Okayama

At Okayama is Korakuen garden which is one of the top three most famous gardens in Japan. As it was in the middle of the way from Himeji Castle to Hiroshima, it was just a matter of jumping off the train at Okayama and finding the right direction.

The garden is very beautiful even though the flowers weren’t in bloom yet, and as it was the middle of the week and near closing time there were only a few other people strolling the garden grounds.

One unexpected find were the Japanese cranes. Striking birds in black and white with the vibrant red top of their head.

The pictures tell most of the story of the garden I saw, but as always they never can capture the true feeling and beauty.

While finishing up my tour of the garden, I noticed a castle over the tops of some trees. I found my way over to Okayama castle, which was burned down in the war but has been mostly rebuilt to its original state and made into a public park.