Access Kinojo Castle Castle, one of Japan's 100 most famous castles, on foot! We walked from JR Hattori Station

"Kinojo Castle" is a mysterious mountain castle built in ancient times for national defense, and its history has yet to be fully explained. When I looked up how to get there, I found that there were options to drive to the Kinoshiroyama Visitor Center, take a taxi from JR Soja Station, or walk from JR Hattori Station. This time, I took the JR Momotaro Line (Kibi Line) train departing from JR Okayama Station at 9:29 and arriving at JR Hattori Station at 9:59. I started from JR Hattori Station at 10:00!

10:00 Start from JR Hattori Station!

To get to JR Hattori Station, take the JR Momotaro Line (Kibi Line *bound for Soja ) from JR Okayama Station. After getting off at JR Okayama Station, exit the ticket gate and turn left with your back to the station. After walking a little further, you will see a sign for Kinojo Castle, so turn right. There are signs guiding you all the way to Kinojo Castle, so you should be able to get there without getting lost.

Go under the highway overpass

It's about a 7-minute walk from here.

Soja City flower: lotus flower

At this time of year (late April to early May), the lotus flower, Soja City's flower, is in full bloom. As you continue walking, you will see a Lawson sign on your right.

10:35 Sunagawa Park

After passing Lawson, continue straight ahead and you will arrive at Sunagawa Park in about 30 minutes on foot. Sunagawa Park is a popular park for all ages, with a water play area with a natural water slide and a campsite equipped with a kitchen and toilets. You will pass through Sunagawa Park.

Learn more

11:02 3,000m to Kinojo Castle Parking Lot

Once you pass Sunagawa Park, you will see a sign for the parking lot. From here, you will start climbing 3km. The road to the parking lot is narrow in places, so only one car can pass through at a time, so please be careful!

We discovered crabs and flowers along the way!

Distance signs to the parking lot are installed every 500m, so it was easy to see how many kilometers were left. The most difficult part of the journey was the last 2km to 1.5km. The gradient was so steep that it was hard to take a step, and I had to take a break along the way to make it. However, I enjoyed the climb, seeing all kinds of flowers blooming along the roadside and spotting crabs. Many people were heading there by car, but I also passed several groups of people walking down the mountain.

11:48 Demon's Cauldron

As you climb, a huge rusty cauldron catches your eye. It has a diameter of 185.2cm and a height of 104.5cm. According to legend, the legendary demon Ura, who lived in Kinojo Castle , used it to boil sacrifices, hence the name "Oni no Kama (Demon's Cauldron)."

11:51 Heavenly Nagomi Teahouse Taichiya (stayed for about an hour)

I found a sign that caught my eye! I was surprised and thought, "Is there a shop in a place like this?" so I headed towards it. It was a little distance from the sign to the shop, and I was worried about whether I would actually get there, but then an old house came into view. The shop staff greeted me cheerfully. There was an observation deck and hammocks on the premises, so there were many other things to see and do at this shop!

shaved ice

The kids who went with me ordered shaved ice. The shaved ice was made in an old-fashioned shaved ice machine and was delicious!

Himalayan salt rice ball and miso soup with lots of ingredients (Taichiya Miso)

The meal here was an indescribably luxurious experience. The rice balls were made with glutinous barley, making them chewy and delicious, and the miso soup was filled with so many ingredients that you'd be surprised at how many different vegetables were in it. I was able to take a relaxing break, and my stomach was full, completely relieving the fatigue of climbing all the way up here. It was a really nice restaurant, so even if you're coming by car, I recommend stopping by!

Address: 953 Kuroo, Soja Soja City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture

TEL: 090-7121-1951

Business days: Friday to Sunday and public holidays

Business hours: 11:00-16:00

Parking: Available

Heavenly Nagomi Teahouse Taichiya | Official website

13:04 Soja City Onishiroyama Visitor Center

It's about a 10-minute walk from Taichiya to the Kinoshiroyama Visitor Center. There is a Hometown Nature Path Walking Center and an Exhibition Building (guidance facility). We recommend stopping by the visitor center first to gather information before setting off. Please note that vending machines and restrooms are only available here. If you are coming by car, there is a parking lot at the Kinojo Castle Visitor Center.

Soja City Kinojo mountain Visitor Center

719-1105 1101-2 Kuroo, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture

Located at the entrance to Kinojo Castle, this is a facility where you can learn about Kinojo Castle and the nature around it. In the exhibition room, there is an overview of Kinojo Castle, explanations about the ancient mountain castle, as well as restored buildings and their appearance.

Observation Deck (Learning Plaza)

You can see Kinojo Castle from the observation deck of the visitor center. The castle standing in the mountains is very striking and cool.

Kinojo Castle

Okusaka, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture 719-1101

One of Japan's 100 Famous Castles. An ancient mountain castle said to have been built by the Yamato Imperial Court for the defense of the country. Kinojo Castle is not mentioned in any history books, and its history remains a mystery. Currently, historical sites are being surveyed, maintained, and restored, and you can visit the ruins of the corner tower and castle gate. The panoramic view from the restored west gate is spectacular. In front of the summit, there is the Soja City Kinojo Visitor Center, which introduces the restoration process and what the ruins looked like when they were excavated. We also recommend the 2.8km long walking course that follows the castle walls.

13:23 West Gate

It's about a 20-minute walk from Kinojo Castle Visitor Center!

There are four gates in the castle walls of Kinojo Castle, but only the west gate has been restored. This west gate is the highlight. It is large and impressive when seen up close. From here, we took the observation course and the mountain range course, and made a circuit to the Kinojoyama Visitor Center. There is a walking trail, but there are some steep sections, so we recommend wearing athletic clothing if you are planning to go around. Some people were carrying trekking poles.

sluice gate

Another highlight of Kinojo Castle is its water gates. There are six of them in total. There are great viewing points along the promenade, from which you can see Okayama .

14:19 Remains of the North Gate

We walked around the West Gate, South Gate, East Gate, and finally North Gate. From here, we could have gone towards the cave, but instead, we returned to the Kinjoyama Visitor Center. It took about 1 hour and 32 minutes to complete the entire circuit. Walking around the course piqued my intellectual curiosity about ancient history, and the magnificent views and fresh mountain air refreshed me.

On the way back, we left the Kinoshiroyama Visitor Center at 14:36, passed Sunagawa Park at 15:27, and arrived at JR Hattori Station at 15:52. On the way there, we took our time climbing slowly and made detours, but on the way back, we arrived in 1 hour and 16 minutes. It may be a little tiring, but climbing on foot is also fun as you will discover new things, so we recommend you try walking to Kinojo Castle ♪