Takahashi

By train

Takahashi City can be accessed via the JR Hakubi Line from Niimi (¥580) to the north and Soja (¥410), Kurashiki (¥580), and Okayama (¥840) from the south. Get off at Bitchu Takahashi Station.

By car

Route 180 passes directly through Takahashi City, so from Okayama and Soja, travel North on Route 180. From Yonago, connect to Route 180 from the Yonago West Interchange and travel south through Niimi.
From Hokuei and Kurayoshi, you can travel south on Route 313 or North from Ibara. From the West, you can reach Takahashi travelling on Route 484.
For travel to the Fukiya area, Route 85 will take you to the Bengara Village.

On foot

The area around Bitchu Takahashi Station is quite easy to navigate on foot. You can even walk to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle if you have the energy and time (1.5 hours estimated to reach the castle on foot). Many people choose to walk down from the castle and take a taxi to the top.

By taxi

Taxis are located just outside the station. For those who want to visit the castle, save time, and avoid walking up the mountain, taxis are highly recommended. It costs around ¥1300, but if you are travelling with others, the split cost makes it quite affordable.
Although taxis are a convenient and faster way to get to the Fukiya area, be aware that it is about a 40 minute drive, so the cost will be high.

By bus

If you choose to use the bus for travel to sites around the station, be aware that none of the buses go to the castle. The closest stop is at the bottom of the mountain.
For travel to the Fukiya area, take the Bihoku Bus from outside the station (about 1 hour). There are only 3-4 buses a day and their schedule does not really allow visiting both Takahashi center and Fukiya the same day (first departure from Takahashi at about 10:50AM and last return at 3:45PM).

• Bitchu Matsuyama Castle

  phone: +81 86-622-1487
  One of the few remaining original Japanese castles, dating back to the 17th century, it is the only original mountain castle in the nation. It is also the highest castle, built atop Mount Gagyu. Although you can take a taxi up most of the mountain, there is a point at which you must walk up (as no vehicles are allowed on the path leading to the castle). The ascent to the castle will take you through the well-preserved and highly impressive castle walls before you reach the top. The inside of the castle does not have many artifacts however, the uniqueness of the castle and the beauty of the surrounding area more than make up for it. It has gained fame as a "Castle in the Sky" when viewed from afar surrounded by clouds (See "Do" for details). Despite all of its beauty and outstanding features, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is one of the least visited of all the original castles, making it a true gem.

• Raikyū-ji

  phone: +81 86-622-3516
  address: Raikyuji-cho
  A zen temple of the Rinzai sect that dates back to 1504. The beautifully constructed garden within the temple grounds was constructed by Kobori Enshu, who is one of the founders of the Japanese tea ceremony. It's about 15 minutes from JR Bitchu Takahashi Station.

• Takahashi Museum of History

  phone: +81 86-621-0180
  address: 1203-1 Haradakita-cho
  A museum dedicated to the city's long history from its days as part of the ancient Kibi Kingdom to the feudal era when the wider Bitchu Province was ruled from Bitchu Matsuyama Castle to the present day.

• Shōren-jiThis temple, built atop a large stone wall, looks more like a fortress than a temple.

• Yakushi-inTo the left of Shoren-ji, Yakushi-in gained its fame as the setting of the movie "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" (男はつらいよ)

• Takahashi Church

  address: 26 Kakinochi-machi
  Constructed in 1889 (Meiji 22) by a Western architect, it's the oldest church in Okayama. Worship services are still held on Sunday mornings.

• Haibara House

  phone: +81 86-623-1330

• Orii HouseA former samurai residence. Visitors are free to walk in and around the house. Don't forget to go around the back to the small museum featuring samurai armor and other objects owned by the Orii family.

• Ikegami Mansion

• Hayama GorgeA scenic gorge with picturesque rock formations. It is also popular among rock climbers.

• Nariwa MuseumA remote art museum along the Nariwa River. It was founded as a way to showcase the art of Torajiro Kojima who was born here. The museum also features special exhibits throughout the year. The building was designed by the famous architecture, Tadao Ando.

Fukiya area

The Fukiya area is quite far removed from the core of the city, centered around the castle and the station. The history of the area also differs, as Fukiya was once a bustling copper mining town; the leading producer of copper in Western Honshu during the Edo and Meiji Periods. After the Meiji Period, the mines were shut down and the area fell quiet. Today, it remains a quiet and peaceful town, but remnants of its past can be seen everywhere, from the mine shafts to the village itself.

• Fukiya Bengara VillageOne of Japan's many remaining Edo-period villages, Fukiya is well known for the unique burnt orange color of the buildings. The color comes from bengara, a bastardized pronunciation of Bengal, where the pigment was originally produced. Some of the buildings are locally-owned shops, while others, such as the post office, can only be viewed from the outside.

