Bitchu Matsuyama Castle

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, A Small Castle With An Original Wooden Keep On A Mountain Top In Takahashi, Okayama, The Highest Castle In Japan, Famous For Cloud Seen From Its Viewpoint In Autumn Mornings And For A Hard Climb. · Takahashi, Okayama

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is a small castle on a mountain top above the town of Takahashi in Okayama, on a peak of roughly 430 m often given as Mount Gagyu - confirm. It is usually called the highest castle in Japan, and it is one of the twelve castles that still have an original wooden keep. The keep is tiny, two storeys, with a hearth inside, and the charm is the setting: stone walls follow the ridge and seem to grow out of the rock. Visitors compare it with Machu Picchu, a nickname used in tourism - confirm. In autumn mornings, cloud can fill the valley and leave the castle floating, best seen from the Fuigo-toge pass. You walk about 20 minutes uphill from the bus stop. It suits hikers and castle fans, and is worth the detour from Okayama if the weather is clear; it is not worth it in heavy rain or for a quick stop. Allow a half day, bring water and sturdy shoes, and check the weather the night before you go.

Takahashi, Okayama, a climb from the Fuigo-toge viewpoint or a shuttle from Takahashi Station on the JR Hakubi Line, Takahashi, Okayama, Japan

The castle is usually open from morning to late afternoon, with a shorter day from autumn to winter, and last entry well before closing - confirm hours. It may close for part of the winter when snow or ice make the path unsafe, and a few days around New Year - confirm. Take the JR Hakubi Line from Okayama to Bitchu-Takahashi, about 50 to 70 minutes. A shuttle bus runs from the town to a stop below the castle in the main season - confirm days and last return. The final stretch is on foot, about 20 minutes. The cloud viewpoint at Fuigo-toge needs a car or taxi.

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