Takeda Castle Ruins - Hyogo, Japan
I originally planned to hike one of the trails behind the trail station to Takeda Castle Ruins (竹田城跡), but both were closed for winter. The only way up was the winding mountain road. After confirming at the visitor centre that the castle was open, I started the climb.
Takeda Castle is often called the “castle floating in the sky” because on foggy autumn mornings, it looks like it’s floating on clouds. That’s what first drew me in—along with my general love of visiting castles in Japan. Although I visited in winter, I was still hoping I might be lucky.
The road up was mossy and icy in places. Parts of the ruins were closed due to deep snow, but the open sections still offered stunning views of the town below and the mountains beyond.
The best view of the castle is actually from Ritsuunkyo, about 5.4 km away. I tried to go, but the road was closed—though technically open to pedestrians, it looked very icy. I headed back to the train station and waited 45 minutes for my train to Himeji.
Route Overview
Distance: 11.04 km out & back (Takeda Station)
Total elevation gain: 405 m
Duration: 2 hr 16 min (with breaks 2 hr 29 min)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cost Breakdown
Takeda Castle Ruins Entrance Fee: ¥500
Vending Machine: ¥200