• Fukiya Elementary SchoolBuilt in 1909, Fukiya Elementary School is the oldest wooden school still in use in Japan. One hundred years after its completion in 2009, a modest six students attended the school. Although tourists can really only view it from the outside and walk around the school grounds, many consider the school to be the highlight of the entire Fukiya area. While that may be debatable, it certainly is an interesting site.

• Fukiya Historic Museum

• Sasaune Historic Mine ShaftOne of the old copper mines.

• Bengara Factory MuseumA collection of buildings that walk visitors through the steps of gathering and creating the bengara dyes, as well as the dyeing process itself.

• Nishie Residence

  address: 1604 Sakamoto Nariwa-cho
  The house was built by the Nishie family who prospered from both the copper mines and the bengara dyes and fabrics. The house remains the property of the Nishie family.

• Hirokane Residence

  address: 1710 Nakano, Nariwa-cho
  The house, built in 1810, belonged to the Hirokane family, a merchant family who made money off the copper mines.

• Bengara Dyeing

  phone: +81 86-629-2805
  address: 1604 Sakamoto Nariwa-cho
  The Fukiya area is famous for its rusty-red bengara dyes which it has been producing since the Edo Period. Those who like the color can of course purchase various articles of dyed clothing at various shops in the town however, there is another option for those interested in bengara dyes; dye your own scarves. The historic Nishie Residence offers the option to dye a small scarf (30min-1hr for ¥1500) or a long stole scarf (1hr-2hrs for ¥3000). Those interested in the dyeing experience must make a reservation at least 2 days prior to the day they intend to participate.

• Castle Viewpoint

  phone: +81 866-22-8666
  In recent years the view of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle shrouded in a sea of clouds (雲海 unkai) has gained a lot of attention. Castle fans and professional and amateur photographers alike have become interested in how to get the shot of the "Castle in the Sky" (天空の城) themselves. There is a viewpoint located about 8.5 km from Bitchu-Takahashi Station. An early morning bus is available during peak season to take visitors to the viewpoint however you must make a reservation at least 1 day in advance. Call the Tourist Information Center to make a reservation. Also note that since the sea of clouds are visible in the early morning, if you are serious about trying to see it, you should spend the night in Takahashi so that you can get up and reach the viewpoint early enough to see it.

Events

• Matsuyama OdoriA dancing festival that began in the 17th century. It features a dancing parade, a samurai dance performance (仕組踊り), and the yatosa (ヤトサ) in which observers are welcome to join the dance.

The most popular souvenir from Takahashi is the Bengara cloth. The Bengara dyes have been made in the Fukiya area for centuries and they sell attractive scarves, bags, shirts, and other items made from the bengara cloth.

• Asada Hyakka-ten

  phone: +81 86 629-2311
  A shop selling bengara products, such as scarves, clothing, and paper, as well as bengara powder and other local goods.

• Koyagawa Tourism Center

  address: 44-1 Honmachi
  A great place to purchase Takahashi's local products and handicrafts.

• Cafe Rest ChateauSells set lunches & dinners for about 800 yen. Also sells pasta, omurice, and curry. Famous for having amazing parfaits, as well as for 'bucket parfaits' - parfaits served in a pail, or if you reserve in advance and have enough people, you can order the giant parfait served in a tub (14-16 people recommended).

• Kawakamiya

  address: 1308-9 Asahimachi
  A convenient katsu-don (pork cutlet) restaurant with other similar foods.

• Kappo Uno

  phone: +81-866-22-0080
  address: 1967-1 Masamune-cho
  Serves Yuzu Miso Katsudon (Pork cutlet with yuzu miso sauce over rice), a local specialty.

• Organic Shokudo Kaneya

  address: 885 Nariwa-cho Fukiya
  An organic restaurant in the Fukiya area. It's Bengara Vegetable Curry (¥800) and Bengara Vegetable Katsu Curry (¥900) are its most popular dishes. The black curry is both interesting to look at as well as delicious.

• Pizzeria MioServes pizzas baked in an Italian oven.

• Takahashi Kokusai Hotel

  address: 2033 Masamune-cho

• Motonakadatei Kurayashiki

  phone: +81 86-629-2118
  address: 1757 Uji-cho

• Business Hotel Takahashi

  phone: +81 86-622-6766
  address: 1943-5 Ichiei-machi

• Akagi Ryokan

  phone: +81 86-622-3241
  address: 789 Ichidan-cho

There are direct lines from Bitchu Takahashi Station to each these destinations:

• Niimi
• Soja
• Kurashiki
• Yakage
• Kibichuo
• Ibara
• Okayama
• Yonago
• Matsue