Okayama Korakuen Garden's Autumn/Winter Limited Event "Red-Crowned Crane Walk"! Access and Souvenir Information

Okayama Korakuen Garden has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japon and is one of Japan's three most famous gardens. Known as the only place of scenic beauty in the prefecture, this garden hosts a special event from autumn to winter called the "Red-crowned Crane Stroll Throughout the Garden." We will introduce you to the sight of the red-crowned cranes gracefully flying through the sky and related goods that can be purchased within the garden.

About the Red-crowned Crane Walks in the Park

Okayama Korakuen Garden currently houses eight red-crowned cranes. During the "Red-crowned Crane Walk" held from autumn to winter, you can observe the cranes roaming freely within the garden and sometimes even soaring into the sky.

Daily life

Normally, the cranes spend their time in the crane house on the left hand side as you enter through the main gate. As you stroll around the zoo, you can occasionally hear their distinctive calls. In fact, for a period after the war, the raising of cranes in the zoo was discontinued. However, after two cranes were donated by Mr. Guo Moruo, who studied at the former Sixth Higher School in Okayama, they began to be seen in the zoo again.

Scenes from the walking event

During the walk, some areas will be closed to traffic, so you will need to follow the instructions of the staff. When the time finally comes to start, the cranes will emerge from the crane house and into the garden, guided by the zookeepers.

The moment of flight

As the zookeepers start running, imitating the cries of the cranes, the cranes begin preparing to take flight. On this day, they flew multiple times, but apparently there are days when they don't fly at all depending on the weather and their physical condition.

Garden scenery and red-crowned cranes

The red-crowned cranes fly dynamically overhead. Their black and white feathers are so beautiful!

The sight of red-crowned cranes flying gracefully in front of Enyotei, which was once the living room of the feudal lord, is like something out of a Japanese folk tale.

The four birds fly together over the park's largest pond, Sawa-no-ike, so low that you can even see their reflections in the pond.

Collaboration with Okayama Castle

The most impressive sight is when the red-crowned cranes fly with Okayama Castle in the background. The combination of traditional Japanese scenery and the graceful figures of the cranes is a special sight that cannot be seen anywhere else.

After circling the park, the red-crowned crane lands on the lawn.

Natural appearance

During their strolls, the cranes land on the grass and sometimes peer into the ground in search of insects. You can even see them holding grasshoppers in their mouths, giving you a glimpse into their wild habits. With Mt. Yuishin in the background, their black wings are also impressive.

After staff members have regulated the passage, the animals will move from one lawn to another with the zookeepers.

End of the walk

After about an hour of walking, the cranes are led back to the crane house by the zookeepers. The way they lift their long legs as they step over the fence is adorable.

Red-crowned crane goods

At Kanshatei, located between the main gate and the crane house, various products with a red-crowned crane motif are on sale.

The original towels and folding fans feature red-crowned cranes along with the scenery of Okayama Korakuen Garden.

Masking Tape and the famous sweet "Tsuru no Tamago" are also popular.

"Tsuru no Tamago" is a Japanese-Western fusion sweet made of fluffy marshmallows filled with egg yolk paste. The auspicious combination of the white and pale crimson "red and white" and the crane design is also appealing.

Event Information

Next event: (1) September 28th (Sun), October 13th (Mon, holiday), 19th (Sun), 26th (Sun), 2025 (2) November 2nd (Sun), December 6th (Sat), 14th (Sun), 2025 (3) January 1st (Thurs, holiday), 3rd (Sat), 2026 (4) January 10th (Sat), February 1st (Sun), 15th (Sun), 2026

Event times: 10:00-11:00 *① and ③ are at the following times.

①9:00-10:00 ③11:00-12:00, 13:00-14:00 *Two shifts

Okayama Korakuen Garden Official Website

basic information

The "Red-crowned Crane Walk" can be seen with just the admission fee to Okayama Korakuen Garden.

Admission fee: 500 yen for adults, 200 yen for those 65 and older, free for high school students and younger

[Okayama Korakuen Garden ]

Address: 1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward Access

(Public transport): Take the bus bound for Fujiwara Danchi from JR Okayama Station for about 12 minutes and get off at "Korakuen-mae" stop.

(Car): Approximately 20 minutes from Okayama IC on the Sanyo Expressway

Okayama Korakuen Garden

703-8257 1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

A large garden built by Tsunamasa Ikeda, the second lord of the Okayama domain, as a place for relaxation. The spacious garden, decorated with seasonal flowers, is a different world just like the Edo period. In 1952, it was designated as a “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” as a historical and cultural heritage site, and received a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. Various events are held throughout the four seasons, such as tea gathering and moon viewing, and for a limited time, you can enjoy the ``Fantasy Garden,'' which is specially opened at night and lights up the garden in a different way than during the day. Volunteer guides (free of charge) are also popular with tourists.

Conclusion

The scenery of the red-crowned cranes, Japanese garden, and castle is a special sight that can only be seen at Okayama Korakuen Garden. The sight of the graceful red-crowned cranes and the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese garden will be a wonderful experience that will make you forget your daily life. Why not give it a try?