岡山県のグリーンツーリズム

  岡山県は日本列島で最大の島本州の西端の中国地方にある県です。その中心は北緯34度51分45秒、東経133度41分37秒（世界測地系・岡山県吉備中央町）で、東は兵庫県、西は広島県、北は鳥取県、南は瀬戸内海を挟んで香川県と隣接しています。

  Okayama prefecture belongs to “Chugoku” region which is located on the west end of “Honshu”, the main island of Japan. The core center of Okayama falls in the town called Kibichuoh-cho, located at latitude 34°51' 45″ N and longitude 133°41' 37" E. Okayama is surrounded by Hyogo prefecture in the east, by Hiroshima prefecture in the west, by Tottori prefecture in the north, and by Kagawa prefecture in the south across the Seto Inland Sea.

2-1,岡山県の地勢

  岡山県の地勢は、大きくは3つのエリアに分かれます。県北部の東西に連なる中国山地のエリア、県中部の吉備高原のエリア、そして南部の岡山平野と瀬戸内海の島嶼部の3つのエリアです。
  中国山地は名峰大山（だいせん・標高1729m・鳥取県）が有名ですが、岡山県でも標高1200mクラスの山々がほぼ東西に連なっています。東から西へ、後山（1,345m）、那岐山（1,255m）、津黒山（1,118m）、蒜山（1,200m）、毛無山（1,218m）、花見山（1,188m）などです。
  中国山地と吉備高原の間には、津山盆地や、新見盆地などの低地帯（標高100～250m）が見られ、それぞれの盆地にはまとまった都市（津山市、新見市など）が形成されています。
  吉備高原は、岡山県を経て広島県中部に広がる標高250~500mの台地状の山地（中位丘陵台地地帯）で、八塔寺山（539m）、金山（500m）、大平山（698m）など高い山でも最高は700m程度です。
  岡山平野は吉備高原を背にして、瀬戸内海に面した、東西に連なる平野部です。標高0～100mの水田地帯で、都市化も進み、岡山市、倉敷市などの人口が集積した都市があります。
  岡山県には、3本の川が流れています。中国山地を源に瀬戸内海に流れ込む、東から、吉井川、旭川、高梁川の3本です。吉備高原、岡山平野はこの3本の河川で大きく分断されています。またこの3本の川には、吉備高原に源を発する支流が数多く流れ込み、豊富な水量を誇っています。

2-1,GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF OKAYAMA PREFECTURE

  Okayama can be divided into three areas. The northern part spreads over Chugoku range which is expanded from east to west, on the northern mountainous region of Okayama. The middle part spreads over Kibi plateau, and the sourthen part spreads over Okayama Plains and various islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
  Mt. Daisen （El. 1729m, Tottori） is famous in the ”Chugoku” range, and there are various high mountains, with elevations of about 1200 meters above sea level, and these mountains are laid almost vertically from east to west in Okayama prefecture. Surrounding the northern part of Okayama prefecture are, from east to west, Ushiroyama (El. 1,345m), Nagisan (El. 1,255m), Tuguroyama( El. 1,118m), Hirusen (El. 1,200m), Kenashiyama(El. 1,218m), and Hanamiyama (El. 1,188m) etc.
  The low lands (El.100m-250m) such as Tsuyama basin and Niimi basin are seen among the regions between Chugoku range and Kibi plateau. Relatively big cities like Tsuyama and Niimi are formed at each basin.
  Kibi plateau is a zone consisting of not too high mountains, with elevation of about 250 to 500 meters at sea level, and spreads from Okayama up to the middle region of Hiroshima prefecture. The highest mountain which is seen within that plateau is about 700 meters at sea level. Other represented mountains are Hattoujisan (El. 539m), Kanayama (El. 500m), and Oohirayama (El. 698m).
  Okayama Plains spread its range from east to west of Okayama, and face the Seto Inland Sea, and Kibi Plateau backwards. The sea level is from 0 to 100 meters, and the land is suitable for rice field. The urbanization has progressed in this region, and there are populated cities such as Okayama and Kurashiki.
  There are three big rivers that run through Okayama prefecture, namely Yoshiigawa river in the east, Asahigawa river in the middle, and Takayasigawa river in the west. The water comes out from the Chugoku range and goes to Seto Inland Sea. Kibi plateau and Okayama Plains are greatly divided by these three rivers. Each river has amount of running water due to a number of branch streams and rivers that join together.

2-2,岡山県の気候（気温と降水量）

  中国山地：年平均気温11～12℃、年降水量1,800～2,100㎜で冬季に30～60日の積雪が見られます。
  吉備高原：年平均気温12～14℃、年降水量1,300～1,600㎜で冬季一部で5～20日の積雪が見られます。
  岡山平野：年平均気温14～15℃、年降水量1,200～1,400㎜で冬季に積雪はほとんどなく、温暖です。
  津山盆地：年平均気温13～14℃、年降水量1,500～1,700㎜で冬季に20～30日の積雪が見られます。

2-2,CLIMATE OF OKAYAMA (TEMPRATURE AND PRECIPITATION)

- Chugoku Range:

• Yearly average temperature is from 11 to 12 ℃
• Annual precipitation is 1,800 to 2,100 mm.
• 30-60 days of snow in winter.

- Kibi Plateau:

• Yearly average of the temperature is from 12 to 14 ℃
• Annual precipitation is 1,300 to 1,600 mm.
• 5-20 days of snow, partly in winter.

