Yakage, town in Oda district, Okayama prefecture, Japan
Yakage is a small town in southwest Okayama Prefecture with about fifteen thousand residents. It sits beside the Oda River and features flat land in the south and hills in the north, with traditional buildings and shops mainly constructed on the plains for easy daily movement.
Yakage was founded in 1889 and officially became a town in February 1896. It served as an important post station on the Sanyo road during the Edo period where travelers and merchants stopped, and it absorbed nearby villages during the 1950s and 1960s.
Yakage developed its identity as a post station where travelers and merchants once stopped along the Sanyo road during the Edo period. Today the town's streets show this heritage through traditional buildings and small shops where locals and visitors interact in the rhythms of daily life.
The town is most easily reached by bus from Shin Kurashiki station, or you can take the Ibara Railway line from Kiyone station. Most areas are easily explored on foot, and the flat terrain in the southern part makes navigation straightforward for visitors.
The town is known for its special foods like yubeshi, a soft jelly made from citrus fruit, and black udon noodles made from black rice that taste like traditional udon despite their dark color. These culinary surprises make each visit a distinctive experience.
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