Takahashi



Takahashi (高梁市 Takahashi-shi) is a city in Okayama Prefecture in the western Chugoku region of the island of Honshu in Japan.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site

By train
Takahashi City can be accessed via the JR Hakubi Line from Niimi (&yen;580) to the north and Soja (&yen;410), Kurashiki (&yen;580), and Okayama (&yen;840) from the south. Get off at Bitchu Takahashi Station.

By car
Route 180 passes directly through Takahashi City, so from Okayama and Soja, travel North on Route 180. From Yonago, connect to Route 180 from the Yonago West Interchange and travel south through Niimi. From Hokuei and Kurayoshi, you travel south on Route 313, or north from Ibara. From the west, reach Takahashi on Route 484.

For travel to the Fukiya area, Route 85 takes you to the Bengara Village.

On foot
The area around Bitchu Takahashi Station is quite easy to navigate on foot. You can even walk to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle if you have the energy and time (1½ hours estimated to reach the castle on foot). Many people choose to take a taxi to the top and then walk down from the castle.

By taxi
Taxis are located just outside the station. For those who want to visit the castle, avoid walking up the mountain, and save time, taxis are highly recommended. It costs around ¥1300, but if you are traveling with others, the split cost makes it affordable.

Although taxis are a convenient and quick way to get to the Fukiya area, the 40-minute drive is quite costly.

By bus
If you choose to use the bus for travel to sites around the station, be aware that none of the buses go to the castle. The closest stop is at the bottom of the mountain.

For travel to the Fukiya area, take the Bihoku Bus from outside the station (about 1 hour). There are only 3-4 buses a day and their schedule does not really allow visiting both Takahashi center and Fukiya the same day (first departure from Takahashi at about 10:50 and last return at 15:45).

Fukiya area


The Fukiya area is quite far removed from the core of the city, centered around the castle and the station. The history of the area also differs, as Fukiya was once a bustling copper mining town; the leading producer of copper in Western Honshu during the Edo and Meiji Periods. After the Meiji Period, the mines were shut down and the area fell quiet. Today, it remains a quiet and peaceful town, but remnants of its past can be seen everywhere, from the mine shafts to the village.



Buy
The most popular souvenir from Takahashi is the Bengara cloth. The Bengara dyes have been made in the Fukiya area for centuries and they sell attractive scarves, bags, shirts, and other items made from the bengara cloth.

Go next
There are direct lines from Bitchu Takahashi Station to each these destinations:
 * Niimi
 * Soja
 * Kurashiki
 * Yakage
 * Kibichuo
 * Ibara
 * Okayama
 * Yonago
 * Matsue