This is one of the so called “12 genzon-tenshukaku”, roughly translated as “original castle keep”. These 12 castle keeps were built before or during the Edo period, and are not modern reconstructions like the Osaka or Nagoya castles. This castle is famous for the castle keep but the current resident of the castle, Sanjurō, is probably more famous than the castle itself (see photos!). The displays inside are all in Japanese and if you’re a foreigner, you may struggle to understand the castle’s history and construction. I walked from Bicchu Takahashi station, and it took about half an hour to walk to the start of the climb to the castle. Yes, you read that right, it is a proper “climb” up a gradual but continuous uphill slope. You will need to have decent footwear if you want to walk to the castle from the bottom. It took me about twenty minutes to walk the mile or so but then I am reasonably fit. If you are not fit or have health issues, just take the cab from the station. One thing I was not told when purchasing the entrance ticket for the castle (¥500) was that there is a combination ticket for the castle, the buke-yashiki (2 of them) and Raikyu-Ji temple for ¥1,000, which saves you ¥400 compared to buying all three entrance tickets separately.

I recommend to you to visit there. Especially, you are big fun of Japanese old house. But the village is not big and inconvenient to get to. So I recommend you to visit there at the evening and stay overnight.

After visiting Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, we decided to take a midway break and go to Railkyujicho by tourist bus. Here, we had to purchase entrance tickets, but it was definitely worth it. Inside, we found a serene and tranquil temple. We enjoyed the garden views from within the temple and took a moment for a short meditation session. It was very recharging.

(Translated by Google) It leaves a strong impression as a filming location for Yatsuhakamura. on TV I was deeply moved by actually walking down a familiar slope. I feel deeply. Partially under restoration, but visit Is possible. (Original) 八つ墓村のロケ地としての印象が強いです。ＴＶで 見覚えのある坂道を実際に歩いてみて、とても感慨 深い気持ちになりました。一部修復中ですが、見学 可能です。

