Dont miss it of you're touring this town. It has some nice things to see and a very quiet relaxed atmosphere.
Little museum, which is worth visiting on the way up to the castle.
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is built on a mountaintop approximately 430 meters above sea level. However, it was inconvenient for conducting domain affairs, so the lord and his retainers lived at the foot of the mountain, while the mountaintop castle was maintained as a base for emergencies.
In Ishibiya-cho, where the former Orii family residence is located, there is a street lined with old samurai residences, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The earthen walls and dignified gates on both sides evoke the image of the castle town of yesteryear.
The former Orii family residence's main building is built in the shoin-zukuri style, and the courtyard pond, garden stones, and stepping stones have largely been preserved in their original form. A museum is located facing the garden, offering insights into the life and history of the samurai class.
Admission is 500 yen for a combined ticket with the adjacent "Former Hanihara Samurai Residence." Furthermore, a combined ticket including Bitchu Matsuyama Castle (500 yen entrance fee) and the garden of "Raikyu-ji Temple" (400 yen entrance fee) can be purchased for 1,000 yen. If you plan to visit both Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and the samurai residences at its base, this combined ticket is a good deal. I also bought it when I entered Bitchu Matsuyama Castle.
This is a samurai residence in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture.
This area, at the foot of Mount Gagyu, where Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is located, was once lined with samurai residences where vassals of the Bitchu Matsuyama domain lived.
Residences with earthen walls and impressive gates line a 250m stretch, and the area retains the atmosphere of its prosperous castle town.
This is the Orii family residence, which is open to the public, and admission is 500 yen for adults. You can also visit the Hanihara family residence, located about 50m to the south.
The samurai residences of the Bitchu Matsuyama domain were divided into five levels based on the family's rank and position, and this residence is said to be the second-highest rank.
For generations, they held positions in charge of military service, and a "Castle Town Residence Map" from the end of the Edo period shows that as a foot soldier, they were given a stipend of 160 koku.
I visited around 3:30pm on a Saturday, but since the museum closes at 4pm, there were no other visitors and I had the place to myself.
I had been told about this at the reception beforehand, but the moving dolls at the entrance were a bit surprising. If I had gone there without knowing, I'm sure I would have fainted.
Although it's small, it's a mansion that gives a good insight into life in the Edo period. Armor and other items are on display in the museum.
By car, it's 14.5km from Kayo Interchange on the Okayama Expressway, a 20-minute drive.
There is free parking for around 10 cars.
If using public transportation, it's 1.3km from Bitchu-Takahashi Station on the JR Hakubi Line, or about an 18-minute walk.
Visited in: October 2025
