Kurashiki City FAQ
~General questions regarding Kurashiki~
Q1 Where is Kurashiki?
Q2 How can I get to Kurashiki?
Q3 What is Kurashiki's population?
Q4 How many international residents does Kurashiki have?
Q5 How big is Kurashiki?
Q6 How did Kurashiki become a city?
Q7 What is the Kurashiki City Symbol?
Q8 What is the Kurashiki City Flower?
Q9 What is the Kurashiki City Tree?
Q10 What is the Kurashiki City Bird?
Q1 Where is Kurashiki?
Kurashiki is located in the southern part of Okayama Prefecture in the Chugoku Region of Western Japan. It is approximately 730 kms west of Tokyo and 180 kms west of Osaka. It is also about 160 kms to the east of Hiroshima. Please check here for a map of Kurashiki's location.
Q2 How can I get to Kurashiki?
Kurashiki is conveniently located and easily accessible by all major forms of transportation. Trains on the JR Sanyo Line stop at JR Kurashiki Station and Kodama Shinkansen Trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line stop at Shin-Kurashiki Station. The closest airport is Okayama Airport but the larger Kansai International Airport and Hiroshima Airport are also only a few hours away. Kurashiki is also located near the Sanyo Expressway so it is easily accessible by car and highway bus.
Q3 What is Kurashiki's population?
The current population of Kurashiki is around 475,000 people (232,000 men and 243,000 women). There are aproximately 180,000 households living in Kurashiki.. Kurashiki is the 2nd largest city in Okayama Prefecture and, as of October 1, 2004, was ranked 30th in population nationally. For more detailed information about Kurashiki's current population please check this page (Japanese only).
Q4 How many international residents does Kurashiki have?
As of December 2006, there were 5,256 people who registered as international residents of Kurashiki. Of that number, 2,184 were men and 3,072 were women. For more detailed information please check this document (Japanese only).
Q5 How big is Kurashiki?
The total area of Kurashiki is 354.72 km2.Kurashiki extends 25.6 km from east to west and 27.9 kms from north to south.For more detailed information see our "Data Bank"page or checkthis page(Japanese only).
Q6 How did Kurashiki become a city?
Here is a brief outline of how present-day Kurashiki became a city.
Date Event
June 16, 1891 Kurashiki Village officially becomes Kurashiki Town.
April 1, 1927 Kurashiki Town merges with Otaka Village and Masu Village. The name Kurashiki Town is retained.
April 1, 1928 Kurashiki Town officially becomes Kurashiki City.
Jan. 1, 1944 Nakasu Town becomes part of Kurashiki City.
Sept. 1, 1950 Tsubue Village becomes part of Kurashiki City.
March 28, 1951 Sugou Village, Nakasho Village and Obie Village become part of Kurashiki City.
Jan. 1, 1953 Nishi Achi Town becomes part of Kurashiki City.
June 1, 1953 Fukuda Town and Tsurajima Town become part of Kurashiki City.
Dec. 1, 1954 Fujitoji Village becomes part of Kurashiki City.
Feb. 1, 1967 Kurashiki City merges with Tamashima City, Kojima City and Mizushima City. The name Kurashiki City is retained.
March 8, 1971 Sho Village becomes part of Kurashiki City.
May 1, 1972 Chayamachi Town becomes part of Kurashiki City.
Aug. 1, 2005 Kurashiki City merges with Funao Town and Mabi Town. The name Kurashiki City is retained.
For more detailed information please check this pdf document (Japanese only).
Q7 What is the Kurashiki City Symbol?
Kurashiki Symbol
The official symbol of Kurashiki consists of the Katakana symbols (letters) “Ku” and “Ra” inside of a circle. “Ku” and “Ra” represent the pronunciation of the first Kanji character of Kurashiki’s name: “Kura”. The circle symbolizes the unity and harmony of all of Kurashiki’s citizens. The “Ku” and “Ra” symbols both extend out from the center to edges of the circle. This symbolizes Kurashiki’s spreading its wings outwards as it strives to create an easy-to-live in city that is an industrial, cultural and tourist core city of the Seto Inland Sea region. See this
color enlargement for more detail.
Q8 What is the Kurashiki City Flower?
Fuji no Hana
(click to enlarge)
The official flower of Kurashiki is the
Fuji no Hana (the Wysteria).
Q9 What is the Kurashiki City Tree?
Kusunoki
(click to enlarge)
The official tree of Kurashiki is the
Kusunoki (Camphor Tree).
Q10 What is the Kurashiki City Bird?
Kawasemi
(click to enlarge)
The official bird of Kurashiki is the Kawasemi (Kingfisher). The city bird was added to the city flower and city tree in March 2003 commemorating the shift of the city center the year before and symbolizing the relationship between humans and nature. The symbol recognizes Kurashiki citizens love for nature.