Tamano City (玉野市) in Okayama Prefecture is a great place to visit for outdoor activity enthusiasts as well as any art connoisseurs. From the gigantic “smiley rock” at the top of the mountain to the large fish sculpture made of items washed ashore, the artistic spirits of the Tamano citizens can be observed throughout the city! Bouldering and paragliding activities are available at the summit of one of the mountains. The same summit also acts as an idyllic lookout toward the renowned sunsets over the Seto Inland Sea (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Tamano is also quite convenient to get around with some of the cheapest bike rentals in Japan. So when you visit Okayama Prefecture for the Okayama Castle and its Kōrakuen Garden, consider adding Tamano to your itinerary!
Here is a list of places that we think are worthwhile dropping.
- Tamano Tourist Information Center (玉野観光案内所)
- Chinu – The Black Sea Bream of Uno (宇野のチヌ／宇野コチヌ)
- Torii In The Sky (天空の鳥居)
- Miyama Park (みやま公園)
- Mt. Ōjigatake (王子が岳)
- Shibukawa Beach (渋川海水浴場)
Tamano Tourist Information Center (玉野観光案内所)
If you are taking the train to Tamano, drop off your excess bags and luggage at the Tamano Tourist Information Centre at JR Uno Station (宇野駅). If you are not heading too far away from the station, spending 500 yen to rent a bike for the day will save you time traveling between each attraction (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Bicycle Rental
- A one-day rental costs from 700 yen.
- The rental service can be accessed from 9 am to 5 pm. Please return the bike during business hours. If you would like to rent the bike for more than 1 day, please check with the staff first.
- An ID is required to be shown to the staff to be able to use this service
- The center is closed from the end of December to the beginning of January
Luggage Storage Service
- The cost per bag is between 300 yen to 500 yen depending on the size
- The storage service is available from 9 am to 5 pm. If you pick up your belongings on the following day, you will be charged an extra day’s fee
Chinu – The Black Sea Bream of Uno (宇野のチヌ／宇野コチヌ)
It is sad to see waste being dumped into the sea, considering how dangerous this practice would expose marine wildlife. Despite this practice, some artists were able to turn this debris into sculptures that are not only a visual spectacle but also an effective distraction for your kids!
The stunning sunset at Uno Port offers a romantic atmosphere for you and your partner to enjoy. You need not worry about your little ones getting bored either, as they will be too busy playing inside these giant fish sculptures (^_-)-☆.
How to Get to Chinu – the Black Sea Bream of Uno
- The sculptures are just a 7-minute walk from JR Uno Station (宇野駅).
- From JR Okayama Station (岡山駅), it will be a 50-minute train ride.
- You can also catch bus services operated by Ryōbi Bus (両備バス).
- From JR Okayama Station’s bus stop No. 2, take National Highway No. 30 Line bound for Tamano (国道30号線:玉野方面) and get off at Uno Station (宇野駅).
- Refer to HERE and click the “時刻表” button next to【国道30号】岡山南支援学校線／玉野市役所線”. Please refer to the table on the left on both pages only.
- Timetables on the left and the right are for different services but will both stop at JR Uno Station. The travel time for the services on the left is shorter than the travel time for the services on the right.
- The tables on the first page are for services going to JR Uno Station. The tables on the second page are for services heading back to JR Okayama Station.
- The tables in green are for weekdays, and the tables in red are for weekends and public holidays.
- Timetables on the left and the right are for different services but will both stop at JR Uno Station. The travel time for the services on the left is shorter than the travel time for the services on the right.
- You can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.
Torii in the Sky (天空の鳥居)
If you are after a great view of Uno Port and the Seto Inland Sea but don’t want to go too far, climbing up to this torii gate is a convenient alternative!
The track leading to the torii gate is quite sandy and comprises granite rocks. This means the surface will be quite slippery, so you need all your limbs!
Important: Hiking tracks, gloves, long sleeves, and long pants are highly recommended if you are visiting this attraction to ensure your safety.
Tip: Arrive around 10 am for the best view from the torii gate!
How to Get to the Torii in the Sky in Tamano
It will take a 10-minute walk from JR Uno Station to the hill where the torii is. Once you get to the bottom of the hill, follow the arrows in red to climb up slowly.
Click HERE to return to the list of attractions in Tamano.
