Mihara Castle Ruins

In 1567, Kobayakawa Takakage, son of Mori Motonari, built Mihara Castle by connecting the Oshima and Koshima islands at the mouth of the Numata River as a new base. Known as a "floating castle" because it appears to be floating on the sea, it is famous for having the first high stone walls in Japan that were raised from the sea. Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu also stayed here. As the Sanyo Main Line was laid through the main castle, only parts of it remain, such as the main castle tower, the surrounding moat, and the ship entrance turret, but it has been designated a national historic site.