The most charming place to visit for a day is the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter in the Okayama

Make sure you line up early at the tourist office to buy tickets for this stunning little boat tour down the river. It was honestly so peaceful, and despite not really understanding what the guide was saying, it was totally worth my $7 (¥700) just to float along for 15 minutes and enjoy the sights. The guide was very wholesome, ending almost every sentence in "ですね~".