Okayama

Melon Books
2-1-37 Kita, 2F
+81 086-227-6170
M-F 11AM-8PM, Sa-Su 10AM-8PM

A good selection of adult Japanese comics and doujinshi, and a small selection of figures. It's about a ten minute walk down Omotecho, on the right-hand side.

Okayama Bizen-yaki Factory
+81 086-224-3396
10AM-6PM April-Sept, 9AM-5PM Oct-March
Tram #1 east to Shiroshita

Bizen-yaki 備前焼 is a prized form of pottery that originates from the nearby town of Bizen. Each piece takes about 2 months to finish, but you'll only need a day for a classes with the rokuro potter's wheel — ¥2000 with reservation.

The Omotecho Shotengai shopping street is a ten minute walk from JR Okayama Station, or 3 tram stops away on the Higashiyama line get off at Shiroshita Station. It has everything from game arcades and kimono retailers to antique shops and a multi-story Maruzen bookstore. The biggest presence here is the Tenmaya (http://www.tenmaya.co.jp/...) shopping center, which has a large food court.

There are two other department stores near the shopping street, Cred (http://www.cred-okayama.com/) and Loft (http://www.loft.co.jp/sho...). Cred has a large Kinokuniya bookstore with a sizable selection of English-language and Japanese learning books, as well as a Virgin CD/DVD store. Loft features a toy shop selling novelty dress-up costumes, Studio Ghibli plushies and more; there's also an HMV located in the basement.

Okayama Ichibangai
Okayama-eki Motomachi
+81 086-232-9411
10AM-10PM, hours vary by store

A large shopping complex located below JR Okayama Station. There are many trendy clothing shops, particularly for women. It's also a great place to dine, as there are a variety of delicious and affordable restaurants. There are also souvenirs and various specialty shops that are nice to browse.