The typical story-line is a major Japanese town had a historic castle that protected its residents, but was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt afterwards.
Atami is a bit different. It is entirely new - built in 1959 on a hill overlooking the city. Its construction was a response to the tourism boom at the time.
The easiest way to reach the castle is to take the cable car from next to the main ferry terminal.
It is a short ride up but you still need to hike a short distance up a staircase, past a sex museum, and up a slope. There is a wide platform next to the cable car offering beautiful views already.
There is also an open area in front of the castle where you can enjoy good views in between the trees. I wasn't interested in going inside the castle though. It seems like a Disneyland attraction and the building itself is not historic either. Nevertheless, it's still worth coming up for the view.
