Deep Okayama you don't know about. Tour the castle town of Bitchu Takahashi

Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.

The world's first cat castle lord?! Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, with its surviving castle tower

Takahashi City is a basin surrounded by mountains, with the Takahashi River, a first-class river, flowing through it, making it a bright and picturesque town. If you look out from the city center, you will see a majestic mountain castle standing on the mountaintop, and Takahashi City is a quiet area with the calm atmosphere you expect from a castle town.
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, the closest station to Bitchu Takahashi Station, is one of the 12 castle towers still standing in Japan. It stands at an altitude of 430m and is famous among castle enthusiasts as the only mountain castle with a remaining castle tower.
The castle is said to have been built in 1240. Located between Sanin and Setouchi, it is a key transportation point and is said to have been a place where many historical tales have unfolded.

Looking up from the Otemon Gate, you can see the towering stone and earthen walls. The stone walls are impressive, as they make use of huge natural rocks and add more stones on top of them. Everyone will be amazed by the advanced techniques of the craftsmen of the time and the rustic, dynamic appearance.
The castle was restored by various feudal lords over the years, and was turned into a masterpiece that has been brought to its modern appearance. The castle that can be seen today was extensively renovated by the second feudal lord, Mizutani Katsumune, over a period of three years starting around 1680.
The castle tower, two-story turret, and part of the earthen walls, which survived the Meiji era order to abolish castles, have been designated as Important Cultural Properties by the national government and are preserved.

This castle has another great attraction.
That is the existence of the Cat Castle Lord, "Sanjuro."
Takahashi City suffered major damage from torrential rains and landslides in July 2018. That same year, "Sanjuro" suddenly appeared in the castle's Sannomaru. His name comes from Tani Sanjuro, the leader of the Shinsengumi's 7th unit, who was from the Bitchu Matsuyama domain, and also refers to the Sannomaru where he was found. When he settled in the castle and became famous, it was discovered that he had run away from a house six kilometers away, but after some discussion, he was transferred to the tourist association, and now, as the lord of the castle, he shows off his adorable side by patrolling the castle and taking naps. "Sanjuro" goods are also sold around town, showing how popular he is.
Beloved by history buffs and capturing the hearts of cat lovers, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle can be said to be the "strongest castle" that welcomes us with its solid formation.

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle

While strolling around the town, I discovered a Showa-era retro sweets shop called "Ueda Kashiten"

If you walk about 100m along the street in front of Bitchu Takahashi Station and turn right, you will come to Sakaemachi Shopping Street. At the end of this street, you will find Ueda Kashiten, a candy store.

A confectionery shop that sells everyday sweets by weight, a rare sight these days.
It has a history of 60 years. The previous owner ran a rice cracker shop here, but gradually increased his stock and has continued to do so to this day. Apparently, baking rice crackers was hard work, even in the hot summer. The delicious smell of soy sauce filled the neighborhood, and the shop was a popular stop for people of all ages, from children to the elderly, and the image of the shop back then is surely etched in the memories of the town's elderly.

The interior of the store is filled with atmosphere, with the iron baking molds that were used for display and an old Shinto altar, and the wooden boxes that were used to store the baked rice crackers are still in use today.
They do not source their goods from a single source but from various wholesalers, and whenever possible they stock sweets that are not sold in supermarkets.
Sweets can be purchased in 100 gram increments. Once you've finally made your choice after much deliberation, the mother of the current owner will scoop them up and pack them into a small bag. With years of experience in crafting by hand, she knows that the sweets are exactly 100 grams, even without putting them on the scale. The interaction of the two as she hands them over while talking to you is already a refreshing experience. You probably won't find many stores like this in the whole country.
Why not choose some sweets while having a fun conversation and immerse yourself in the retro atmosphere?

Ueda Confectionery Store

A walk around Takahashi Castle Town, whose layout has remained unchanged since the early Edo period

During the Edo period, the Bitchu Matsuyama Domain developed the Takase-bune water transport system that connected the Takahashi River to the Seto Inland Sea, distributing various goods, iron, copper, and other items, which enriched the domain's finances. The castle's lord, Mizutani Katsumune, expanded the castle's two-tiered turret and main gate, and carried out major renovations, gradually completing the development of a well-organized castle town. Many places in today's Takahashi town still retain the atmosphere of that era.

