Takahashi 高梁
Takahashi is a pleasant little town on the river of the same name. Located some 50km north of Kurashiki and Okayama, it makes a good day trip from either.
The town has retained some traditional districts with white samurai and merchant houses. But the two big attractions are the beautiful Zen gardens of the Raikyu-ji Temple (頼久寺) and the Bitchu-Matsuyama-jo Castle (備中松山城).
Raikyu-ji Temple (open 9am-5pm, admisssion ￥300) was founded in 1339, under the rule of shogun Ashikaga Takauji, and was then named Ankoku-ji Temple. The Zen gardens were laid in 1604 by the famous master designer Kobori Enshu, and use the nearby Mount Atago as borrowed scenery. It is located 1km north of Bitchu-Matsuyama Station.
Bitchu-Matsuyama-jo Castle is one of the last 12 original castles in Japan. It is in fact the oldest of the 12, dating back to 1240, a period when castles were still built on the top of mountains rather than in plains surrounded by a moat. Because of this it is also the highest castle in Japan (430m), which does not facilitate its access. The castle lies about 3km north of Bitchu-Matsuyama Station, and there is no public transport going there, so you will need to hike or take a taxi. The castle is open everyday from 9am to 5:30pm (4pm from October to March), and admission is ￥300.
Other attractions include the Takahashi Samurai House Museum (高梁市武家屋敷館, open 9am-5pm, ￥300), the Takahashi Merchant House Museum (高梁市商家資料館池上邸, open 9am-5pm, ￥300), the Local History Museum (郷土資料館, open 9am-5pm) and a few more temples.
How to get there
The train station for Takahashi is Bitchu-Takahashi on the Hakubi-line. The easiest way to get there is from Kurashiki (35min, ￥570).
The nearest airports is in Okayama.
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