- Okayama Plains:

• Yearly average of the temperature is from 14 to 15 ℃
• Annual precipitation is 1,200 to 1,400 mm.
• Moderate and rare to snow in winter

- Tsuyama Basins:

• Yearly average of the temperature is from 13 to 14 ℃
• Annual precipitation is 1,500 to 1,700 mm.
• 20-30 days of snow in winter

3-1,高速道路

  中国自動車道：大阪の吹田から山口県の下関を経て九州に至る。岡山県内の中国山地のエリアと吉備高原のエリアの間を東西に横断する。県内のインターチェンジは東から作東・美作・津山・院庄・落合・北房・新見。
  山陽自動車道：中国自動車道と同じく関西と九州を結ぶ。岡山県内の吉備高原エリアと岡山平野の間を東西に横断する。県内のインターチェンジ（IC）は東から備前・和気・山陽・岡山・倉敷・玉島・鴨方・笠岡。
  瀬戸中央自動車道・岡山自動車道・米子自動車道：四国と山陰を結ぶ高速道路。岡山県西部の川・高梁川にそって南北を縦断している。
瀬戸中央自動車道は香川県の坂出から瀬戸大橋を渡り児島IC・水島IC・早島ICを経て倉敷JCTで山陽自動車道と合流。
岡山自動車道は、山陽自動車道の岡山JTCから岡山総社IC・賀陽IC・有漢ICを経て北房JCTで中国自動車道に合流。
米子自動車道は中国自動車道の落合JCTから久世IC・湯原IC・蒜山ICを経て鳥取県の米子に至る。

3-1,HIGHWAY

CHUGOKU HIGHWAY:

  Runs from Suita (Osaka) through Simonoseki (Yamaguchi) for Kyusyu. And it crosses Chugoku range and Kibi Plateau areas from east to west. The interchanges in Okayama, lining up from east to west, are Sakutou, Mimasaka, Tsuyama, Innoshou, Ochiai, Hokubou, and Niimi.

SANYO HIGHWAY:

  Binds Kansai and Kyushu regions as well as Chugoku Highway. It crosses Kibi Plateau and Okayama Plains areas from east to west. The interchanges in Okayama, lining up from east to west, are Bizen, Wake, Sanyo, Okayama, Kurashiki, Tamashima, Kamogata, and Kasaoka.

SETO CENTRAL HIGHWAY/ OKAYAMA HIGHWAY/ YONAGO HIGHWAY:

  Binds Shikoku and Sanin regions. It crosses north to south along Takahashi River in the western zone of Okayama. Seto central highway comes from Sakaide (Kagawa) and crosses Seto-Oohashi Bridge, then passes Kojima Interchange (IC), Mizushima IC, and Hayashima IC and connects to Sanyo Highway at Kurashiki Junction (JCT).
  Okayama highway connects to Chugoku Highway at Hokubou Junction (JCT) after passing Okayama-Souja Interchange (IC), Kayou IC, and Ukan IC, starting on the Okayama Junction (JCT) on Sanyo Highway.
  Yonago Highway bounds for Yonago (Tottori) from Ochiai Junction (JCT) on Chugoku Highway, passing through Kuse Interchange (IC), Yubara IC, and Hiruzen IC.

3-2,国道

  中国自動車道にそって429号・181号、山陽自動車道にそって250号・2号が県内を東西に横切る。
  県内の南北を縦断する国道は東から374号、53号、429号、180号で、374号は吉井川沿いを、53号は旭川沿いを、180号は高梁川沿いをそれぞれ北上している。
  また中国自動車道の院庄ICからは179号、米子道の湯原ICからは313号を利用して鳥取県へ入ることができる。

3-2,NATIONAL ROADS

  Along Chugoku highway, national road #429 and #181, along Sanyo Highway, national road #250 and #2 run horizontally from east to west in Okayama.
  Vertically run through various national roads from north to south in Okayama: lining up from east to west; #374, #53, #429, and #180. National road #374 runs along Yoshiigawa River, #53 along Asahigawa River, and #180 along Takahashigawa River.
  Reaching Tottori from Okayama: get off the Innoshou Interchange (IC) on Chugoku highway, and you get on the national road #179; or get off the Yubara IC on Yonago Highway, and get on the national road #313.

  コンテンツを整理するにあたって、どのように分けるのがこのウェブサイトの利用者にとって便利かを考えた。農林水産物だけでとらえた場合は中国山地のエリア、吉備高原のエリア、岡山平野と瀬戸内海島嶼部というように3～4つのエリアに分けるのが妥当と考えるが、ツーリズムでおとづれる来訪者の行程づくりの利便性・合理性、また、県内各地の歴史の成り立ち、それぞれの地域の文化の関連性を考えた場合、吉井川、旭川、高梁川の3大水系でエリア分けしたのが良いとの結論に達した。さらに、これら3大水系に加えて、県北部の中国山地エリアと県南部の瀬戸内海湾岸と島嶼部エリアの5つのエリアに分けて整理することとした。

  For the efficiency of the user of this site, we had to consider how to arrange the web contents. Focusing only on the products (agricultural, forestry, and marine products), it is appropriate to name three to four regions like Chugoku range, Kibi Plateau, Okayama Plains, and Seto Islands. On the other hands, there is another perspective to give meaningful and rational information for visitors who are planning to make a visit in Okayama. They may need to know where to go to explore the culture and the history, and mutual relationship among regions. In that sense, we suggest dividing the area into three districts by its main river in the three regions, Yoshiigawa river, Asahigawa river, and Takahashigawa river, because these rivers used to be as basic lifeline during the old era. To complete the idea, aside from the three big water basin zones, the final zoning ends with 5 areas, including the Chugoku range in the northern part of Okayama and the coast along Seto Inland Sea and islands on, in the Southern part of Okayama