Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-04 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, also called Takahashi Castle, stands in the city of Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, and it has two distinctions. Its keep is one of only twelve original keeps left in Japan, and at 430 m above sea level it is the highest castle in the country. It has been a National Historic Site since 1956. Its name is shared with a different castle in Ehime — Matsuyama Castle — so check which one a guide means.
Its height is the thing to plan for: the nearest station, Kinoyama on the Hakubi Line, is about 2 km away in a straight line. We have not checked a route up, opening hours or fees, so check local information before you go.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- 備中松山城2 — 高梁浩洋 · CC0 · source · resized
- 備中松山城石垣2 — 高梁浩洋 · CC0 · source · resized
- 備中松山城石垣 — 高梁浩洋 · CC0 · source · resized
- 備中松山城天守 — 高梁浩洋 · CC0 · source · resized
- さんじゅーろー — あかしょうびん · CC BY 4.0 · source · resized
- Matsuyama Castle90a129 — 投稿者撮影 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Bitchu Matsuyama Castle observatory202201-1 — Jogungagon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Bitchu Matsuyama Casle observatory202111-1 — Jogungagon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Bitchu Matsuyama Castle 1 — by Reggaeman · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Bitchū Matsuyama Castle (備中松山城, Bitchū Matsuyama-jō), also known as Takahashi Castle (高梁城), is a Japanese castle located in the city of Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, in the San'yō region of Japan. Along with having one of only twelve remaining original tenshu (main keeps) in the country, Bitchū Matsuyama Castle is notable as the castle with the highest elevation above sea level in Japan at 430 meters (1410 ft). It has been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1956.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-04 · Official visiting information (1) · Official visiting information (2)
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Castle
Nearby station
Nearby station: Kinoyama (Hakubi Line), about 2.0 km from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
Traveler reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share how it went.