About 8 minutes from Okayama electric tramway's "Okayama Ekimae" located right in front of JR Okayama station. Get off at "Shiroshita" and walk for 5~10 minutes and find a bunch of facilities where you can touch arts and culture of Okayama. Among them Michelin Green Guide Japon "Okayama Korakuen" of Mitsuboshi, and sable Okayama Castle called "Ujo" are also must-see.
There are shopping street "Sun Station terrace Okayama" inside JR Okayama station, and the largest in central Shikoku underground mall "Okayama Ichiban Gai". You may enjoy large electronics retail stores, urban-type shopping centers, department stores and another places for shopping reachable by 15 minutes walk. Since there are a lot of hotels and restaurants this area is very convenient.
About 16 minutes on foot from JR Kurashiki station. Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is a sightseeing spot with retro and stylish stores and houses. This is especially popular in Okayama sightseeing spot with old houses with white walls, revived shops, side streets with Namako walls, Ohara Museum of Art that possesses world famous pictures etc.
Kojima Jeans Street is located in about 15 minutes walk from JR Kojima station. You can find here jeans brands from Kojima, cafes and general stores. Birthplace of domestic jeans, Kojima is called a holy place of Japan denim, and a lot of customers from the whole country arrive here demanding their own denim.
About 1 hours from Takahashi bus center located right near JR Bitchu-Takahashi station, get off at Fukiya bus stop. Fukiya Furusato Village where streets of indian-red buildings with brown Sesshu tile still left. The area was selected as "Furusato (spirital home) Village" of of Okayama prefecture and Groups of Traditional Buildings in Japan.
About 20 minutes walking from JR Tsuyama station. Kakuzan Park is located in Tsuyama Castle chosen as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles. This place is also known in Western Japan as a site that was selected as one of 100 best places to watsh cherry blossoms, and the number of visitors enjoying cherry-blossom viewing is especially large in sakura period. It is convenient to stay near JR Tsuyama station.