Last Updated: Sep 2, 2023

The Takeda Castle Ruins

Japan’s “Machu Picchu” in Hyogo

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

If you’ve been following me for a half year or so, you’ll know that I once foolishly tried to take on most of Hyogo Prefecture in a single outing. While I hit many of the main stops on that overly ambitious trip, unfortunately there were several locations that I had to skip. Of the allures that I missed on that adventure, it’s the Takeda Castle Ruins that have been beckoning to me the most. Commonly referred to as “Japan’s Machu Picchu,” this hidden gem definitely deserves to be on visitors’ bucket wish list. I mean, just look at that breathtaking shot above!

Alas, as evidenced by the fact that I had to opt out of visiting during my prior stint in Hyogo, the Takeda Castle Ruins are not exactly easy to access. Nestled deep within the mountains of the prefecture, you’ll need to make a serious detour from the likes of Kobe and Himeji to explore this rural region. However, those determined to make the trek may possibly be rewarded with the otherworldly phenomenon pictured above. Known in Japanese as unkai (lit. “sea of clouds”), this spectacle causes the Takeda Castle Ruins to look like an ancient floating fortress soaring skyward.

According to historical documents, the Takeda Castle Ruins date as far back as the early 1400’s…