Tamano - city in Okayama Prefecture, Japan

Tamano (玉野市, Tamano-shi) is in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Understand

Most visitors to Tamano use it as a departure point to islands in the Seto Inland Sea via ferry from Uno Port.

Get in

By train

Tamano is served by the JR Uno Line (宇野線) originating from Okayama. There are four stations in Tamano: Tsuneyama Station, Hachihama Station, Bizen-Tai Station, and Uno Station. Most travelers travel to Uno Station to visit the port, art sites, and take buses to other areas. From Okayama, it takes 45-60 minutes to get to Tamano. Some trains are direct, while others require a transfer at Chayamachi Station.

By bus

Local express busses from JR Okayama station to Uno station available by RYOBI bus. Busses leave every 30 minutes and takes about 45-60 minutes. 650yen from Okayama station to Uno station.

By boat

• Uno Port (宇野港), Chikko 1-2, 34.4929601°, 133.9514551°. Boats depart and arrive here. 2020-07-12

Get around

By bus

Several local bus lines are available from JR Uno station to other areas such as Shibukawa or Toji.

By bicycle

Rental bicycles are available at the Tourist Information Center, inside JR Uno station (+81 863-21-3546) ¥400/day 09:00-17:30. ¥2,000 deposit required upon rental. Closed Dec 29-Jan 3.

See

• Shibukawa Beach (渋川海岸), 34.4549659°, 133.9026239°. Last Su of Jun to last Sun of Aug. A calm white sand beach with pine trees, about 1 kilometer long. Excellent for windsurfing or sailing year-round. Free parking. Showers, lockers, changing rooms are only available during the official season, though you might be able to enter the beach in the off-season. 2018-01-30
• Shibukawa Marine Aquarium (渋川マリン水族館), 2-6-1 Shibukawa, 34.454893°, 133.905446°, +81 863-81-8111. 09:00-17:00. Includes 180 species, most of which are native to the nearby Seto Inland Sea. Adult ¥500, child ¥250

Art galleries

• Gallery Minato (駅東倉庫 Ekihigashi Souko), 5-4-1 Chikko (2 min. walk to the east of JR Uno station), 34.49458°, 133.95553°, +81 863-32-0081, free-box@csea.plala.or.jp. W-M 10:00-17:00. A gallery/rental atelier for local artists. Open atelier held every first Sunday of the month. free 2018-01-31
• Gallery sans quois (アートギャラリー サンコア), Chikko 1-4-15, 34.494184°, 133.9518112°, +81 863-32-0866. 10:00-17:00, closed on all dates including the numbers 4 and 8. A fine art gallery featuring local and international artists. 2018-01-31

Art Setouchi public art

• Chinu - the Black Sea Bream of Uno, Uno Port, 34.490915°, 133.953316°. Sculpture by Yodogawa-Technique. A colorful sculpture created from recycled cans, bottles, and household items. Artwork No. 182 of the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival. Free 2018-01-30
• JR Uno Port Line Art Project, JR Uno, Bizentai, Hachihama, and Tsuneyama Stations. Project by Esther Stocker. Four stations from the Uno Line are transformed into artwork by simple compositions of geometric lines done in black and white. Artwork No. 187 of the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival. Free 2018-01-30
• Memory of Ship's Hull, Uno Port, 34.490786°, 133.953973°. Sculpture by Atsushi Ozawa. A large metal sculpture incorporating an anchor from a former Japanese Imperial Navy vessel and the propeller of a Norwegian ship. Artwork No. 184 of the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival. Free 2018-01-30
• The Sea's Memory, Uno Port, 34.491056°, 133.946723°. Sculpture by Haruyuki Uchida. Sea water is enclosed within a mirror-like titanium sculpture in the form of a boat. Artwork No. 186 of the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival. Free 2018-01-30

Do

• Miyama Park (深山公園), 2-4490 Tai, 34.5106154°, 133.9269005°, +81 863-21-2860. 24h. A 200-hectare park with over 300 species of trees, including cherry blossom, Japanese plum, camellia, azalea, and maple trees. Includes and English garden. English garden ¥200
• Ojigatake Hill (王子が岳), 7 Kojimakarakotocho (approx. 20 min bus ride from JR Uno station; adjacent to Shibukawa beach), 34.4618606°, 133.8813406°. A scenic mountain trail within the Setonaikai National Park with unique-shaped rocks overlooking the ocean. Spectacular view of the Great Seto Bridge and scattered islands of the Seto inland sea. Hiking trail from the beach to the summit, and around the observatory. Other activities such as rock climbing and paragliding available. 2018-01-30
• Toy Kingdom (おもちゃ王国 Omocha Okoku), 1640-1 Taki, 34.472003°, 133.892286°, +81 863-71-4488. W-M 10:00-17:00. A small amusement park for young children.
• Uno Port Futsal Court (宇野港フットサルコート), 5-4-1 Chikko, 34.49457°, 133.95583°, +81 80-6326-5375, info@unokofc.com. Tu-Sa 14:00-23:00, closed Su-M and holidays. A futsal court available for rental. Local teams compete in tournaments held occasionally. ¥5,000/hour plus annual team membership fee 2018-01-31

Hot Springs

• Setouchi Onsen Tamanoyu, 1-1-11 Chikko (5 mins on foot from JR Uno station), 34.4933°, 133.9560°, +81 863-31-1526, info@seto-tamanoyu.jp. 10:00-23:00 daily (closed for maintenance every third Tuesday of the month). A natural hot spring spa with the widest variety of open-air baths in Okayama prefecture overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. Traditional Japanese building with baths, spas, lounges, and an authentic Japanese restaurant (vegetarian meals available). Free Wi-Fi, English speaking staff, accepts major credit cards. M-F ¥1,600, Sa Su holidays ¥1,900 2018-03-28

Buy

Eat

Ontama meshi is Tamano's local specialty. It consists of conger eel from Tamano cooked with fried rice in kabayaki sauce topped with a soft-boiled egg.

• Cafe Restaurant Sonaru (カフェ・レストラン ソナール). Serves beef stew, curry, pancakes, etc. It's also one of the restaurants where you can get the local specialty Ontama meshi. 2021-09-06

• Jidaiya (時代屋). Serves curry and steak with their own special sauce. It's also a popular ontama meshi restaurant. 2021-09-06

Drink

Sleep

• Uno Slope House, Chikko 3-4-3-2 (1.7km north of Uno Port. Free pickup/dropoff from JR Uno Station & Uno Port), 34.5022083°, 133.949069°, +81 80-4266-2885, info@unoslopehouse.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Most of the staff can communicate in both English and Japanese. Reservations by email, accepts major credit cards, free WiFi, bike, pickup/dropoff from Uno station/port, tips for local restaurants. Singles ¥5,500-7,900, doubles ¥11,000-14,000
• Uno Port Inn (ウノポート イン), 1-4-4 Chikko (Across the street from Uno Port; next to JR Uno Station), 34.4940113°, 133.9526018°, +81 863-21-2729, info@unoportinn.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Offers both tatami mats and western-style beds. Online reservations via the website, accepts major credit cards, free WiFi, onsite cafe and bar. singles ¥6,900-8,900, doubles ¥8,900-11,800

Connect

Go next

• Okayama
• Naoshima
• Takamatsu
• Teshima
• Hayashima
• Kurashiki
• Soja
• Setouchi