables and vending machines; open daily 9am to 6pm (to 5:15pm in winter), it was built in 1916 and is ironically the only Western-looking wooden building in the area. Both offices distribute maps and brochures, including the useful "Walking Map of Kurashiki." For more information, call tel. 086/422-0542.
Orientation
The willow-lined canal, called the Bikan Historical Quarter, is only a 10-minute walk from Kurashiki Station; take the south exit and walk south on Chuo Dori, turning left just before the Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel. In fact, you can walk virtually everywhere of interest in Kurashiki; the Bikan Historical Quarter is zoned mostly for pedestrians.
