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Kurashiki, Japan
Quick Facts Kurashiki is a historic city located to the west of Okayama, Japan, sitting on the Takahashi River, on the coast of the Inland Sea. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 433,477 and the density of 1,450.14 persons per km². The total area is 298.92 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1928. |
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Features Kurashiki is the home to Japan's first Western art museum, the Ohara Museum of Art. Established in 1930 by Magosaburu Ohara, it contains masterpieces by El Greco, Monet, Matisse, Gauguin, and Renoir. The collection also has fine examples of Asian and contemporary art. The museum itself is housed in a neo-Classical building; Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts; The ancient merchant quarter, called the Bikan historical area.
This area of the city is surrounded by almost unique examples of
17th century wooden warehouses called kura (?) painted white with
traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows
and filled with koi. The area is extraordinarily picturesque, and
is a popular tourist destination. One of the city's former town
halls was located in the Kurashiki Kan, an impressive European
style building constructed in 1917. |
Links to Kurashiki |
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Miyo Wagner / Tim Wagner
July 10, 2006
From 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Kurashiki City Committee will host Mayor Barnes and the Mayor of Kurashiki in Loose Park to dedicate the opening of the Tea Garden!
February 2003
The Tea Room Project at Loose Park was reported on by Miyo Wagner At the
Heart of America Japan-America Society New Year Dinner held at the
Carriage Club on January 16, 2004 a silent auction raised $2,200. 50%
of the proceeds will be donated to the Tea Room Project. I received
a copy of a letter sent by Mr. Richard Coleman, Manager of Planning
and Design for Parks and Recreation to Mr. Tetsuo Taguchi, Manager
of the International Affairs Section in Kurashiki City Hall on the
status of the Tea Room Project. Mr. Coleman reports that the drawings
for the tea room are 70% complete and they expect to have them done
in February with bidding to start in March.
June 2001
Trans-America Walk 2001 A group of 14 Japanese team members, 5 drivers
and 3 Yomiuri Newspaper representatives arrived in Kansas City on
June 10. The Heart of America Japan-America Society, Japan Club of
Greater
Kansas City and the Kurashiki Committee sponsored a welcome BBQ dinner
at Loose Park Pavilion on
June 11 which was attended by about 100 people. Their walk schedule
started on March 30 in Washington D.C. and ends on September 8 in
San Francisco at the commemorative ceremony of the 50th Anniversary
of
the Treaty of San Francisco which marked the end of World War II.
However their utmost purpose is to enhance goodwill between American
people
and Japanese along their way across the U.S.
April 2001
Kurashiki Citizen’s Goodwill Delegation lead by Dr. Akira Takami.
The group consisted of 21 members, ages from 20 to 75 years old.
July 2000
The Kurashiki Mural at Bartle Hall Convention Center. The mural was
painted by three local artists, Jesus Ortiz, Alicia Gambino and Joe
Faus based on designs provided by Dr. Akira Takami of Kurashiki as
part of the Artistic Celebration for a New Millennium. In the dedication
ceremony organized by the Parks and Recreation Department, Mayor Kay
Barnes gave congratulatory remarks for the mural which depicts traditional
performing arts and historical landmarks of our Sister City.
Mayor Barnes and Consul General Fujiwara, who represented Mayor Takeshi
Nakada of Kurashiki, exchanged city flags of each city to symbolize
the goodwill exchange between the two cities. Mr. Bob Lewellen, President
of the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners was on hand to oversee
the ceremony. Mr. Bob Knott - President of the Japan-America Society,
Mr. Norman Burkhart - President of the Sister City Association, Mr.
Marshall Miller, Mr. Michael Burke and Mr. T. Okumura - Leader of the
2000 Kurashiki Youth Delegation were among the approximately 100 people
attending.