One of Western Japan's transportation hubs, Okayama city, the capital of its namesake prefecture, is conveniently located just an hour from Tokyo and Osaka. Popular among travellers interested in history and art, Okayama is home to an abundance of fascinating museums. The Hayashibara Museum of Art, showcasing East Asian art and artefacts, and the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, displaying regional works, are among the most notable. The city developed as a castle town during the Edo Period, and visiting Okayama Castle gives a wonderful insight into this time in history. Dubbed the 'Crow Castle, Okayama Castle has a unique black facade and an iconic formal garden that took 14 years to finish and is one of Japan's top three significant gardens. Visitors here can meander along twisting paths to reach picturesque vistas or cycle the Kibi Plain route that leads through rice fields, temples, pagodas and keyhole tombs. Tourists use Okayama as a base to explore Naoshima, Inujima Island, Kurashiki and Onomichi.