Getting Around Tsuyama

Getting Around Tsuyama

Tsuyama is a compact castle town in north-central Okayama Prefecture, and its main sights cluster close enough together that you can cover much of the centre on foot. For anything beyond that, a small local bus network, taxis, rental cars and rental bicycles fill in the gaps. There is no metro or tram system here — rail travel means Japan Railways (JR West) trains, and the city's hub for all of it is Tsuyama Station.

Arriving by Train

Tsuyama Station is the city's main railway station and the terminus of the Tsuyama Line from Okayama, which is the route most visitors use. The same station is also served by the Kishin Line, which links Tsuyama with Himeji to the east and Niimi to the west, and by the Inbi Line, which runs north to Tottori. All of these services are operated by JR West.

Practical notes on the three lines:

• Tsuyama Line (from Okayama): The most straightforward approach. Take the Sanyo Line to Okayama Station, then transfer to the Tsuyama Line, which runs directly to Tsuyama Station.
• Kishin Line (from Himeji): Connects Himeji to Tsuyama but involves a couple of transfers. It can be a better option for travellers coming from the Kansai region using local trains with the Seishun 18 Ticket. Westward, the Kishin Line also reaches Niimi, though trains on that stretch are infrequent.
• Inbi Line (from Tottori): The route from the north. Trains are less frequent and connections at Chizu are poorly aligned, so the journey can take considerably longer than the distance suggests. If you face a long wait for a transfer, there is enough time to explore Chizu's historic district.

Because Tsuyama Station is the terminus of the Tsuyama Line and a stop on the other two, it is the natural place to start and finish any rail trip, and it is also where the city's local buses, taxis, rental cars and rental bikes are concentrated.

Buses

The local network is the Tsuyama City bus, known as the Gongo Bus after the city's mascot. Each ride costs a flat ¥200, which makes it simple to use without studying a fare table.

• From Tsuyama Station, Gongo Buses run to places around central Tsuyama, including Joto Street, as well as out to the Kume area.
• Buses serving the northern parts of the city are best accessed from stops closer to Higashi-Tsuyama Station rather than from Tsuyama Station itself.

For longer-distance travel, highway buses connect Tsuyama with major cities. Ryobi Bus runs direct services from Shinagawa in Tokyo, and the JR Highway Bus and JR Shinki Bus operate daily services from Kyoto and Osaka. The Kyoto bus boards at Kyoto Station. In Osaka there are two boarding points: Osaka Station (from the Sakurabashi Exit) and Shin-Osaka Station. Buses from Osaka are much more frequent than those from Kyoto, so it is often easier to reserve a seat or buy a ticket once you arrive in Osaka. Note that the bus arriving at Shin-Osaka is the same bus that departs from Osaka Station, so if you want to choose your seat or sit with a group, boarding at Osaka Station is the better bet.

Taxis and Rental Cars

Taxis are available at Tsuyama Station, which is the simplest place to pick one up. Car rentals are also available right by the station if you exit and look around the immediate area — useful if you plan to reach outlying sights that the bus network does not serve conveniently.

If you are driving yourself, Tsuyama sits on the Chugoku Expressway, which runs from Nishinomiya in the east to Shimonoseki in the west, and the city is served by the Tsuyama Interchange. Route 53 connects Okayama and Tottori to Tsuyama; Route 429 comes in from Fukuchiyama; and Route 181 runs south from Yonago.

Bicycles

Cycling is a very common way to get around in Tsuyama, particularly among school students, and rental bikes are a genuinely good option for visitors. You can rent bicycles at the Tourist Information Center just to the right of Tsuyama Station.

• Standard bicycles: ¥400 for two hours, or ¥1000 for the whole day.
• Motorised bicycles: ¥600 for two hours, or ¥2000 for the day.
• Payment works on a deposit-style basis: pay the daily fee upfront, and when you return the bike you get money back depending on how long you were actually out.

On Foot

Walking is the easiest way to see the heart of Tsuyama. The sites in and around Joto Street — the preserved street of old traditional buildings that was once part of the pilgrimage route from Kyoto to Izumo — are all within walking distance of Tsuyama Station. Kakuzan Park, the castle site and the city's main cherry-blossom spot, takes about 15 to 20 minutes to reach on foot from the station. Even some sights set back from Joto Street, such as Shūraku-en garden, can be reached on foot.

Some sites, however, are too far to reach on foot, so plan to combine walking in the centre with the Gongo Bus, a taxi or a rental bike for the rest. For a map of the area, stop by the information centre just to the right of Tsuyama Station.

Getting In from the Airport

The nearest airport is Okayama Airport, which is some distance from Tsuyama. If you do not have a car, the practical option is a Share-Ride Taxi, which can be booked by phone. Departure times vary by month, and reservations are required, so arrange this in advance rather than turning up and hoping.

Many travellers instead fly into a larger gateway and continue by rail: take the Sanyo Line to Okayama Station, then transfer to the Tsuyama Line, which runs directly to Tsuyama Station. Highway buses from Kyoto and Osaka are another good alternative if your travels start in the Kansai region.