Believe it or not, I went to Takahashi two weekends in a row in September. On one of those visits, I saw a charming old temple called Raikyuji. It has a quiet, traditional Japanese garden, and it’s a very peaceful way to spend an hour or so. However, on the previous weekend, I spent the entire day in a village called Fukiya.

Fukiya was originally a settlement formed around a copper mine up in the mountains of Takahashi, but these days it’s a quaint little tourist town. It’s quite small – just one main road, really – so you can see everything within a day. There’s an old-fashioned school bus that’s been repurposed to carry tourists through the town, and an all-wooden former elementary school with both historical and artistic exhibits inside.

Besides its copper, Fukiya was well-known for red iron oxide (or “bengara”), which is an earthy red pigment used in ceramics and lacquer. That history is still reflected today in the red-tiled rooftops of the town. For some reason, the area is also well-known for red pepper, so you can find several types of spicy seasonings and condiments at the souvenir shops.

Despite its reputation as a tourist town, I found that many NEO students didn’t know about Fukiya. I think it’s a bit too far from Okayama for most people. Nevertheless, I recommend it as a fun little daytrip, especially for families and couples. Just be sure to get there early – the restaurants and cafes seem to sell out early in the afternoon.

And on the way home, make sure you stop by Bitchu Matsuyama Castle to visit Sanjuro the cat!

Some bonus pictures of Sanjuro and Raikyuji: