How to get to Ritsuunkyo

I have read many fascinating stories about this viewpoint for Takeda Castle's sea of clouds. If I come from Takeda station, will I be able to find taxis to bring me there? Is the road up the mountain dangerous? If I were just to walk it how long will it take me to get to the highest viewpoint if I walked from Takeda station, and will there be signs to guide me?

Thank you!

I was actually just there last week, and I think I like the views from there better than at the castle itself.

If I come from Takeda station, will I be able to find taxis to bring me there?

Depends on when in the day. If you're lucky there might be a taxi there, but I didn't see any when I passed by the station. If you can get one it can take you to the parking lot from where it is about a 30 minute hike to the best viewpoint.

Is the road up the mountain dangerous?

No, but pretty isolated and mostly a narrow one lane road. Seems that they're working on improving it though as halfway through it opens up to a brand new wide road for a few dozen meters. The parking lot is big and well developed, and the park with the viewpoint is a nice mountainside nature park.

If I were just to walk it how long will it take me to get to the highest viewpoint if I walked from Takeda station, and will there be signs to guide me?

Most people just walk though. It's about 3km uphill to the parking lot. Depending on how fast of a hiker you are, I'd give yourself about 60-90 mins to reach the viewpoint. There are a few signs here and there but all in Japanese if I recall. Here's the route:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/35.2991991,134.8358953/35.2875952,134....

Thank you so much for that map link! I'll be sure to save it to my phone for reference.

I'm planning to arrive at Takeda station at around 5:30am (since that's the earliest train I can get from Wadayama, where I'm staying). I'm guessing there's no taxis hanging around that early?

Glad you confirmed that the view is indeed better :D Were you able to catch the unkai?

Thanks!!

I'm planning to arrive at Takeda station at around 5:30am (since that's the earliest train I can get from Wadayama, where I'm staying). I'm guessing there's no taxis hanging around that early?

Good question. I don't know if it's possible at that time, but considering most of the people that arrived when I was there didn't get there until around 6:30 means that I wouldn't count on there being a taxi.

Glad you confirmed that the view is indeed better :D Were you able to catch the unkai?

I don't think it was true unkai, since the valley wasn't filled with clouds, but the flow of clouds did allow for some nice pictures. I'm glad I went.

Thank you for all the information!
I'm thinking of going next weekend, and wonder whether it would be too late to even catch passing cloud if I arrived at Takeda Stn at 7.18am, and reach Rutsuunkyo 1 hour later? Are there clouds all day, typically?
Thanks!

Also impressive is the unkai in Echizen Ono Castle.

http://www.onocastle.net/

I actually came back already,but I'm planning to go back again next year, so I will definitely add that castle to my list :D thanks!