The first public school in Japan, Edo-era Shizutani Gakko has wood interiors with glossy lacquered floors and beautifully preserved Bizen-yaki roof tiles. Its gardens are especially picturesque in spring. The school is about 3.2km southeast from Yoshinaga station, 40 minutes by train from Okayama (¥580). Buses from Yoshinaga are infrequent, but it's walkable in 45 to 55 minutes; ask at the station for directions.
Shizutani Gakko
Western Honshū
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This understated, pretty wooden shrine sits among the trees and bamboo groves of the hills behind Imbe.
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Gallery and shop on the 2nd floor of the Imbe station building, displaying a wide range of ceramics by contemporary potters.
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