Obi Castle Town
飫肥城下町
The 'Little Kyoto of Kyushu', ruled by the Itō clan for 280 years, with moss-covered stone walls and the cedar-built Ōte gate preserved.
Obi was the castle town of the 51,000-koku Obi Domain, ruled by the Itō clan. It was designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1977. The cedar forest on the site of Obi Castle's main keep and its moss-covered stone walls create a striking atmosphere. The Ōte (main) gate was rebuilt in 1978 using local Obi cedar. Within the town you can visit samurai residences, the Yoshō-kan (former lord's residence) and a memorial hall for the diplomat Komura Jutarō. A 'walk, eat and browse' ticket covers several facilities and can be redeemed for a taste of obi-ten (fish cake) and atsuyaki tamago (thick-sliced rolled omelette). It is about a 15-minute walk from JR Obi Station.
Opening hours
All day; facilities approx. 09:30–16:30
Nearby sights
- Sun Messe Nichinan
- Udo Jingu Shrine
- Koshima Island
- Horikiri Pass & Michi-no-Eki Phoenix
- Aoshima Island & Aoshima Shrine
- Devil's Washboard
- Kisakihama Beach
- Cape Toi