Fukuchiyama Castle

Castle History from the J-Castle website

Akechi Mitsuhide built Fukuchiyama Castle under the orders of Oda Nobunaga to pacify the Tanba area. Mitsuhide established the castle town and also improved flood control of the Yura River. The "Akechi Yabu" a strip of land covered in trees along the Yura River was a flood break near the castle and is one such remnant of these works. It is often pointed out to demonstrate Mistuhide's interest not just in pacifying the lands but build up the castle town and infrastructure, making the region successful.

After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 Arima Toyouji became lord of the castle. He expanded and fortified the castle into the Fukuchiyama Castle we see today. Lordship of the castle changed hands a number of times until Kutsuki Tanemaki became lord of the castle in 1669. From then until the Meiji Restoration, 13 generations of the Kutsuki family ruled over Fukuchiyama.

Atami Plum Festival and Kinomiya Shrine

Last weekend I took the train to Atami, to go to the Atami Plum Festival. This year, the festival runs January 10 - March 8. The admission is 300 yen during the festival. There are about 470 plum trees and 60 varieties. Here is a Google maps screen shot of the garden and park area -

This maintenance hole cover is in front of the Kinomiya train station, near the Atami Plum Garden.

Umemi Falls is a small waterfall area, with a cave walkway behind the falls.

View from inside the cave, looking out.

The Korean Garden area

Next I walked to the nearby Kinomiya Shrine. I visited two years ago and posted pictures here.

The legend is that if you walk around this 2100 year old tree, you will get an extra year of life, so I wanted to walk around it again.