The Tsuyama/Mimasaka area, located in the northern part of Okayama Prefecture, is famous as an area in the prefecture where visitors can enjoy mountainous and scenic beauty. In Tsuyama, cherry blossoms at Tsuyama Castle, Western-style buildings that evoke a sense of Taisho Romanticism, and B-class gourmet foods are also popular specialties.
Tsuyama is a mountainous city located in the northeast of Okayama Prefecture and prospered as a castle town of the Tsuyama clan in the old days. Tadamasa Tadamasa, the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga's minor feudal lord Mori Ranmaru, became the first feudal lord of the Tsuyama clan and spent 12 years building Tsuyama Castle. Today, the Bitchu turret, located on the southeast side of the castle tower, has been restored and is popular for its elegant scenery.
The cherry blossoms in Tsuruyama Park at the foot of Tsuyama Castle are so beautiful that it has been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan. Looking down from the castle to Tsuruyama Park where the cherry blossoms are located, one can see a magnificent view of the entire area, which is covered in cherry blossoms, as if a pink carpet has been spread over the area.
The area has also developed as a distribution center for cattle and horses since ancient times, and is known for its fresh meat. It is against this backdrop that a new specialty, Tsuyama Horumon Udon, was born. The udon, which won the Silver Grand Prix in a famous B-class gourmet contest, is known for its addictive taste of fresh beef hormone intertwined with each restaurant's unique sauce and udon noodles.
Tsuyama and Mimasaka are famous for their beautiful seasonal mountain scenery, mountain delicacies produced by the magnificent nature, historical castles, and traditional townscapes. These are sightseeing spots filled with the charms of Okayama.
Gagyuzan (Mt. Gagyuzan) consists of four peaks, the remains of which can be seen from the 487-meter-high summit to the southern ridge of the castle. The present "Bicchu Matsuyama Castle" is said to have been completed in 1683 by Katsumune Mizutani, lord of the Matsuyama domain. It takes about 1,50...»
Sozuri nabe has been a popular hotpot since long time ago in Tsuyama city, Okayama prefecture. The word sozuri comes from the meat shaved off (sozuru) from cow’s bones. A branded beef “Sakushuushi” is used for the nabe. Fresh sozuri beef is simmered in a sweet and salty say sauce-based soup, togethe...»
Wild boar cuisines such as botan nabe have been eaten by local people of Nimi since long ago, as the area has many wild boars. People came up with the idea of making the wild boar a local specialty, and this is how wild boar ramen was born. Serious damages to farm products had been made by wild boar...»