You will receive a free quarterly E-mail Newsletter! Ryokan & Restaurants in Hyogo which are English-friendly. Guided Tours Available by volunteers in Hyogo Translation Service is also available. Ako City / Sidelight Ako City [Ako Castle] The raid on Kira mansion by the 47 loyal samurai (Chushingura) to avenge the unjust death of their master is a nationally famous story. Ako Castle is well known as a residence of Lord Takuminokami Asano and his loyal retainers. It is an excellent castle of the Edo period which was completed after spending 13 years on its construction from 1648. It was a deformed contour-type castle, a rare style in castle history of the era, built on seaside flat land, and was a nationally valuable castle designed by Masasumi Kondo, who mastered Koshu-style military science; however, it was demolished with only the stone walls remaining at the beginning of the Meiji period (circa 1868). Restored between 1955 and April 1996, it is now representative of the original appearance. On the 14th of December each year, the "Ako Royal Samurai Festival" (known as the "Ako Gishisai") is held on a large scale centering around Ako Castle attracting lively crowds throughout the city. Open everyday 9:00 – 17:00 A 15 minute walk from JR Banshu Ako Station. The Top of This Page [Ako City Museum of History] The Ako City Museum of History features a collection of local history, following the theme of salt and the Ako warriors. Open 9:30 – 17:00 Closed Tuesday (when national holidays fall on Tuesday, closed the following Wednesday.) December 28 – January 4 ¥ 200 for Adult. A 20 minute walk from JR Banshu Ako Station. TEL:0791-43-4600 The Top of This Page [Oishi Shrine] Constructed in dedication to the 47 loyal samurai of Ako, including Yoshio Kuranosuke Oishi together with Sampei Kayano in 1912, this is an historically important shrine because of its connection with the faithful warriors. To the right and below the shrine gate is a hall in which wooden statues of the faithful warriors rest peacefully. 49 wood sculptors carved each of these statues to express the individual personality of the warriors. Also, to the left of the main shrine building is the Ako Loyal Samurai Museum which exhibits interesting articles left by the deceased, such as the command baton and bird call whistle used by Kuranosuke Oishi during the raid and the short sword given to Chikara Oishi by Takuminokami Asano. Open everyday 8:00 – 17:00 Free Admission ¥400 for Adult (Ako Loyal Samurai Museum). A 10 minute walk from JR Banshu Ako Station. TEL:0791-42-2054 The Top of This Page [Kagaku-ji Temple] This was constructed as a family temple of the Asano clan, the lord of Ako Castle, in 1645. Here one can find tombstones of the 47 loyal samurai including Oishi father and son, the Mori family and Takuminokami Asano who came to his untimely death; there is also the Loyal Samurai Statue Hall and Museum. Memorial services are conducted on December 14 during the Ako Loyal Samurai Festival, February 4 for the Loyal Samurai Seppuku, and March 14 for the death of Lord Asano, attracting many visitors to the services. Open everyday 8:30 – 17:00 ¥300 for Adult (including Museum admission) A 10 minute walk from JR Banshu Ako Station. The Top of This Page [Hyogo Prefectural Ako Seaside Park] This family park, primarily based on nature, was built on the remains of a vast salt farm of olden days in the west of Ako Misaki. The park has an exciting amusement facility called "Waku-waku Land" with a 50m tall ferris wheel commanding a view of the Seto Inland Sea, and fun rides, a 16-court tennis garden, a miniature golf course, a man-made lake for yachting, boating and canoeing. You can also experience salt production through the process of filtering and boiling sea water at "Saltland," in which the former salt farm is reproduced, enjoy 4 exhibitions entitled "Introduction," "Welcome to Ako," "About the Sea" and "Salt Gallery" in the Marime Museum, using the theme of the Seto Inland Sea and salt, while taking a walk on the promenade with wildly blooming flowers in each season. The Ako Marine Park auto camp site, with outstanding facilities and location, was opened in the spring of 1997. The park has 100 sites including family sites, free sites and camping car sites. The center house provides showers, laundromats, restrooms, kiosk and kitchens (cooking with fires not allowed). There are 10 cottages fully equipped with a patio, kitchen, bathrooms and air conditioning. The Ako Seaside Park Open 9:00 – 17:00 Waku-waku Land Open 10:00 – 17:00 The Maritime Museum Open 9:30 – 16:30 Closed Tuesday, December 28 – January 4 ¥200 for Adult, Saltland "Shio-no-kuni" Application 9:30 – 15:30 30 minute walk or 8 minutes by car from JR Banshu Ako Station. The Top of This Page [Ako Hot Springs(AKO ONSEN)] Ako Onsen is located at Ako-misaki promontory, which juts into the Seto Inland Sea.  Here you can enjoy a wonderful view of the sea, fresh seafood and various activities, such as bathing, fishing and camping. The water is famous for its richness in natural elements, and is good for fatigue, promoting beautiful skin, nerve pain, muscle ache and so on. Ako Kankokyokai (Ako Information Center) TEL: 0791-42-2602 10 minute by car from JR Banshu Ako Station. The Top of This Page [Shiota Hot Springs (SHIOTA ONSEN)] Shiota Onsen has a quiet and homely atmosphere of an old hot spring resort with about 300 years history. It is blessed with abundant nature and the view of cherry blossoms is breathtaking if you visit in the spring. You can enjoy both woodland food and seafood, such as fresh water fish cuisine, boar stew, and fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea. It is conveniently located; 30 minutes by car from Himeji, 90 minutes by car both from Osaka and Kobe. The water is good for nerve pain, muscle ache, upset stomach and so on. Yumesaki-cho Kankokyokai (Yumesaki-cho Information Center) TEL: 07933-6-0001 The Top of This Page Sidelight [Chushingura] On March 14, 1701, Takuminokami Asano, the lord of Ako Castle, spitefully wielded his sword on Kozukenosuke Kira in the Matsu Corridor of Edo Castle. Although both parties should have been punished for fighting in the warrior society of the times, then Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa found Kozukenosuke Kira innocent but ordered Takuminokami Asano to commit seppuku on that same day. On December 14 the following year, the Asano clan 47 retainers raided the Kira mansion, turned themselves in, and received the judgment to commit seppuku. Sacrificing their lives and avenging the injustice of the government, they became nationally famous as the Ako loyal samurai. The Top of This Page [Mt. Seppiko (Yumesaki-cho)] Mt. Seppiko, known as one of the three famous mountains sharing the same Chinese character "hiko" in their names in Japan along with Mt. Yahiko in Niigata Prefecture and Mt. Hiko in Fukuoka. The height of the mountain is 884 meters. It used to be a sacred place for mountaineering asceticism; however, it is now famous as an ideal site for rock climbers. Yumesaki-cho Tourist Information TEL: 07933-6-0001 The Top of This Page Hyogo Tourism Association Hyogo Prefectural Government Bldg. No.1,5-10-1 Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan Postal Code:650-8567 Tel:078-361-7661 Fax:078-361-7662 e-mail: