Shinkansen and regular trains stop at Okayama Station, just over 1km west of Korakuen. This is where you'll need to change from the Shinkansen to the JR Seto Ohashi line if you're heading across to Shikoku . Long-distance buses arrive either at the Eki-mae bus station on the east side of Okayama Station or the Tenmaya Bus Centre, in the heart of the city's shopping district. Okayama airport is around 20km northwest of the train station; buses run from the airport into the city every hour or so (¥680; 40min). Ferries arrive at Shin-Okayama Port, 10km south of the city; buses run from the port into the Tenmaya Bus Centre every hour or so (30min).

Korakuen and the city's other main sights are clustered around the Asahi-gawa, fifteen minutes' walk down Momotaro-dori , the main road heading directly east from Okayama station, which trams run along. If you don't fancy walking or taking the tram, a bicycle is a good way to travel around; the cheapest daily bike rental is from the youth hostel .

Of the city's three sources of tourist information , the most convenient is the counter inside Okayama Station (daily 9am-6pm; tel 086/222-2912, fax 224-2572), where you'll find English speakers and plenty of information and maps. The Okayama International Exchange Centre, 2-2-1 Hokancho (Tues-Sun 9am-5pm; tel 086/256-2000), five minutes' walk from the eastern exit of the station, has a good library and information centre. Finally, I-Plaza, the city's international centre along the Nishi-gawa Greenway Canal, 500m southeast of the station, is the place to head if you want to arrange a visit to a Japanese home .