The 438-meter Mt. Takanojo is in the Hiroshima City Forest Park, located about 10 kilometers from downtown Hiroshima. To attract more Hiroshima residents to the park, Hiroshima City has built a medieval mountain castle-like observatory on the top of this mountain. It is a kind of reproduction of a mountain castle from the time a great warlord, Motonari Mori (1497〜1571), who was born and raised in this area. This construction coincides with the 500th anniversary of his birth. The 16.8-hectare Hiroshima City Forest Park has four kinds of forests named Insects of Forest (with an insectarium), Children's Forest, Picnic Forest and Gathering Forest plus a camping ground.

There is a big substation at he foot of the mountain. From there, climb up directly to this observatory. A marvelous 360-degree panoramic view of the city is can be seen. The Hiroshima City Forest Park is a 5 minute descent..

◆Getting there

Take a red striped bus for Terabun from Hiroshima Shinkansen-guchi bus stop, and get off at Fukugi Elementary School. From there walk up to Hiroshima Substation. The mountaintop is a 40-minute ascent from the substation.

◆Suggested schedule

Hiroshima Shinkansen-guchi bus stop(9:11)===(Bus)===

===Fukugi primary school(9:40)----Hiroshima Substation(10:00)----

---Mt. Takanojo(11:00-11:30)----Hiroshima City Forest Park(12:00-15:00)

--Terabun(16:28)===(Bus)===Hiroshima Shinkansen-guchi(17:00)