1 KURASHIKI
With cobbled streets centred around a willow-lined canal, the historical quarter of Bikan in Kurashiki is one of the prettiest in Japan. It’s on the Seto Inland Sea coast; travellers can drift along the canal on a traditional wooden boat, or admire the wooden
machiya
(townhouses) and converted white
kura
(storehouses). Japan’s jeans industry also started in this area and denim shops are a speciality of the city, along with cute cafes and cosy
izakaya
bars.