In ancient times Kurayoshi was the administrative capital of Hoki Province, today’s Tottori Prefecture. In the 14th century a small castle stood on Mount Utsubuki overlooking the town. It was destroyed in 1615 and nothing of it remains. During the Edo period, Kurayoshi prospered as a centre of commerce and industry. In the Utsubuki-Tamagawa area, traditional buildings, including many plastered warehouses remain from the late Edo period. The town is known for its ceramics, produced at eight kilns in the area, as well as an artisanal cloth called kasuri.