(Translated by Google) 2022.5.6 (Friday) I visited this town of Fukiya once in July 2020, but at that time it was in the midst of the Korona-ka that spread from the end of 2019, and tourists involved on Sundays also There are few cars, and the Fukiya Elementary School is also under dismantling work, so there are sparse cars in the large and splendid parking lot. I remember that the city of Bengala itself was quietly quiet. Two years after that, Fukiya Elementary School completed the dismantling work and opened to the public. And although Korona-ka hasn't ended, there are cars in the parking lot that aren't as good as the last time, probably because of the fact that it's the middle day of Golden Week with no movement restrictions. And not only in elementary school, but also in the streets of Fukiya, there are quite a few people of all ages, men and women, but there are quite a few people walking around. It may be that the bustle has returned to the stores that sell small items made from red iron oxide, dumplings, soba udon noodles, soup curry, and so on. I'm looking forward to this "bright sign" because of the hard work of the shop staff. By the way, it seems that the elementary school of the main subject was used as the oldest wooden school building in active service until the closing of the school in 2012, and 369 students were present at the peak of mining and manufacturing of copper mines and Bengala in the Taisho era. I was there ... On the premises, there is a one-story annex school building that connects to the left and right centering on the two-story main building, and it is said that its architectural style and structure are also characteristic, making it an important cultural property of the prefecture. It seems that it has been specified. Before the demolition work, the building itself was tilted, and it seems that the ground reinforcement work was started, and the construction period was over 7 years from the start. I also spent my childhood student life in a wooden school building from elementary school to the second year of junior high school, and although the wooden building itself was not unusual, the beam structure of the wide corridor called the three corridors and the second floor instead of the first floor or annex I have never seen the special structure of setting up a large auditorium in the hall, and the double ceiling structure of the auditorium, and even an amateur can feel that it is a valuable building, which is also valuable. It may have been said that the city that became the production base of Bengala was a building that was luxurious in terms of design at that time. The current XR equipment was also rented for 1000 yen, so maybe there was such an explanation in the virtual space ... I regret that I should have borrowed it if I could. When I saw it through the fence before, there was a pool in front of the school building that could still be used, but now it's a brand new and beautiful pond with white stones. Also, above Fukiya Elementary School, there are accommodation facilities with a rich atmosphere that resemble an elementary school. The day was blessed with good weather, and the elementary school was heroically nestled in the fresh green where you could hear the voice of the spring squirrel. A facility that is publicly managed by the public. Corona measures are perfect with temperature measurement, disinfection, and masks. Elementary and junior high school students pay an admission fee of 200 yen, and adults pay an admission fee of 500 yen. It was good to sit in a historic classroom chair for a while, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Please come and experience it. ◕‿◕. (Original) 2022.5.6（金曜日） 2020年7月にこの吹屋の街には一度訪れた事があるのですが、そのときは2019年の年の暮より広まったコロナ禍の真っ只中であり、日曜日にも関わらす観光客も少なく、しかもこの吹屋小学校も解体工事中とあって、広い立派な駐車場も車はまばら。ベンガラの街自体ひっそりと静まり返ったような状態だった事を記憶しています。あれから2年、吹屋小学校が解体工事を終え一般公開に…。そしてコロナ禍も終息こそしていないものの、移動制限の無いゴールデンウイークの中日と云うことも手伝ってか、駐車場には前回とは比べ物に成らない位の車両が…。そして小学校はもとより、吹屋の街の通りにも老若男女決して多いとはいえないまでも、結構か人が散策して居られる姿も…。ベンガラを使った小物を扱う店舗や団子やそばうどん、スープカレーなどのお店などにも、少しは賑わいも戻ってきたのかも知れませんね。お店の方、ご苦労為さった分この"明るい兆し"、これからが楽しみですね。さて本題の小学校、平成24年（2012年）の閉校まで現役最古の木造校舎として使用されていたらしく、大正期の銅山やベンガラの採掘製造の最盛期には369名もの生徒が在席して居られたとか…。敷地内には二階建の本館校舎を中心に左右に繋がる平屋の別館校舎が各一棟づつ配置されていて、その建築様式や構造にも特徴があるとの事で、県の重要文化財に指定されているとの様です。解体工事前は建物自体にも傾きがあって、地盤の補強工事からは始められている様で、着手から7年越しの工事期間に及んだとか。私も小学校から中学校2年迄木造の校舎で学童学生生活を過ごし、木造建築の校舎自体決して珍しくは無かったものの、三軒廊下といわれる幅広い廊下の梁の造りや、一階や別棟では無く二階に大きな講堂を設けるという特殊な構造、その講堂の二重になった天井の造りなどは見た事も無く、貴重な建造物だなと素人目にも感じる事ができ、やはりそこは貴重なベンガラの生産拠点となった街、当時としては設計からも贅を尽くした建物と言えたかも知れませんね。今流のXR機器も1000円で貸出をされていたので、仮想空間の中でそんな説明もあったのかも…。折角ならお借りすればよかったかなと若干後悔しています。以前フェンス越しに見たときは、校舎前には今でも使用出来そうなプールも有ったのですが、今では白い石を敷き詰めた真新しい奇麗な池に。また吹屋小学校の上には小学校をを模した様な風情豊かな宿泊施設も…。当日は天気にも恵まれ、春蝉の声も聞えて来る新緑の中に雄々しくたたずむ小学校は、今にも子供達の明るい大きな声が聞こえて来そうな景色に私の目には写りました。流石に公が管理されている施設。コロナ対策も検温、消毒、マスクとばっちり。小中学生は200円、大人は500円の入館料を払い、当然ですが貴重な遺産として後世に残し繋げる建造物、上履きのスリッパに履き替えての入場となります。都市部の喧騒の中から離れ、暫し歴史ある教室の椅子に腰掛けるのも良いものでした。是非皆さんもお越しになって実感してみて下さい。　｡◕‿◕｡