A quiet winter visit to Iwamura Castle Ruins, one of Japan’s Three Great Mountain Castles, where ancient stone walls crown a 717-metre summit. A peaceful, history-filled walk through one of Gifu’s most beautifully preserved castle towns.

A spontaneous decision led me from Tsubosaka-dera Temple to the mountaintop ruins of Takatori Castle—one of Japan’s Three Great Mountain Castles. The hike offered centuries of history, quiet forest paths, and sweeping views that made this unplanned detour a highlight of my Nara trip.

A hike to Japan’s only surviving mountaintop castle, Bitchu-Matsuyama in Okayama, offered more than history—it brought misty mountain views, quiet castle town streets, and a meeting with Sanjuro, the resident “Cat Lord.”