Have you ever heard of Taketa City in Oita Prefecture? If you are looking for something different from artificial tourist attractions, Taketa is a place for you to go. It takes about 150min by car from Hakata Station to get there. Taketa is abundant in amazing landscapes. For example, the Kuju Highland is breathtakingly beautiful especially when you go off the main roads. Furthermore, the ruins of Oka Castle are famous all over Japan. The castle`s main structures were torn down due to the Meiji restoration. Its grand stone walls which still stand there were built with astonishing technique, making the castle ruins outstanding up to today.From the 325m high plateau near the castle, you can get a spectacular view. Once a year, Chikuraku (Taketa Bamboo Lantern Festival) is held. More than 20,000 lanterns create a romantic and kind of mysterious atmosphere. A unique festival you shouldn`t miss. Taketa also has Onsen to offer. Nagayu Hot Spring are highly carbonated and popular.