attacked by the US Army with incendiary bombs. Almost all the city was burned, and many people died. Okayama suffered terrible damage in the war.
Since World War II
During Japan's economic miracle of the 1960s, Okayama developed rapidly as one of the most important cities in the Ch?goku and Shikoku regions. In 1972, the Sany? Shinkansen began service between Shin-?saka and Okayama stations. Two years later, Shinkansen service was extended to Hakata.
In 1988, the Seto-?hashi Bridge was opened, and connected Okayama with Shikoku directly by rail and road.
The city became a core city in 1996 and a designated city on April 1, 2009
