Last Updated: Mar 8, 2025

Time for Tsuyama City

Okayama’s Forgotten Castle Town

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

These days, more and more, overseas visitors to Japan are starting to realize that Okayama Prefecture is actually one of the easiest additions to any standard itinerary that includes Hiroshima. Thanks to this, Okayama Castle and the lovely gardens of Koraku-en are beginning to see far more travelers than they did in the years leading up to the pandemic. Alas, there is soooo much more to Okayama than just these highlights, and today, I’d like to introduce you to one of the prefecture’s top hidden gems — the former castle town of Tsuyama.

If you haven’t heard of Tsuyama before, know that you’re likely not not alone. In fact, even I only stumbled across it while managing the Setouchi DMO’s overseas PR and communication back in 2023 and 2024. While searching for spots to include on an exhaustive list of the best cherry blossom locations in the region, I happened upon Tsuyama Castle — a site that is particularly enchanting during the few weeks when Japan’s most iconic trees are in bloom. As seen here, it’s truly a spectacle to behold should the timing workout for you.

Of course, there’s much more to Tsuyama than just its pretty pink flowers that blossom during the spring. The city is located in the center of the Tsuyama Basin in the former…