Miyama Park (みやま公園)
Miyama Park is an enormous park that boasts a size of more than 200 hectares. It also hosts 150,000 trees spanning more than 300 species, including plums, camellias, azaleas, maples, and about 7,000 cherry trees that bloom one after another throughout the year!
The Roadside Station (道の駅), located on one side of the park, offers freshly harvested fruits, vegetables, and local specialties. There is also a bakery, a cafe, and a food truck available for visitors (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
For more information, please refer to our article on Miayama Park!
Click HERE to return to the list of attractions in Tamano.
Mt. Ōjigatake (王子が岳)
Mt. Ōjigatake is a mountain with various oddly shaped rocks on the border between the two cities, Tamano (玉野) and Kurashiki (倉敷), in Okayama Prefecture.
The view of the Seto Inland Sea along the hiking trail and from the summit is what makes the mountain a popular spot among the locals. This is especially the case when a thousand or so cherry blossoms color one part of the mountain with its light pink petals from mid-March to early April (*´ω｀).
It is also one of the best places in Japan for paragliding.
To find out more about Mt. Ōjigatake, refer to our Mt. Ōjigatake article (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Other Hiking Trails in Tamano City
Apart from Mt. Ōjigatake, there are other peaks in Tamano for hikers who are after more challenging tracks, with Kinkōzan (金甲山) being the tallest mountain in the city.
- Mt. Kinkōzan (金甲山)
- Mt. Juzenjiyama (十禅寺山)
- Mt. Kaigarayama (貝殻山)
- Mt. Tsuneyama (常山)
Shibukawa Beach (渋川海水浴場)
Not too far away from trailhead number 3 of Mt. Ōjigatake, where Okayama’s biggest coast is located. There is a beach where you can chill out in the hot summer.
Shibukawa Beach has a coastline as long as 1 km that lets locals and tourists enjoy watersports such as yachting and windsurfing throughout the year!
Tip: Don’t leave the beach too early as you won’t want to miss out on the beautiful sunset at Shibukawa Beach (^_-)-☆.
Important: Please note that barbequing is only allowed at designated locations on the eastern edge of the coast.
Shibukawa Wisteria Festival (渋川藤まつり)
Shibukawa Park (渋川公園) is just next to Shibukawa Beach. From the end of April to the beginning of May, the wisteria on the 900 meters pergola in the park will bloom!
And when flowers bloom in Japan, it probably means we have a festival (´▽｀*).
The Shibukawa Wisteria Festival is usually held during Golden Week (the end of April to the beginning of May) from 11 am to 3 pm. Apart from the beautiful flowers that come in different colors during the festival, you can also get some local specialties for souvenirs or to fill your stomach (^_-)-☆.
How to Get to Shibukawa Beach
- From JR Okayama Station (岡山駅)’s bus stop No. 4, take Tamano Shibukawa Limited Express Line (玉野渋川特急線) and get off at the Diamond Setouchi Marine Hotel (ダイヤモンド瀬戸内マリンホテル).
- Refer to HERE and click the “時刻表” button next to”玉野渋川特急線”. Please refer to the table on the left on both pages only.
- The table on the left is for services heading to JR Okayama Station. The table on the right is for services going to Shibukawa Beach.
- The upper table is for weekdays, and the table on the bottom is for weekends and public holidays.
- From JR Okayama Station’s bus stop No. 2, or JR Uno Station’s bus stop No. 1 or No. 2, you can also take National Highway No. 30 Line bound for Tamano (国道30号線:玉野方面) and get off at Shibukawa Sanchōme (渋川三丁目), which is the terminal stop
- Refer to HERE and click the “時刻表” button next to【国道30号】岡山南支援学校線／玉野市役所線”. Please refer to the table on the left on both pages only.
- Please refer to the table on the left on both pages only. The tables on the first page are for services going to Shibukawa Beach, and the tables on the second page are for services heading back to Okayama Station.
- The tables in green are for weekdays, and the tables in red are for weekends and public holidays.
Click HERE to return to the list of attractions in Tamano.
Exploring the Other Scenic Cities Close by
Okayama Prefecture, also known as the country of sunshine amongst the Japanese, has other stunning places close to Tamano City awaiting your visit!
Find out more about where else to go with our Kojima District article (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
