Okayama

Okayama City is the capital of Okayama Prefecture, in the Chugoku Region of Japan. It was a castle town until the 19th century, and now acts as the business and administrative center for the region as well as an important transportation hub because of its connections to the shinkansen (“bullet train”), conventional, and Shikoku-bound lines.

The most famous sight, and the reason most visitors come to Okayama, is Korakuen, one of the three most famous Japanese landscape Gardens in nation (the other two are in Kanazawa and Mito). This garden, with a view of Okayama's black "raven" castle and its rolling hills, is truly a work of art. It is best to visit in the morning, when there are few other tourists and one can enjoy the serene beauty of the garden fully. Okayama castle is another interesting diversion for visitors, and even though most of its components are modern reconstructions, a few are original.
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Links:

• Guide to Okayama by the Japan National Tourist Organization
• Weather in Okayama