At the foot of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle on Mount Gagyu, there was a castle called "Onegiya" that was the residence of the feudal lord. The castle existed as a symbol, and the actual duties were carried out at Onegiya, so Onegiya was the real role of the castle.
Therefore, this Onegiya has a high stone wall that rivals that of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle. The road that runs along the stone wall, which is a "crank", remains as it is, and you can feel the townscape of the Edo period in the unique structure of a castle town.

Ishibiyacho, located close to Onegiya, is an area lined with samurai residences. The streetscape of the time has been preserved, and the former Orii family home and the former Hanihara family home are open to the public. These were official residences for mid-ranking samurai, and both are modestly built. Trees necessary for food and life are planted in the gardens, and you can see the earthen floors and floor plans that give you an idea of how people lived at the time.

If you head south from the samurai residences, you will come across the Zen temple "Tenchuzan Raikyu-ji," where you can get a taste of history.
This temple was built by Ashikaga Takauji during the Muromachi period as "Ankoku-ji Temple," and came to be called Ankoku Yorikyu-ji Temple after Ueno Yorikyu, the lord of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle.
During the Edo period, Kobori Enshu, who ruled as the magistrate of Bitchu Province, made the temple his temporary residence and built an Enshu-style garden at that time. It is one of the earliest gardens created by Enshu among those throughout Japan, and you can see that it combines a variety of elements, such as the pruning reminiscent of European gardens in a dry landscape garden, and the likeness of a crane and a turtle, which are often placed in Japanese gardens.
Onegaya, which is now a school and the interior cannot be visited, also has a garden centered around Shinji Pond, which was also designed by Enshu.

Many of the places introduced above still retain their original form, and it's a moving experience to think that the feudal lord must have seen them. There are relatively few ups and downs, so you can easily rent a bicycle or explore the area on foot.
This is an area where you can easily experience history, so I recommend visiting it together with the castle.

Former Orii Family Samurai Residence

Former Hanihara Samurai Residence

Raikyuji Temple

The Konyagawa Bikan Historical Quarter, where you can stroll through a tranquil and calming townscape

The Kon'ya River that runs through Takahashi City is a beautiful walking path lined with cherry blossoms, willows, and maple leaves throughout the four seasons, and has been selected as one of the "100 Best Roads in Japan."
Konya River was originally used as an outer moat. It was also used for daily life, so you can go down a small staircase and enjoy the beautiful murmuring of the river up close. Along the river is a stone monument marking the site of the "Hanko Yushukan" school, which was built for samurai, and across from that is the oldest church in the prefecture.
There is a small shrine above the Konya River, adding a touch of elegance to the townscape. This is one of the "Takahashi Seven Ebisu." It is one of the seven places in the city where Ebisu is enshrined, which became popular during the Edo period, and is still worshiped today.

Honmachi Street, which intersects with the river, is close to the Takahashi River, and there remain buildings and stone monuments that give a sense of the prosperity of the era when water transportation was developed.
The houses are typical of Machiya-style houses, with narrow frontages and long depths, and are decorated with lattices, side walls, insect cage windows, and corbels attached to the eaves. Some of the houses are painted vermilion, likely using bengala produced in the Fukiya district of the city.

After a short walk, you will come to the Takahashi City Merchant Museum, Ikegami Residence.
This merchant family started out as a haberdashery during the Kyoho era, then operated as a money exchanger and a shipping wholesaler for Takasebune boats, before running a soy sauce wholesale business until the Showa era.
You can see the main house, where tools from that time are on display, as well as a storehouse with namako walls and a small garden.

Takahashi City still retains the streetscape that was built as a castle town, as well as the buildings and regional characteristics that were built over the course of history.
It's a town where you can take a trip through history, walking down old narrow alleys with a map or pamphlet in hand, slowly picking up fragments of history and the unique atmosphere of the area, and before you know it, you'll be filled with a great sense of fulfillment...it's the kind of trip you can take.

Konya River Aesthetic Area

Takahasi Christian Church

*Please contact us for group tours. Sunday worship service: 10:00-12:00

Takahashi City Merchant Museum Ikegami Residence