The City of Kurashiki, Japan’s ‘Little Venice’
The area, with numerous canals running through it, transports visitors to a timeless atmosphere.
The Bikan district, nestled in the city of Kurashiki, not far from Okayama, traversed by the Takahashi River and its canals, is considered the ‘Venice of Japan’. Various waterways wind through this area, offering visitors an ideal setting for a boat trip or just a walk by the water. Bikan is also known for its traditional merchant houses, some of which have been turned into museums to attest to the commune’s feudal past.
Art lovers will also find something for them as the district is home to the Ohara Museum of Arts, the first permanent collection of Western art in Japan. It features works by Picasso, Van Gogh and Monet.
TRENDING
-
The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
-
‘Chindogu’, the Genius of Unusable Objects
Ingenious but impractical inventions: this was all that was required for the concept to achieve a resounding success.
-
Modernology, Kon Wajiro's Science of Everyday Observation
Makeup, beard shape, organisation of cupboards and meeting places: all of these details decipher 1920s Tokyoites.
-
Yoshitomo Nara: What Lies Behind Insouciance and Appearances
Yoshitomo Nara's little girls with big eyes unsettle the viewer with the violence they exude and force them to discern the imperceptible.
-
Tokyo's Transgender Community of the 1970s Immortalised by Satomi Nihongi
In her series ‘'70S Tokyo TRANSGENDER’, the photographer presents a culture and an aesthetic that are situated on the margins of social norms.
