One of the most scenic merchant neighborhoods from Japan is the one from Kurashiki, a small town near Okayama. During the Edo period, the town was an important center in the Japanese economy, because the rice harvested from the surrounding area was stored here before being shipped to Edo or Osaka.

The storehouses (kura in Japanese) from the street running alongside the Bikan canal were perfectly preserved and are housing today several cafes, stores and museums, while the whole area was transformed in a beautiful, well-worth visiting tourist destination, the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.

Bikan Historical Quarter, Kurashiki, Okayama

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Zen Architecture - Katomado