Obi Castle Town Stroll Model Course

Obi in Nichinan City flourished as the castle town of the Ito clan. With its stone walls, canals, and samurai residences intact, the townscape is called the Little Kyoto of Kyushu and is perfect for a leisurely walk. In 1977 it became the first Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in the Kyushu-Okinawa region, and the roads and land divisions of the castle-town era are still carefully preserved. Pass through the restored main gate to the castle ruins, then on to a merchant street where lattice doors remain. Feel the air of the Edo period while nibbling the local specialty obiten. Here is a model course starting from the sightseeing parking lot that serves as the base for exploring.

Course Route

10:00 Start at the Obi Castle ruins Walk the cedar-lined approach and pass through the main gate, restored in wood in 1978, to the castle site. The former inner keep, ringed by stone walls, is a quiet space wrapped in trees. It was a hilltop castle of the multi-enclosure type that never had a keep, and it is counted among Japans 100 Famous Castles.

10:45 See Matsuo-no-Maru and the History Museum Touch the towns history at Matsuo-no-Maru, a recreation of an Edo-period residence, and at the Obi Castle History Museum, which displays materials tied to the Ito family.

11:30 To Yoshokan and Shintokudo Visit Yoshokan with its spacious garden and Shintokudo, the former domain school, to see where the samurai lived and studied.

12:30 Lunch and street food on the merchant street Head to the merchant quarter where lattice doors and canals remain. Enjoy the local obiten and a meal at a neighborhood shop.

14:00 See the Komura Jutaro Memorial Visit the memorial to Komura Jutaro, a diplomat born in Obi, to round off your walk through the towns history.

Highlights

Obis greatest charm is its unified castle-town scenery. The stepped approach to the main gate, the canals with running water, and merchant houses decorated with barrels and paper umbrellas all make a picture wherever you look. The former inner keep is now home to the municipal Obi Elementary School, a reminder that castle and daily life remain connected. At Matsuo-no-Maru you can slowly take in the atmosphere of a period residence. For street food, the softly sweet fried fishcake called obiten is a favorite. When your feet tire, a castle-town cafe makes a fine rest.

Access and Tips

Obi is within walking distance of JR Obi Station and is easy to reach by car from the Miyazaki City direction. The town is flat and easy to walk, but if you plan to visit several facilities, a combined admission ticket is a good value. Because the whole town is compact, a rental bicycle lets you enjoy a wider area. Opening hours and closed days can differ by facility, so plan your order of visits with some leeway.

A Quick Tip

There is a great-value map-style ticket called the Ayumi-chan Map that bundles street-food vouchers with facility admission. Touring the shops with the exchange coupons makes the walk through town even more fun.

Practical Travel Notes

• Obi Castle: A hilltop castle of the multi-enclosure type with no keep. The main gate was restored in wood in 1978. It is one of Japans 100 Famous Castles, and the municipal Obi Elementary School now stands on the former inner keep.
• Townscape value: In 1977 it became the first Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in the Kyushu-Okinawa region. Edo-era roads and land divisions remain.
• Combined ticket: The Ayumi-chan Map, which bundles street-food and town-walking vouchers, lets you enjoy several facility admissions and shop visits at good value (price and contents subject to change).
• Access: Within walking distance of Obi Station on the JR Nichinan Line. A car is also handy from the Miyazaki City direction. The town center is flat and good for rental cycling.
• Getting around: Hours and closed days can differ by facility, so plan your route with time to spare. The local specialty is the fried fishcake obiten.
• Fees, hours, and business days may change. Please check official information before you go.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening hours: The Obi Castle History Museum is open 9:30-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
• Closed: The Obi Castle History Museum is closed December 29-31
• Admission: A single ticket to the Obi Castle History Museum costs 300 yen for adults, 200 yen for high school and university students, and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students (for groups of 20 or more, 200 yen for adults, 150 yen for high school and university students, and 50 yen for elementary and junior high school students). Free of charge for people with disabilities and one accompanying person
• Combined ticket: The combined ticket for the Obi Castle historic facilities costs 800 yen for adults, 600 yen for high school and university students, and 350 yen for elementary and junior high school students (for groups, 600 yen for adults, 400 yen for high school and university students, and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students)
• Ayumi-chan Map: 5 exchange vouchers plus admission to 2 facilities costs 1,000 yen; 5 exchange vouchers plus admission to 6 facilities costs 1,600 yen for adults, 1,400 yen for high school and university students, and 1,150 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Sold at the ticket counter of the Obi Castle Tourist Parking Lot and at "Nichinan-ya" in Obi Station
• Parking: The Obi Castle Tourist Parking Lot. Only large and medium-sized vehicles are charged, at 1,000 yen per day
• Access: A 15-minute walk, or 5 minutes by car, from Obi Station on the JR Nichinan Line
• How long to allow: About half a day for the castle ruins, the main facilities and eating your way around. If you limit the number of facilities, you can cover it in 2-3 hours
• Which way round to go: The facilities are gathered within walking distance around Obi Castle, so the reverse order works just as well. However, since last admission to the museum is 16:30, it is safer to get the facilities you want to enter out of the way from the morning to the early afternoon
• Footing and steps: There are stone steps around the Otemon gate, and the castle ruins have gravel and earth paths. Wear comfortable shoes. The streets of the merchant quarter are flat
• Budget guide: From around 2,000 yen per adult for the 800-yen combined ticket plus eating your way around
• In the rain: This course centers on walking the townscape outdoors. On a rainy day it is easier to plan if you give more weight to indoor facilities such as the history museum and the memorial hall
• Location: Obi, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture (the Obi Castle History Museum is at 10-chome Obi, Nichinan City)

Information Sources

The prices of the combined and single tickets and the facilities they cover, and the price, number of exchange vouchers and points of sale of the "Ayumi-chan Map," are compiled from the fee information and the "Eating Your Way Around and Strolling the Town" page of the official website of the Obi Castle Town Preservation Society. The opening hours, closing days, admission, parking and walking time from Obi Station for the Obi Castle History Museum are based on the facility information of the Nichinan City Tourism Association. Prices, hours and opening days are subject to change, so please check official information before you set out.