Kurashiki, Okayama
Encyclopedia
is a historic city
located to the west of Okayama Prefecture
, Japan
, sitting on the Takahashi River
, on the coast of the Inland Sea.
As of April 2010, the city has a population of 473,392. The total area is 354.71 square kilometres (137 sq mi).
. It gradually developed as a riverport
; during the Edo period
, it became an area directly controlled by the Shogun
ate. Distinctive white-walled, black-tiled warehouses were built to store goods. During the Meiji Restoration
(Japan's Industrial Revolution
period), factories were built, including the Ohara Spinning Mill which still stands as the nostalgic tourist attraction Ivy Square.
On August 1, 2005, the town of Mabi
, from Kibi District
, and the town of Funao
, from Asakuchi District
, were merged with Kurashiki.
art, the Ohara Museum of Art. Established in 1930 by Magosaburō Ōhara
, it contains paintings by El Greco
, Monet
, Matisse
, Gauguin
, and Renoir
. The collection also presents fine examples of Asian and contemporary art. The main building is designed in the style of Neoclassicism
.
The old merchant quarter is called the Bikan historical area. It contains many fine examples of 17th century wooden warehouses (kura, 倉) painted white with traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi
. The area has no electric poles in order to make the area more closely resemble the look of the Meiji period. One of the city's former town halls was located in the Kurashiki Kan, a European style building constructed in 1917.
In 1998 a theme park called Tivoli (after the park of the same name
in Copenhagen
) opened near Kurashiki Station. After ten years of operation it was closed in 2008, with a massive debt.
The Great Seto Bridge
connects the city to Sakaide
in Kagawa Prefecture
across the Inland Sea.
Kenzo Tange
, winner of the 1987 Pritzker Prize
for architecture, designed the former Kurashiki City Hall in 1960.
and one public university.
.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located to the west of Okayama Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, sitting on the Takahashi River
Takahashi River
The is a major river in the western part of Okayama Prefecture, and acts as the main drainage for the Takahashi River Drainage System, and is one of the three main drainage rivers in Okayama Prefecture ....
, on the coast of the Inland Sea.
As of April 2010, the city has a population of 473,392. The total area is 354.71 square kilometres (137 sq mi).
History
The modern city of Kurashiki was founded on April 1, 1928. Previously, it was the site of clashes between the Heike and Genji clans during the Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. It gradually developed as a riverport
Riverport
Riverport can refer to:*Riverport, Nova Scotia which is located around Ritcey's Cove and surrounded by the communities of Five Houses, Lower LaHave, East LaHave and Middle LaHave, Upper and Lower Rose Bay, Upper and Lower Kingsburg, Indian Path, Bayport, Feltzen South and The Ovens are collectively...
; during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, it became an area directly controlled by the Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
ate. Distinctive white-walled, black-tiled warehouses were built to store goods. During the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
(Japan's Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
period), factories were built, including the Ohara Spinning Mill which still stands as the nostalgic tourist attraction Ivy Square.
On August 1, 2005, the town of Mabi
Mabi, Okayama
was a town located in Kibi District, Okayama, Japan.On August 1, 2005 Mabi, along with the town of Funao, from Asakuchi District, was merged into the city of Kurashiki....
, from Kibi District
Kibi District, Okayama
Kibi is a district located in Okayama, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 22,927 and a density of 520.12 persons per km². The total area is 44.08 km²....
, and the town of Funao
Funao, Okayama
was a town located in Asakuchi District, Okayama, Japan.As of 2003, Funao had an estimated population of 7,393 and a density of 682.01 persons per square kilometre . The total area of the town was ....
, from Asakuchi District
Asakuchi District, Okayama
is a district located in Okayama, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 55,658 and a density of 621.67 persons per km². The total area is 89.53 km².-Merger:*On August 1, 2005 the town of Funao became part of the city of Kurashiki....
, were merged with Kurashiki.
Attractions
Kurashiki is the home of Japan's first museum for WesternWestern culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
art, the Ohara Museum of Art. Established in 1930 by Magosaburō Ōhara
Magosaburo Ohara
was a Japanese businessman and philanthropist who founded Ōhara Art Museum.-See also:* Ōhara Art Museum...
, it contains paintings by El Greco
El Greco
El Greco was a painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El Greco" was a nickname, a reference to his ethnic Greek origin, and the artist normally signed his paintings with his full birth name in Greek letters, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος .El Greco was born on Crete, which was at...
, Monet
Claude Monet
Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting. . Retrieved 6 January 2007...
, Matisse
Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter...
, Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
, and Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty, and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Renoir is the final representative of a tradition which runs directly from Rubens to...
. The collection also presents fine examples of Asian and contemporary art. The main building is designed in the style of Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
.
The old merchant quarter is called the Bikan historical area. It contains many fine examples of 17th century wooden warehouses (kura, 倉) painted white with traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi
Koi
or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....
. The area has no electric poles in order to make the area more closely resemble the look of the Meiji period. One of the city's former town halls was located in the Kurashiki Kan, a European style building constructed in 1917.
In 1998 a theme park called Tivoli (after the park of the same name
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Tivoli Gardens is a famous amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on 15 August 1843 and is the second oldest amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg....
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
) opened near Kurashiki Station. After ten years of operation it was closed in 2008, with a massive debt.
The Great Seto Bridge
Great Seto Bridge
The , or Seto-Ohashi Bridge, is a series of double deck bridges connecting Okayama and Kagawa prefectures in Japan across a series of five small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Built over the period 1978–88, it is one of the three routes of the Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project connecting Honshū and...
connects the city to Sakaide
Sakaide, Kagawa
is a city located in Kagawa, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 56,365 and the density of 610 persons per km². The total area is 92.46 km²....
in Kagawa Prefecture
Kagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...
across the Inland Sea.
Kenzo Tange
Kenzo Tange
was a Japanese architect, and winner of the 1987 Pritzker Prize for architecture. He was one of the most significant architects of the 20th century, combining traditional Japanese styles with modernism, and designed major buildings on five continents. Tange was also an influential protagonist of...
, winner of the 1987 Pritzker Prize
Pritzker Prize
The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
for architecture, designed the former Kurashiki City Hall in 1960.
Colleges and universities
The city is home to several private universitiesPrivate university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
and one public university.
- Kurashiki University of Science and the ArtsKurashiki University of Science and the Artsis a private university in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, established in 1995....
- Kurashiki Sakuyo UniversityKurashiki Sakuyo Universityis a private university in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1930, and it was chartered as a junior college in 1951. In 1966 it became a four-year college.-External links:*...
- Kawasaki College of Allied Health ProfessionsKawasaki College of Allied Health Professionsis a private junior college in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, established in 1973.-External links:*...
- Kurashiki City CollegeKurashiki City Collegeis a private junior college in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, established in 1974. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1968.-External links:*...
(public) - Okayama College
- Kawasaki University of Medical WelfareKawasaki University of Medical Welfareis a private university in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, established in 1991.-External links:*...
- Kawasaki Medical SchoolKawasaki Medical Schoolis a private university in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, established in spring 1971.-Medical Museum of Kawasaki Medical School:Kawasaki Medical School is a private university in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, established in Spring, 1970....
Sister/Friendship cities
Kurashiki maintains the following Sister/Friendship CitiesTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
.
- Kansas City
Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
Christchurch, New ZealandChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
Sankt PöltenSankt PöltenSankt Pölten is the capital city of the State of Lower Austria in northeast Austria. With inhabitants , it is Lower Austria's largest city...
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ZhenjiangZhenjiangZhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Notables from Kurashiki
- Ahn Young-Hak - Japanese-born North Korean football midfielder
- Takahashi Daisuke - Figure skater
- Senichi HoshinoSenichi Hoshino, 22 January 1947, is a former Japanese professional baseball player and current manager.In 2003, he led the Tigers to their first Central League pennant in 18 years before retiring for health reasons. Since 2007, He had managed the Japanese national team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.In October,...
- Baseball player - Joichiro TatsuyoshiJoichiro Tatsuyoshiis a former World Boxing Council world bantamweight champion from Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. His record is 19–6–1 .He is popular for his fight style and unique personality, and has appeared in several television variety shows....
- Boxer - Seishi YokomizoSeishi Yokomizowas a novelist in Shōwa period Japan.-Early life:Yokomizo was born in the city of Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. He read detective stories as a boy and in 1921, while employed by the Daiichi Bank, published his first story in the popular magazine Shin Seinen...
- Novelist - Magosaburō ŌharaMagosaburo Oharawas a Japanese businessman and philanthropist who founded Ōhara Art Museum.-See also:* Ōhara Art Museum...
- Businessman and philanthropist - Kibi MakibiKibi Makibiwas a Japanese scholar and noble during the Nara period. Also known as Kibi Daijin . Born in Bitchu Province as Shimotsumichi Asomi, he came from a line of local elites. Kibi was the name of the town or area he came from.In 716, he traveled to China to study. He stayed in China for 17 years...
- Scholar and noble during the Nara periodNara periodThe of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...