Airlines ANA (tel 0120-029222); JAC and JAS (tel 0120-511283); JTA (tel 0120-255971); KAL (tel 086/221-3311).

Banks and exchange There are several banks along Momotaro-dori, and you can also change money at the Central Post Office .

Bookshops Beneath the Symphony Hall, Maruzen, (daily 10am-8pm; closed second Tues of month), has the best selection of English books and magazines, or try Kinokuniya, a block west of Tenmaya Bus Station (daily 10am-7.30pm).

Car rental Nippon Rent-a-car (tel 086/235-0919); Toyota Rent-a-car (tel 086/254-0100).

Hospital Okayama University Medical Research Hospital, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho (tel 086/223-7151).

Internet access You can surf the Net for free at the NTT building next to the Central Post Office (Mon-Fri 10am-6pm). The Okayama Prefecture International Exchange Centre, 2-2-1 Hokan-cho (daily Tues-Sun 9am-5pm), also offers Internet access for ¥600 an hour, but reservations are required: call 086/256-2914.

Police Okayama Prefectural Police HQ, 2-4-6 Uchisange, Ok City (tel 086/234-0110).

Post office Central Post Office, 2-1-1 Nakasange (Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-12.30pm).

Shopping A good one-stop emporium for local arts and crafts, including Bizen-yaki pottery, masks and weaving, is the Okayama Tourist Product Centre (daily 10am-8pm) on the ground floor of the Symphony Hall.