Hamakaze to make special limited-time stop at Takeda Station

The Limited Express Hamakaze will make a stop at Takeda Station until the end of June to encourage visitors to the Takeda Castle Ruins, one of Japan's 100 famous castles. To commemorate this, JR-West has also designed a nameplate for the Limited Express Hamakaze. The nameplate features the Takeda Castle Ruins, which is located behind the station, 353.7m above sea level. To celebrate the event, a brief ceremony will take place on 27th April at Takeda Station which will include greetings from the mayor of Asago and congratulatory messages from Osaka and Himeji Castle.

The Hamakaze will stop at Takeda Station on weekends and public holidays from 27th April to 30th June. To facilitate visitors to the 'Castle in the Sky', there is also a tie-up with Zentan Bus which will run 8 round-trip 'Tenkuu Bus' (Sky Bus) shuttles from Takeda Station to the Takeda Castle Ruins on the days the Hamakaze stops at Takeda Station. A 10-min ride from Takeda Station to Yamajiro no Sato, (rest area with shops and restaurants) costs 200 yen, a 20-min ride to the ruins 250 yen. A round trip costs 500 yen.

Dates the Hamakaze will make a stop at Takeda Station
April 27, 28, 29
May 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
June 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30

Hamakaze 1 from Osaka Station departs at 09:38, arrives at Takeda Station at 11:43 and stops at terminal Hamasaka Station at 13:08

Hamakaze 4 from Hamasaka Station departs at 13:30, arrives at Takeda Station at 15:04 and stops at terminal Osaka Station at 17:05

Hamakaze 6 from Kasumi Station departs at 16:51, arrives at Takeda at 18:01 and stops at terminal Osaka Station at 20:05

Tenkuu Bus
Takeda Station
09:45, 10:40, 11:55, 12:40, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00

Yamajiro no Sato
09:55, 10:50, 12:05, 12:50, 14:10, 15:10, 16:10, 17:10

Takeda Castle Ruins
10:05, 11:00, 12:15, 13:00, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20

Back to Takeda Station
10:20, 11:15, 12:30, 13:15, 14:35, 15:35, 16:35, 17:35

JR West Press Release 1|2

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Took that first photo myself after hoofing it up what felt like a vertical 800m. I'd say skip the bus, and climb up to all the better feel the rewards of your exertion :)