Okayama Prefecture Underground
Details of 24 Gatsubo Underpass (Okayama)
The 24 Gatsubo Underpass is a narrow underground passageway for pedestrians and cyclists in Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. It is a hidden spot that is not well known to other than local residents. It is located southwest of Okayama Station and is an old underpass designed to pass through the JR Line in the north and south directions. It is used as a daily commuting route and is sometimes described as a mysterious road like an RPG due to its dim atmosphere. Below is a summary of the location, history, features, and access methods. The information is mainly based on local blogs and real estate related descriptions.
# # # # Location and Overview
- * * Location * *: A residential area about 500m to 1km southwest of Okayama Station. Specifically, it is located in the Nijushiken district of Kita-ku, Okayama City, and is a north-south passage that goes through two tracks, the JR Sanyo Main Line and the Hakubi Line. The east entrance is located down a slope, and the north exit leads several tens of meters further to the roadway, so it is in a quiet place away from the bustle around the station.
- * * Scale and Structure * *:
It is short in length and narrow enough for bicycles to pass each other (about 1.5 meters wide).
- It is dim, the lighting is modest, and the walls are simple with bare concrete. There are stairs and slopes, and it is only for pedestrians and bicycles (no cars).
- "Tsubo" refers to a unit of land lot from ancient times to the Middle Ages, and the origin of this name comes from the surrounding place name "Twenty-four Tsubo." It is managed as a part of the public road of Okayama City, and unlike commercial facilities, there are no facilities (shops and advertisements) for sightseeing.
- * * Availability * *: It is used as a shortcut for local residents, and the daily traffic volume is unknown, but unlike the underground shopping mall in front of the station (such as Okayama Ichibangai), tourists rarely use it. It is convenient for rainy weather and railroad crossing, but you need to be careful because it is narrow and dark.
# # # # History and Background
- This underpass is presumed to have been built in the Showa era (probably 1960s-1970s) as part of the urban development of Okayama City, but the detailed construction year is a minor facility that is difficult to confirm with public records. It was made as a pedestrian underpass to safely cross the tracks around Okayama Station, and there are several similar underpasses in Okayama City (e.g. Mancho Underpass and Noda 4-chome Underground Passage).
In the recent description (blog around 2024), many people who have lived in Okayama City for over 20 years do not know it, and it is introduced as an "unknown underground road." It is not a tourist resource, and it is an everyday "hidden attraction." There are no special restrictions in the public road regulation information of Okayama City, but Okayama City is doing maintenance.
# # # # Access method
- * * Nearest station * *: 10-15 minutes walk from JR Okayama Station. Go west from the south exit of the station and go down the slope near the Nijushiken intersection.
- * * Car / Public Transportation * *: About 5 minutes by taxi from Okayama Station West Exit. There is no parking lot around, but there is a bicycle parking space in a nearby residential area.
- * * Map Reference * *: When you search for "24 Katsubo Underpass Okayama" on Google Maps etc., you will find the east entrance (around Nijushiken 1-chome, Kita-ku, Okayama City). Around 34.65 degrees north latitude and 133.91 degrees east longitude.
- * * CAUTION * *: Flashlight recommended as it is dark. The surrounding area is residential, so use it sparingly at night. Be careful not to confuse it with the similarly named "Okayama Station South Underpass" (commercial underpass connecting Aeon Mall Okayama and Okayama Ichibangai, available 24 hours a day, about 30,000 people a day). There is an advertising vision and it is for sightseeing.
# # # # Other Information
- * * Highlights * *: There is no event on the underpass itself, but the north side is a quiet residential area where you can catch a glimpse of the daily scenery of Okayama. In the blog, there is a voice saying "a little adventurous feeling."
- * * Related Facilities * *: There are Okayama Station's underground shopping mall (Okayama Ichibangai) and Aeon Mall Okayama nearby, but the 24ktsubo underground road is a local road independent of these. You can enjoy it as an "underground walk in Okayama" route together with other underground roads in Okayama City (such as the castle underground plaza).
- * * UPDATE INFORMATION (As of September 2025) * *: There is no special renovation or closure information, and it is usually available. Detailed maps and photos are recommended on the local blog (e.g. Nuka Joy Tsushin).
This underground passage is one of the hidden charms of Okayama and is recommended for those who like to walk. If you need more specific photos or videos, please let us know!
岡山駅周辺って、地下街や連絡通路のイメージが強いけど、実は“生活のための地下歩道（地下道）”も点在していて、歩いてみると意外と面白いです。私は散歩ついでに「24ヶ坪地下道」を探してみたんですが、駅前のにぎやかさから少し離れた住宅街側にあり、入口の時点で「え、ここ降りていいの？」というローカル感がありました。 実際に通って感じたポイントは3つ。まず、幅がかなり狭いので自転車同士のすれ違いはタイミング次第。歩行者がいるときはスピードを落として、無理せず譲り合うのが安心でした。次に、照明は最低限で昼でも薄暗く感じるので、雨の日や夕方以降は特に足元注意。スマホのライトでも十分だけど、夜に行くなら明るい時間帯に下見しておくと気持ち的にラクです。最後に、写真を撮るなら“奥行き”が出やすいので、入口から少し引いて撮ると雰囲気が伝わりやすかったです（コンクリートむき出し感が好きな人には刺さると思います）。 検索でよく見かける「城下地下駐車場」についても、初見だと入口が分かりにくいタイプなので、私は事前に地図で“どの通りから入るか”だけ確認して行きました。現地では標識を見落としやすいので、近くまで来たら速度を落として看板を探すのがコツです。 それから「岡山駅西口地下自転車駐車場」を使う人は、雨の日の動線を一度試しておくのがおすすめ。地上に出る場所を間違えると遠回りになりがちで、岡山駅周辺は線路を挟んで雰囲気も変わるので、地下道や地下歩道をうまく組み合わせると移動がかなり快適になります。 ちなみに「コスメキッチン 岡山」みたいに駅近の目的地がある日でも、時間に余裕があるなら、帰り道だけでもローカル地下道を一本混ぜると“いつもの岡山駅周辺”がちょっと違って見えました。観光というより、岡山の日常をのぞく小さな冒険としておすすめです。
