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Bicchu Matsuyama Castle was originally built in 1240 by Saburo Shigenobu, and Kurozaemon Muneyasu Takahashi enlarged it to include the castle's present location. The donjon and most of what you see today were built in the seventeenth century by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Bicchu Matsuyama castle is one of only twelve original castles left in Japan, so it retains historical value that many of Japan's castles do not have. This castle is also unique because it is built on Mount Gagyu at 430 meters above sea level, which makes it the highest castle in Japan. Although the castle is not as large as most of the castles, its position on the mountaintop make it a highly impressive site!
Upon walking up to the castle, I was taken aback by how beautiful and well-preserved the castle walls are! It definitely gets you in the mood to see a mountain castle! From the top of the mountain and from the castle the surrounding mountains with the city around the Takahashi River make for a gorgeous view!
Bicchu Matsuyama Castle rarely has many people visiting at one time, and foreign tourists are even more rare. I had the entire castle to myself, which really added to its charm. Of all the castles I've seen, the history combined with the location and beauty of the castle and castle walls make ***u Matsuyama my personal favorite castle!
The entrance fee is 300 yen.
Updated Jul 9, 2010
Phone: 086-622-1487
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The Ikegami Mansion dates back to 1843 when it was rebuilt after a fire. The Ikegami family was a merchant family, who made a living by producing Shoyu, which is soy sauce.
Today, you can walk through the residence and learn about the production of soy sauce. In the first room there is a small museum of various artifacts, most of which do not relate to soy sauce production but instead come from the Ikegami household. In the next room is where all of the large barrels and tools used for making soy sauce is located. Although the information is all in Japanese, there are pictures beside each item to show you how it was used in the production process. It's quite an interesting place, different from houses in other preserved buildings in Japan in what it features (soy sauce).
The entrance fee is 300 yen. When you first enter, you will be in a local restaurant. You can certainly eat here, but to enter the Ikegami mansion, approach the cashier to pay and s/he will show you the entrance.
Written Jan 21, 2009
Address: 94 Hon-machi Takahashi-shi, Okayama-ken
Phone: 086-622-8760
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Although the date in which in the original temple was built is unkown, the current structure dates back to 1504, when the lord of Matsuyama Castle restored the exterior of the building, so it is quite old.
The garden was originally constructed in the early 1600s by Enshu Kobori, who is famous for being one of the original founders of the Japanese tea ceremony. Since it was built, the abbots of the temple have maintained the garden in its original form as a way to show honor and respect to its creator, Enshu.
The temple itself is reasonably large, and there is a samurai suit encased inside. Of course, the main focus of the temple is the Zen garden, and rightfully so. The garden's design is truly beautiful and you can enjoy it from a few different vantage points. The garden's association with the tea ceremony's founder also makes it is unique. It is easy to appreciate the garden for both its aesthetic value and historical value.
The entrance fee is 300 yen.
Updated Jan 21, 2009
Address: Raikyuji-cho Takahashi-shi, Okayama-ken
Phone: 086-622-3516
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There are two samurai residences located a few houses down from one another on Ishibiya-cho, which is also known as Ishibiya-cho Furusato Village.
The Haibara house belonged to the former general manager of the region, who governed 100-150 Koku (wealth measured by rice yield), so this house has been quite important throughout the history of the city. It's great to be able to enter a building with such historical significance, as original structures of this type are a rarity in Japan.
The Warrior's House (as they call it) was built in the early 1800s, and the pond, garden, and stones behind the house have also been preserved from the original samurai's house. There are mechanical dolls in a few of the rooms meant to show you how the room was used. Although less information is given about this house, I found it to be the more interesting of the two. There are more artifacts inside the house and behind it there is a building housing some real samurai suits, clothing, scrolls, and other interesting artifacts.
The entrance fee is 400 yen, but it pays for entrance to BOTH houses. It doesn't matter which you enter first. Once you pay the fee, just show your ticket at the other building and you may enter without any extra charges, so it's quite reasonable.
Updated Jan 21, 2009
Phone: 086-623-1330 OR 086-622-1480
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There are two samurai residences located a few houses down from one another on Ishibiya-cho, which is also known as Ishibiya-cho Furusato Village. The Haibara...
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Takahashi is a former castle town, and a visit to Takahashi will give you insight into what a castle town was like. Bicchu Matsuyama Castle is one out of 12 of Japan's original castles left standing,...
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