Akashi Castle Ruins — Attraction in Akashi

A very well-kept, free-to-enter park, containing the remnants of two corner towers of the old castle, and some foundation blocks showing where the castle would have been. At a glance, one might have mistaken the towers as part of Himeji castle (which is a ways away from Akashi). The two towers can only be viewed from outside; there are no means to access their interiors.

Ran into a friendly park caretaker who very kindly brought us around to see the highlights of the park, including two ponds frequented by water fowl, with one containing peddle boats visitors could use (perhaps in the summer?) The boated pond is also surrounded by trees that one of the park caretakers said would look magnificent in sakura season. A boardwalk with a view over the city that was formerly Akashi castle town runs between the two towers and can be accessed via steps as well as a ramped path.

Water fowl aside, the park also seemed to be teaming with predator birds. Bonus: it seems some cats live there too (though I only saw the one).

Not impossible for visitors with prams or minor mobility handicaps to explore the park, though they may have to give some paths (like the long stairs up to the base of first tower) a miss.

Akashi park is much less crowded than Himeji—at least in winter; generally great for visitors seeking some peace and quiet amidst nature.

Given its location, there are generally less alternative attractions/activities in its vicinity compared to Himeji castle. Nonetheless, the area is great for visitors seeking a casual walk away from the bustle of a city, particularly...

We visited Akashi Castle Ruins Park by car, and while the parking lot was full, we only had to wait about 15–30 minutes to get in. I didn’t explore the whole park, but the highlight for me was the beautiful pond at the center. We found a peaceful spot under a sakura tree, facing the water—it was such a relaxing and serene view.

What made it even more magical were the birds gracefully flying in sync over the glistening water. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as crowded as I expected, even during sakura season.

Just a heads-up: if you’re planning to visit on a weekend or holiday, it might be better to come by public transport, as parking can get quite busy and might...

(Visits: 1) (Castles: 50+) This is was about #30 on my top castle list. A quick detour from Osaka. This seemed like a really nice little town to visit. The train station was nice, a nice introduction to this place. The moment you get off the train you see the castle towers. Two towers and a wall are all that exist, but they are big on top of tall towers. This castle must have been massive in its day. The walk from the train station was really nice and the park was one of the best I have walked through. You can climb to the top of the ruins/wall on a viewing platform. For so-called ruins, these have been the...