We bring you a tram journey through the center of Okayama City. This tram actually has the shortest route in Japan. What are the sights packed into this short 4.7 km stretch? (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "It has a retro atmosphere like something you'd see in a movie or a TV drama." Okayama Electric Tram, a tram that runs through the center of Okayama City. Affectionately known as "Oka-den," it has been running through the city of Okayama for over 100 years. There is a wide variety of trains, from those that have won the Good Design Award to those featured in the popular anime Chuggington... (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "In fact, the tram that runs through the center of Okayama City has the shortest route in Japan." Of the tram lines that run in about 20 cities across the country, the tram in Okayama City is the shortest. Its length is just 4.7 km. However, there are many sights to see along the line. So... Let's begin our journey on the shortest tram line in Japan, Okayama! This time, we rode on the "KURO" train, surrounded by warm wood. This historic train was manufactured in 1953 and ran on the Tobu Nikko Kido Line in Tochigi Prefecture, but was transferred to Okayama when the line was abolished. (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "As soon as we depart, at the first tram stop, there is a gourmet dish that Okayama is proud of." We immediately get off at the first tram stop, "Nishikawa Ryokudo Park." Our destination is... (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "After getting off at Nishikawa Ryokudo Park tram stop, we walked and... there it is! Katsudon Nomura." It is Aji Tsukasa Nomura, a famous local gourmet restaurant. (Ajitsuka Nomura Representative Director Nomura Yoshiko) "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here's a cutlet bowl with demi-glace sauce." (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "Thank you. That's amazing. What kind of bowl is this?" (Ajitsuka Nomura Representative Director Nomura Yoshiko) "Boiled cabbage is placed on rice, then freshly fried cutlet is topped with plenty of demi-glace sauce and garnished with green peas." This is actually the birthplace of the demi-katsudon, a dish that Okayama is proud of! In 1931, the first owner came up with the idea for the bowl using demi-glace sauce passed down to him by a chef from the Imperial Hotel, and the taste has been passed down from generation to generation, up to the current fourth generation. (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "Let's eat. The cutlet is tender! The demi-glace sauce is slightly sweet and very rich. It goes well with rice." (Ajitsuka Nomura Representative Director Nomura Yoshiko) "There are a lot of foreign customers, so I worry about how they feel, but when they leave they say it was delicious, so I'm relieved." With our stomachs full, we got back on the tram and headed for the "Joshita" tram stop, two stops from Nishikawa Ryokudo Park. It's only 900 meters from Okayama Station, in the center of the city, but after a short walk from the tram stop... (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "I can see it! It's Okayama Castle. I can see Okayama Castle, the symbol of Okayama." Okayama Castle, also known as the "Crow Castle" after the black color of a crow. It will undergo major renovations in November 2022, and its walls will shine black. Once you reach the top of the castle tower... (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "The view is spectacular! You can see Korakuen right in front of you, and the city of Okayama in the distance. It's amazing. And right in front of you is the golden shachihoko, shining brightly. It really has a strong presence when you see it up close. It's so cool." And the interior has also been extensively renovated! The point is to experience history. (Okayama Castle curator Harada Risako) "This is a matchlock gun. It's the same weight and length, so I hope you can get a sense of how heavy it was at the time" (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "It's quite heavy. It's suspended by a wire so you can fix it in position, but it wobbles when you hold it in your hand. It's difficult to keep it steady" (Okayama Castle curator Harada Risako) "And since the other thing is moving, it's quite difficult to move in tandem with it" (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "I wonder if people in the past were really muscular" There are plenty of other things to experience history firsthand, such as riding a horse from the Warring States period, when people's bodies were smaller than they are today, and riding in a daimyo's palanquin to feel like a princess. (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "What was the reaction after it was renovated in November last year (2022)?" (Okayama Castle Curator Harada Risako) "We're so glad that so many people have come and say that it's not just new and beautiful, but that it was interesting." (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "It's great that there are so many exhibits that you can experience." (Curator Harada Risako, Okayama Castle) "The theme of Okayama Castle is 'a castle that conveys history, a castle that brings people together,' and we create exhibits that make people think that history is fun, so we're really glad to hear people say that." Next, we head to the tram... the fourth stop from the castle base. (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "The tram runs down the middle of the road in the center of Okayama City. Looking out the window, there are a row of modern buildings, but the interior of the car is retro, so it feels strange." We enjoy the relaxed atmosphere for about seven minutes. (In-car announcement) "Next stop: Chunagon" (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "We arrived right after we got off the bus. This is the main store of Koeido. I'm looking forward to it." A five-second walk from Chunagon tram stop brings us to Koeido, a long-established store famous for its specialty Okayama sweet, kibi dango. Among the rows of products, there is a cafe at the back... (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "We also have kibi dango and Chofu. Which one should I get...? A pancake-style dorayaki, limited to eight servings per day?" What exactly is a "pancake-style dorayaki"? The dough is baked on a copper plate... and on top of the five stacked pieces is a large piece of butter made from Jersey milk from Hiruzen, Maniwa City. After pouring a generous amount of rare honey from Okayama Prefecture... a pancake made with dorayaki dough, as only a Japanese sweets shop can offer, is complete! A wonderful collaboration of Japanese and Western. (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "(After tasting it) I'm so happy! It's sweet! The batter has a gentler sweetness than regular pancakes" (Manager Yamamoto Seiko of Koeido Chunagon Main Store) "We also put honey in the batter" (Announcer Nakatsuka Mio) "That's why it's so sweet it melts in your mouth" Enjoy a trip on Okayama City's tram, the shortest route in Japan at 4.7 km. Get off at any tram stop that catches your eye and walk around the city. Highly recommended.