The Okayama Prefectural Nature Conservation Center is a facility for "seeing, walking, and learning" located within a prefectural natural park in Wake Town. The center building houses exhibition rooms, a library, and a training room, while outdoors, a variety of fields spread out, including an insect meadow, an insect forest, a wetland and aquatic botanical garden, and a nature observation forest. Observe seasonal plants, butterflies, dragonflies, and wild birds up close, making it the perfect place for your first birdwatching or nature observation adventure.

A highlight of the park is the protective care and breeding of the Japanese crane, a special natural monument. There are facilities for over 30 birds, and if you're lucky, you might even be able to observe their graceful appearance and cries (open areas and operations vary depending on the season and sanitary conditions). The center also offers a wide range of nature observation events and hands-on activities, mainly held on weekends, making it a popular destination for educational and family trips. Photographers will appreciate the wetlands and bird-watching spots along the boardwalk.

The center building features a permanent exhibition room where visitors can learn about the four seasons of the satoyama, as well as specimens of insects, wild birds, and wetland plants, ecological panels, and a three-dimensional diorama. The facility also features a corner where visitors can try out observation techniques, a video theater, binoculars for rent, a library, a training room, a rest lobby, a nursing room, and a multi-purpose restroom.


[Trivia]
- The site covers approximately 100 hectares and features a variety of observation areas, including an insect meadow, an insect forest, and a wetland and aquatic plant garden.
- Over 60 species of dragonflies have been recorded. The observation list is updated seasonally.

[Useful Concerns]
- Collecting plants and animals is prohibited, so children are not allowed to catch insects.
- The walk from the parking lot to the center building is about 15 minutes along a promenade, so caution is advised on hot or rainy days. In good weather, it makes for a pleasant, leisurely hike.