Fodor's Expert Review Tsuwano Castle Ruins

The local castle was another casualty of the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, but from the derelict ruins there is an awesome panoramic view of the dormant volcanic cone of Aono-yama to the east and the entire valley stretching out below. To get here you can hike a marked trail that leads from Taikodani Inari-Jinja Shrine or take a chairlift from below the Taikodani Inari-Jinja Shrine for ¥700 round-trip. The chairlift takes only 5 minutes, and from the top it's about a 20-minute moderate hike to the castle foundations.