K's LABO Stone Museum

K's LABO is a unique stone museum located on Kitagi Island in Okayama Prefecture, positioned within the scenic Seto Inland Sea. The museum occupies an 80-year-old stone building that originally served as a rice storage facility, now repurposed to showcase the island's rich geological heritage and stone-cutting traditions.

Kitagi Island's stone quarrying industry began during the Meiji era and continues to operate today as a "living quarry". The island has supplied high-quality granite for numerous prestigious construction projects throughout Japan's modern history, making it a significant center for stone production in the region. The museum preserves and presents this industrial heritage through exhibits that demonstrate traditional stone-cutting techniques and the geological properties that made Kitagi stone particularly valuable.

Visitors can explore comprehensive displays of stone artifacts, from everyday household items to premium stone products used in construction and decoration. The museum features a museum shop offering stone souvenirs ranging from small stone accessories to luxury stone products, plus hands-on experience corners where guests can work with stone materials. The facility also functions as a Umi-no-Eki (sea station) with an integrated café, providing refreshments with views of the surrounding seascape.

The museum serves as an ideal starting point for exploring the island's stone-based art installations scattered across Kitagi Island. Visitors can access rental bicycles from the museum to tour the island, including visits to the active Kitagi Island Quarry and the Ishikiri no Tani Observation Deck, which offers panoramic views of the quarry with height differences exceeding 100 meters.

K's LABO also operates as a marina facility, making it accessible by private boat. The primary access route involves taking a ferry from Kasaoka Port on the mainland to Kitagi Island. Regular ferry services connect the island to Kasaoka, which is accessible by train via the JR San'yō Line to Kasaoka Station. The museum is free to enter, though specific activity fees may apply for hands-on stone-working experiences and bicycle rentals.