Rikan Castle Ruins
Built in five years by the powerful Ikeda family, this mountaintop castle was known for its majestic tower that seemed to pierce the clouds. Climbing the mountain is permitted only when accompanied by a designated guide.
DetailDetailed information
- Address
- Hirafuku,Sayo Town
- Related web sites
- https://sayoyamajiro.wordpress.com/
MAPNeighborhood Information
RecommendRelated Recommended Spots
Nipponia Hirafuku Post Town
This private accommodation is set in the renovated former Kimura Residence, said to have been built in the Taisho Period (1912-1926). While preserving the thick beams and traditional exterior, the house is furnished in a way that combines the atmosphere of ages past and modern comforts, with locally produced Minada washi paper used for the shoji screens and sake barrels used as tables. Visitors can enjoy relaxing on the veranda surrounding the spacious courtyard or taking a soak in the spacious bath made of Hyogo cypress.
Gift Jyuuta
"A gift specialty store that has been in business for more than 100 years and boasts a long history of trust and achievement, the store will reopen in 2021 with a lineup of café-style items that combine practicality and good taste from the perspective of a female owner. You are guaranteed to find sophisticated tableware, interior goods, and other items that will make your daily life more enjoyable."
Asago
Enjoy upscale cuisine made with seasonal ingredients at this Japanese restaurant. We especially recommend the kaiseki meals (reservations required) that the owner prepares from seasonal fish, such as pike conger eel in summer and yellowtail with sake lees in winter. For lunch, the "Kaisen-don" (¥1,500) and "Shokado bento" (¥1,500) are great ways to enjoy top-notch cuisine at a reasonable price.
Sayo-cho Insectarium
This small insect museum is tucked away near the entrance of Ruri Temple at the base of Mount Funakoshi. The museum exhibits specimens of aquatic organisms, introduces the flora and fauna of the scenic Chikusa River, and offers hands-on programs for children.
Chuwado Confectionery
Founded in 1931, this shop offers a variety of confectionery unique to the town of Sayo, such as the "Morning Mist Rice Cake", "Sweetfish Monaka", "Deer Sponge Cake", and "Sayo Hime Yokan", which are named after the scenic morning mist in Sayo and evening mist in Tanba that has been renowned since ancient times. Visitors can try their hand at making traditional Japanese sweets (¥1,000 per person, reservation required) with the help of an artisan.
JOYX Golf Club Kozuki Course
The JOYX Golf Club Kozuki Course is the perfect place for visitors looking for a taste of luxury. The courses combine traditional Scottish and modern American elements to bring you a fresh, refined golf club experience.
GourmetNearby Gourmet Spots
Restaurant Kumotsuki
This restaurant provides specially prepared meals featuring Kobe beef and hand-picked vegetables from local farmers.
"A nostalgic old folk house café in the historic Hirafuku townscape. A modern ""Tea Ceremony Space"" with a sense of hybridity that transcends the boundary between Japanese and Western styles. Enjoy handmade lunches and sweets while seasonal flowers bloom. In addition, when you order coffee, we will deliver the aroma of freshly roasted beans to your seat."
Roadside Shop Shukuba-machi Hirafuku
Hirafuku was a bustling post town along the historical Inaba Kaidō Highway during Japan's Edo Period (1603-1867). This roadside shop is the gateway for sightseeing in the Hirafuku area, where the old castle town remains. The shop offers a sales corner selling fresh local vegetables and local specialities, a restaurant serving dishes made from local ingredients, an observatory overlooking the "Ruins of Toshigami Castle", a tourist information space, and a cycle station for passing cyclists.
Oyasumi-dokoro Uryubara
This community center was renovated from the original residence of the Uryubara family. The Uryubara's ran a foundry business in the region from the Edo Period (1603-1867) until the beginning of the Showa Period (1926-1989). The current building, erected in 1810, has a large smoke vent built into the roof, a unique architectural aspect of buildings in the former inn town of Hirafuku. The facility offers homemade soba, allowing visitors to sit-back, relax, and enjoy a delicious meal while they tour the building.
Juju
Authentic Chinese restaurant offering homemade chili shrimp, egg rolls, and more. The popular hors d'oeuvres and vinegar miso dressing made with local glutinous soybean miso are not to be missed.
Sayo Shokudo
Enjoy a bowl of ramen or a Japanese set meal using only the finest local Sayo vegetables, rice, and seasonings. This restaurant strictly uses no additives or preservatives, ensuring the freshest and most natural local dining experience.
HOTELNearby Accommodations
Nipponia Hirafuku Post Town
This private accommodation is set in the renovated former Kimura Residence, said to have been built in the Taisho Period (1912-1926). While preserving the thick beams and traditional exterior, the house is furnished in a way that combines the atmosphere of ages past and modern comforts, with locally produced Minada washi paper used for the shoji screens and sake barrels used as tables. Visitors can enjoy relaxing on the veranda surrounding the spacious courtyard or taking a soak in the spacious bath made of Hyogo cypress.
Outdoor vacation rental Ahirunomori
"The owner, who used to run an outdoor shop in Osaka, started this hands-on home-stay experience when he moved to the area. The appealing menu includes bushcraft workshops based on the experience of former Self-Defense Forces personnel, and cycling tours using electric cross bikes. Guests are also free to use the self-built huts on the premises, so they can use the Ahiro Forest for BBQ's, ent stays and other fun activities."
Guest House Asagiri
You can rent out a traditional Japanese private house in the mountains surrounded by nature. Please spend a relaxing time as if it's your "home away from home". We have amenities prepared so that you can come empty-handed. You can enjoy barbecues, playing in the river, a bonfire, etc. with your friends and family. It is also ideal for a training camp for a group of colleagues.
Sayo Star Resort Golf Club
Spread out over nearly 123 acres of land, the resort features a golf course and tennis courts, accommodations designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, a natural hot spring, a covered, all-weather barbecue terrace, an outdoor swimming pool, and other facilities, making it ideal for golfers as well as for families and friends. The convenient location, just 10 minutes from the Sayo IC, is also a plus.
University of Hyogo Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory
Located at the summit of Mount Onade, the Nishi-Harima Observatory is equipped with a two-meter aperture Nayuta telescope, one of the world's largest available for public use. Centered around the observatory, there are nature trails, lodging facilities for groups and families, restaurants, and other facilities that allow visitors to stay overnight and enjoy stargazing to the fullest. Viewing parties are held every evening for overnight guests, while a general viewing party is held on Sundays for day-trippers. Please note that reservations are required on Saturdays and holidays. Many astronomical events are held throughout the year, allowing visitors to feel closer to the stars and the universe.
Tsuboyaki Potato Specialty Store Wako
"A sweet shop where you can enjoy tsuboyaki sweet potatoes, which are slowly baked in a pot by hanging them in a pot over charcoal. In addition to baked potatoes, which is sold by weight and can be served ""hot, cold or chilled"", there is also a coffee shop menu that includes sweets such as warm baked sweet potato topped with ice cream and a fluffy pile of shaved ice. the baked sweet potatoes will end as soon as the matured ""Beniharuka"" runs out (Approx. August) and will be sold from January of the following year, so please contact us before visiting."