A large part of the land of the Kurashiki city was obtained during the Edo period by works of land reclamation. It was a perfect place for commerce, because during the tide the merchant ships coming from the Seto Inland Sea were able to navigate up the Kurashiki River.

The riverbanks were reinforced and the river was dredged like a canal, and thus the ships were able to reach the central area of the city, making Kurashiki one of the most important merchant cities in the medieval Japan.

Bikan Historical Quarter, Kurashiki, Okayama

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Shinjuku