Moopon

Inujima (犬島, literally: "dog island") is a small island off Okayama in the Seto Inland Sea that is named after a large rock resembling a sitting dog. Like nearby Naoshima Island, Inujima has become known as a site for modern art in recent years and serves as a venue of the Setouchi Triennale modern art festival. Due to its small size, the peaceful island can be explored entirely on foot.

Before turning to modern art, Inujima was mostly an industrial site. During the feudal age it produced granite blocks for castle construction, and in the early 20th century a copper refinery was supposed to bring prosperity and people to the island. However, copper prices plummeted within ten years of the refinery's opening and led to its premature closure and a drop in the island's population.

The refinery was not demolished after its closure, and despite being out of business for almost a century, its ruins still characterize Inujima's landscape. Designated as a "heritage of industrial modernization", the ruins with their exposed brick walls, overgrown power plant and crumbling smokestacks can now be explored by tourists.

In 2008, the refinery ruins were converted into the Inujima Seirensho Art Museum ("seirensho" is Japanese for "refinery") by tastefully incorporating an art gallery into the ruins. The gallery is located mostly underground and uses local materials such as granite and discarded bricks from the refinery. Among the small number of artworks on display are an intriguing tunnel of mirrors and a tribute to the late novelist Mishima Yukio, which consists of pieces of Mishima's former residence suspended in midair.

Admission tickets to the art museum are purchased at a Inujima Ticket Center next to the ferry terminal, a 200 meter walk from the refinery's gates. While in the past it was necessary to make advance reservations for a guided tour of the site, it is now possible to explore it on an individual basis without prior appointment.

The rest of Inujima is occupied by a small rural village, which is home to about one hundred people. Scattered across the small, peaceful village are the five galleries of the Inujima Art House Project which were built for the art festivals in 2010 and 2013 and have become permanent attractions on the island. They can all be explored in a pleasant 1-2 hour walk through the narrow lanes of the village.

Dining, shopping and lodging options are highly limited on the island. A couple of small restaurants are found in the proximity of the port, including a cafe inside the Inujima Ticket Center. The Seirensho Art Museum also has a cafe on its grounds, but outside of summer it is sometimes closed even when the museum is open. A beach with campground is found on the opposite side of the island, about a ten minute walk from the ferry terminal.

From Okayama   (How to get to Okayama)
Take the JR Ako Line from Okayama to Saidaiji Station (20 minutes, 240 yen, two trains per hour) and change to a bus bound for Higashi Hoden (東宝伝). Get off at the Nishi Hoden (西宝伝) bus stop (1 hour, 510 yen, 3-4 departures per day), which is a short walk from the ferry terminal from where ferries leave for Inujima once every 1-2 hours (10 minutes, 300 yen one way). See timetable.

From Naoshima   (How to get to Naoshima Island)

Three ferries per day operate between Naoshima (Miyanoura Port) and Inujima, except on Tuesdays from March to November. In winter, the ferries operate from Friday to Monday only. Ferries operate on national holidays, but not on days that the art facilities are closed. Some ferries make a stop at Teshima along the way. The one way trip between Naoshima and Inujima takes about 40-60 minutes and costs 1850 yen.

Inujima Seirensho Art Museum & Inujima Art House Project
Hours: 10:00 to 16:30 (entry until 16:00)
Closed: Tuesdays (around the year), Wednesdays and Thursdays (from December to February)
If a national holiday falls onto one of the above listed closing days, the museum is open on the national holiday but closed on the following day instead. If a national holiday falls onto a Monday, the museum is also open on Tuesday but closed on Wednesday.
Check official website for opening calendar.
Admission: 2060 yen

Matsuyama Castle (松山城, Matsuyamajō), also known Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle to differentiate it from Matsuyama Castle in Shikoku, stands on a steep mountain north of Takahashi's town center.

It is the oldest surviving castle in Japan and the only mountaintop castle among the twelve original castles which have survived the post-feudal age intact. At an elevation of 430 meters it is also Japan's highest.Matsuyama Castle was originally constructed in 1240 when castles primarily served as defensive fortresses and, accordingly, were built on steep mountains that were difficult to attack.

They were not the great status symbols and administrative and cultural centers yet that castles became in the 16th century when the lords started to build them on more easily accessible hilltops and in the flatlands.
Even today, Matsuyama Castle is not easily accessed, and visitors must hike for about 20 minutes to reach the castle keep from the nearest parking lot.

The approach passes the ruined foundations of former castle structures and then leads through multiple successive circles of defense before reaching the innermost castle grounds and the castle keep.

Views over the town can be enjoyed from several points along the way, but not from the castle keep itself.Typical for mountaintop castles, Matsuyama Castle's keep is with only two stories relatively small.

Inside the keep there are displays explaining the history of the castle and the efforts to preserve it in Japanese, including interesting photographs about the big renovations of 1940, 1960 and 2003.

By car
On weekdays, cars can access the castle's upper parking lot from where it is a 20 minute walk to the castle. On weekends and holidays from March to late December, however, private cars are only allowed as far as the lower parking lot from where it is a 45 minute walk or five minute shuttle bus ride (300 yen round trip, departures every 15 minutes) to the upper parking lot.

By taxi
Take a taxi from Bitchu-Takahashi Station to the castle's upper parking lot (15 minutes, 1500 yen from the station) from where it is an additional 600 meter, 20 minute hike to the castle.
Alternatively, from March to November Takahashi Kanko operates four scheduled "shuttle taxis" per day between the station and the upper parking lot for 430 yen one way per person.
Reservations are required, but can be made upon arrival at the station.

By bus
Take the Youme Town Shuttle Bus (100 yen) or Takahashi City Loop Bus (160 yen) from the Takahashi Bus Center next to Bitchu-Takahashi Station to Matsuyamajo Tojoguchi or Matsuyamajo Tozanguchi bus stop respectively, from where it is a two kilometer, one hour climb to the castle.
 

On foot
It takes about 80 minute to walk all the way from Bitchu-Takahashi Station to Matsuyama Castle.
Hours: 9:00 to 17:30 (until 16:30 from October to March)
Closed: December 28 to January 4
Admission: 300 yen (castle only) 
900 yen (castle, Raikyuji Temple, two samurai mansions and Takahashi Historical Museum)
 

Raikyuji Temple (頼久寺, Raikyūji) is a temple of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen Buddhism in Takahashi's old town.
The temple once served as the residence of Kobori Enshu, a local feudal lord who was also active as a renowned architect, garden designer and tea ceremony master.
Kobori Enshu or Masakazu  designed famous castles, palaces and gardens across Japan, especially in Kyoto.

Some of his most famous projects include the renovation of the local castle and the design of Nagoya Castle, Sumpu Castle and numerous gardens across Japan including those at the Sento Palace, Nijo Castle, Kodaiji Temple and Daitokuji Temple.

Kobori Enshu also designed the dry garden at Raikyuji Temple.
The garden incorporates elements such as islands representing a crane and turtle (symbols of longevity and health) and borrowed scenery, which he commonly employed in his designs.
Visitors can view the garden from the temple building.   
                                                                            
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Closed : No closing days
Admission: 300 yen
 

The Okayama Prefectural Museum focuses on Okayama region. Visitors can learn the history and development of this region.  Displays date from prehistory to the end of the feudal age. There is a special focus on sword making and pottery, the regional specialties of Okayama.

Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (April to September)
9:30 to 17:00 (October to March)
Closed: Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be closed the following day) as well as New Year holidays. There are irregular closures between exhibitions
Admission: 250 yen (there may be an additional fee for special exhibitions)
English Information: Very Limited