This actually came as a bit of a shock when I first saw it. Had I not specifically been looking for it, I no doubt would have missed it. Have a close look at the photo, can you see what it is?

For those unable to make out what is written, the sign post indicates that this is the main entrance to the National Historic Site of Tsuwano castle. I don’t think the problem is that my visit happened to co-incide with garbage day, and that some Tsuwano resident plonked their weekly collection of refuse square in front of the sign making it hard to read. I feel, and kind of strongly, that they could have made the entrance a little more obvious – a bit more welcoming wouldn’t have hurt either.

So how is it that a National Historic Site (also a Hyakku Meijō listed castle) gets away with such poor promotion & presentation? Good question. To be fair, this isn’t the only entrance – there are several hiking paths up the mountain. Aside from those there is one other, perhaps one that many have come to believe is the main entrance. There is a ski-lift-type contraption to convey the tourist types to the top.

The joke is on me as it turns out. I later learned that the Hyakku Meijō stamp for this castle is to be found at the chair-lift building. Either at the top or at the bottom, does anyone know? Woe is me.