After the Edo Age finished, the magistrate's office was closed and the site was used for a plant of KURABO Industries. The site of the plant became a composite facility of a hotel and museums, named the "Kurashiki Ivy Square" in 1973. The Kurashiki Ivy Square is just a few minutes on foot from the "Nakabashi Bridge" in the Kurashiki "Bikan" Historical Quarter.

The stone monument located near the west gate tells that the Kurashiki Ivy Square is the site of the magistrate's office. The historical building with white walls is the KURABO Memorial Hall.

You will see the red brick buildings ahead of the KURABO Memorial Hall. These buildings were built in 1889. The red brick buildings used to be plant buildings of KURABO and are covered all over with ivy.

Ivy trees were planted in order to control the temperature inside the plant buildings. Because of beautiful ivy, this facility is named as "Ivy Square".

Inside the buildings remain as if they were plant buildings. There are no ceiling boards and you can see the supporting structures of the roofs. If you go through a red brick building, you will go out to a courtyard of the Ivy Square.

The courtyard of the Ivy Square has a wide open area and it is used as a cafeteria. The atmosphere of the courtyard looks like in Europe, while the outside area of the Ivy Square remains traditional Japanese houses.

In a corner of the courtyard, there is a small pond. The pond was imitated the Monet's painting "Water Lilies".

The buildings located to the south of the courtyard, three hotel buildings are located. The main gate of the Kurashiki Ivy Square is located at the south side of the facility.

To the south across a street, there are other buildings.

This area is named the Floral Court. These buildings were built at the beggining of the early 20th century. European styled buildings also give you an exotic atmosphere.

How to get there
From Tokyo, take a "Nozomi" or a "Hikari" for Japan Rail Pass travelers to Okayama.
From Okayama Station, take a JR to Kurashiki. Kurashiki Ivy Square is approximately fifteen minutes on foot from Kurashiki Station.

Official English Website:
https://www.ivysquare.co.jp/

Other Historical Sites near by:
Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
Kurashiki Honmachi Area
Achi Shrine
Kibitsuhiko Shrine