Here's another place you haven't heard of - Okayama. Okayama Castle and the neighboring Okayama Korakuen Garden, look like great places to visit. The Okayama Korakuen Garden is acknowledged to be one of the three great gardens of Japan. Okayama Castle is a reconstruction, the original having been destroyed in WWII. If it had to be a reconstruction, at least they were kind enough to install an elevator to the 5th floor. It'll be a bit of a challenge to get to the castle if I'm traveling on my own, but I'm pretty sure I'll make it. "Okayama-jo wa doku desu ka?" ("Where is Okayama Castle?") This will be a day trip while traveling between Himeji and Hiroshima.