Mizunoya
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle
備中松山城
Picture Donated by Rad Deverala
| Alternate Name | Takahashi Castle |
| Founder | Mizunoya Sakyonosuke Katsumune |
| Year | 1683 |
| Type | Mountaintop |
| Structure | 2 levels, 2 stories |
| Condition | Original |
| Rating | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Historical Site | National Historic Site |
| Historical Value | Top 100 Castles, Important Cultural Properties |
| Historical Artifacts |
Important Cultural Properties: tenshu, Nijuu Yagura, San no Hirayagura East Wall |
| Location | Takahashi, Okayama Pref. |
| Map | Google Map |
| Access | Bitchu Takahashi Station (Hakubi Line) |
| Website | Takahashi City Tourism Organization |
| Notes | pictures by Rad Deverala and Kenji Yamamoto |
| History |
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is well know as being the highest altitude castle in Japan at 480 meters. This was viewed as a strategic location was also viewed as valuable territory for a castle. Akiba Shigenobu built the first castle on a nearby mountain in 1240. In 1331 Takahashi Muneyasu built the first Matsuyama Castle on this site. The donjon and yagura you see today were built by Mizunoya in 1683. This was one of very few 2 level donjon, but being on top of the mountain, there was little need to build a high vantage point. After the Mizunoya there were several different lords until Itakura Katsuyoshi in 1744. His descendents continued to rule until the Meiji restoration. |
| Photo Tags |
Viewer Comments
(4) | Post CommentHmmm...one of the world's best castles. That's putting this castle onto the premier league stage comparing it to some outstanding castles around the world like the Alcazar in Segovia, Tower of London, Alcazaba / Alhambra in Granada, Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria etc. I don't think Bitchu-Masayama is in the same class in terms of size, fortifications, and photogenicity as the castles above. Don't get me wrong. It is not a bad castle, I highly recommend that people visit this castle if you are in the Okayama area. Within Japan, I would say that this is one of the must-visit castles because it is a great original yamashiro castle, and only one of the twelve original castles left in Japan. However, when compared to some of the grander castles in Japan and worldwide, I don't think it is quite in the same league. My two yens' worth.
October 03, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Truly one of the world's best castles! Support it by voting it as the world's best: http://www.vote7.com/node/6374
September 26, 2009 at 05:22 PM
This castle rocks. I was there around noon on a weekday in August, and I had the whole castle to myself for about 20 minutes before another two more visitors turned up. I went there from the Kansai area using the Japan Rail Seishun 18 (special discounted tickets on sale during the school holidays in early spring and summer) Bitchu-Takahashi Station on the JR Hakubi Line is about 52 minutes from Okayama Station via Kurashiki. I took a taxi from the station to the parking lot. It cost 1,250yen. On the return trip, I walked back down the hill to the station. It took around 50 minutes from the castle to get back to the station. Just a tip, I noticed that most few visitors just go to up the main castle keep, pop inside and then leave. Don't forget to walk around the back and suss out the rest of the fortifications.
August 07, 2008 at 04:40 PM
This castle is a must, as it is the only surviving Yamashiro. It is also interesting to view the way in which the walls were built in successive levels.
March 16, 2008 at 07:10 AM