Walking route
Castle Hopping: Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle Route Map (October 2026)
This route map follows, in photos, the route I walked at Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle. I took the Yakumo to Bitchu-Takahashi Station, rode the shared taxi up to Fuigo Pass, then walked the foggy path to the castle, the keep, the Niju Yagura on its bedrock, as far as the fork towards the Omatsuyama Castle ruins. Here it is, in the order I walked it (I did not go to the Omatsuyama Castle ruins this time).
📝 Read the main article → Castle Hopping: Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle (October 2026)
34 stops
The route I walked
I took a shared taxi from Bitchu-Takahashi Station to Fuigo Pass, then walked through the fog to visit the keep. After looking at the Niju Yagura and the bedrock behind the Ninomaru, I turned back at the fork towards the Omatsuyama Castle ruins and returned to Fuigo Pass.
- Yakumo Limited Express → Bitchu-Takahashi Station → Shared taxi check-in
- Fuigo Pass → Foggy path uphill → Ninomaru
- Honmaru → Inside the keep and its top floor
- Honmaru East Gate → Niju Yagura and bedrock
- Turn back at the fork towards the Omatsuyama Castle ruins
- Honmaru East Gate → Ninomaru → Path downhill
- Fuigo Pass → Bitchu-Takahashi Station → Yakumo home
📝 Read the main article → Castle Hopping: Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle (October 2026)
Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle: Basic Information
Address1 Uchisange, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture
AdmissionAdults 500 yen / Elementary to junior high school students 200 yen
HoursApril–September 9:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00) / October–March 9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Closed29 December – 3 January (may also close temporarily due to typhoons, heavy snow, etc.)
AccessFrom JR Bitchu-Takahashi Station, take the shared sightseeing taxi (booking required, 1,000 yen one way) to Fuigo Pass, about 10 minutes. From Fuigo Pass, it is about 20 minutes on foot to the keep. Book the shared taxi by phone with the Takahashi City Tourist Information Centre (0866-22-8666) by 17:00 the day before. Departures from the station: 10:00 / 11:30 / 13:00 / 14:20. Departures from Fuigo Pass: 11:50 / 13:20 / 14:40 / 16:10 (as of October 2026)
HighlightsThe only mountain castle with an original keep. The keep, the Niju Yagura, plus part of the earthen walls (Important Cultural Properties), stone walls built on bedrock, the irori hearth inside the keep
Castle seals / stampsThe gojoin (castle seal) plus the castle card are sold at the admission ticket window (ticket office) in the Honmaru. The 100 Fine Castles stamp (No. 68) is also at the ticket office (as of October 2026)
Suggested TimeAbout 20 minutes uphill from Fuigo Pass to the keep. About 90 minutes to see the keep with the Niju Yagura, then get back to Fuigo Pass (not including the Omatsuyama Castle ruins)
NotesBy car, on days the castle shuttle bus runs, park at the Shiromibashi Park car park, then change to the bus. On other days, you can drive up to the Fuigo Pass car park (paid since September 2026). A sea of clouds may appear early in the morning from late September to early April (especially in October, November), famously seen from the Unkai Observation Deck (as of October 2026)
Solo Visit NoteThe shared taxi must be booked by 17:00 the day before; on the day, you simply check in at the tourist information centre at the station. If you go up on the 10:00 taxi, then come back on the 11:50 one, you get about 90 minutes on site. That was enough to take my time at the keep plus the Niju Yagura. If you want to walk on to the Omatsuyama Castle ruins, a later return taxi seems wise. The path from Fuigo Pass is a mountain trail, so wear comfortable shoes. On rainy days especially, the footing gets slippery. Bitchu-Takahashi Station has a Starbucks, which helped me kill time after arriving early, then again for a coffee on the way home.
