Tsuyama Castle

Tsuyama Castle, or Kakuzan Park, sits on a wooded hilltop above the city with stone foundation walls from the original 1600s construction still intact. The castle structure itself is gone, but the ruins and ramparts remain, and the hilltop park holds around 1,000 cherry trees that rank among the best blossom viewing spots in the Chugoku region. During bloom, lanterns are lit after dark and the pink flowers glow against the old stone. Outside blossom season, the park is quiet, with good city views from the upper ramparts and a small museum at the base covering local history.