Marugame Castle
Marugame Castle
4
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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4.0
462 reviews
Excellent
145
Very good
230
Average
82
Poor
4
Terrible
1
ART196
244 contributions
Jul 2016 • Solo
To create Marugame Castle an entire hill was encased in towering ishigaki (stone wall) and ringed by a moat. With scant room for large trees to grow, these resplendent walls rise in tiers above the surrounding town like some tremendous ziggurat. Marugamejō contains an original tenshukaku (main keep) which has stood undaunted by the centuries, unperturbed by the crawl of history, maintaining its hegemony over its old domain, and with lordly mien surveying generation after generation of the town, taking within its purview samurai and salaryman alike. Needless to say I was quite impressed with this castle.
Features:
- the original Tenshukaku, one of 12 left in Japan (there were about 56 left after the Meiji Restoration and maybe 20 or so – I haven’t worked it out yet – left before the Pacific War). Marugame’s tenshukaku was built in 1660.
- all major types of ishigaki constructed are evident at the castle: nozura-zumi, uchikomi-hagi and kirikomi-hagi.
- Ōteichinomon and Ōteninomon (first and secondary main gate) form a masugata defensive courtyard (or “kill pit” as I affectionately call them).
- Genkansaki go’mon , Bansho (guards’ house) and Nagaya (long house), forming what’s left of the go’ten (palace for the lord).
History:
Ruling from Takamatsujō to the east, Ikoma Chikamasa, Lord of Sanuki Province, was the first to build up Marugame castle, but the “one castle per country” ordinance meant that it was decommissioned soon after. After the large Daimyate of the Ikoma was broken up, Yamazaki Ieharu received land here and built the castle we see today. The castle town was subsequently developed. From 1658 to the Meiji Restoration, the Kyōgoku Clan ruled. Most of the castle’s buildings were destroyed y fire in 1869 (probably due to neglect) and then demolished by Meiji authorities in 1870.
There is a quaint story that Marugamejō’s stonewalls were built by a master ishigaki designer called Hasaka Juzaburō. Juzaburō was known to work only in his loincloth throughout the entire day. The Lord of the castle when he looked upon Juzaburō’s work marvelled and proclaimed “Juzaburō, these walls are the most impressive I’ve ever seen, they are most certainly impossible to climb!” But Juzaburō smiled and said “Actually, my lord, I built these walls and I know how to climb them.” So saying he proved it by scrambling up a section of the stone wall. The Lord was surprised and fear flitted across his brow.
Not long after, Juzaburō was asked by his lord to descend the 65 meter well in the Ninomaru bailey for research purposes. Juzaburō went down as ordered to inspect the well, but after he had descended the lord ordered stones hurled down the well, killing Juzaburō. The castellan had been worried that Juzaburō could betray the secret of scaling Marugamejō’s ishigaki to the enemy and bring ruin to the castle.
There is another legend, this one a ghost story, concerning the well in the Sannomaru bailey, which descends 56 meters. It is said that during the construction of the castle terrible rains prevented work from progressing. One rainy night whilst the workers were sheltering, a man came by with a cart shouting “Tofu! Tofu for sale!” The builders kidnapped him and shut him up behind a wall at the bottom of the well as a sacrifice in the hopes that the rain would abate and they could proceed with construction. Or perhaps they were just sick of Tofu. Either way, it is told that on rainy nights one can here the muffled moan of an old vendor calling “Tofu, Tofu…” as though it were coming from beneath the castle…
Features:
- the original Tenshukaku, one of 12 left in Japan (there were about 56 left after the Meiji Restoration and maybe 20 or so – I haven’t worked it out yet – left before the Pacific War). Marugame’s tenshukaku was built in 1660.
- all major types of ishigaki constructed are evident at the castle: nozura-zumi, uchikomi-hagi and kirikomi-hagi.
- Ōteichinomon and Ōteninomon (first and secondary main gate) form a masugata defensive courtyard (or “kill pit” as I affectionately call them).
- Genkansaki go’mon , Bansho (guards’ house) and Nagaya (long house), forming what’s left of the go’ten (palace for the lord).
History:
Ruling from Takamatsujō to the east, Ikoma Chikamasa, Lord of Sanuki Province, was the first to build up Marugame castle, but the “one castle per country” ordinance meant that it was decommissioned soon after. After the large Daimyate of the Ikoma was broken up, Yamazaki Ieharu received land here and built the castle we see today. The castle town was subsequently developed. From 1658 to the Meiji Restoration, the Kyōgoku Clan ruled. Most of the castle’s buildings were destroyed y fire in 1869 (probably due to neglect) and then demolished by Meiji authorities in 1870.
There is a quaint story that Marugamejō’s stonewalls were built by a master ishigaki designer called Hasaka Juzaburō. Juzaburō was known to work only in his loincloth throughout the entire day. The Lord of the castle when he looked upon Juzaburō’s work marvelled and proclaimed “Juzaburō, these walls are the most impressive I’ve ever seen, they are most certainly impossible to climb!” But Juzaburō smiled and said “Actually, my lord, I built these walls and I know how to climb them.” So saying he proved it by scrambling up a section of the stone wall. The Lord was surprised and fear flitted across his brow.
Not long after, Juzaburō was asked by his lord to descend the 65 meter well in the Ninomaru bailey for research purposes. Juzaburō went down as ordered to inspect the well, but after he had descended the lord ordered stones hurled down the well, killing Juzaburō. The castellan had been worried that Juzaburō could betray the secret of scaling Marugamejō’s ishigaki to the enemy and bring ruin to the castle.
There is another legend, this one a ghost story, concerning the well in the Sannomaru bailey, which descends 56 meters. It is said that during the construction of the castle terrible rains prevented work from progressing. One rainy night whilst the workers were sheltering, a man came by with a cart shouting “Tofu! Tofu for sale!” The builders kidnapped him and shut him up behind a wall at the bottom of the well as a sacrifice in the hopes that the rain would abate and they could proceed with construction. Or perhaps they were just sick of Tofu. Either way, it is told that on rainy nights one can here the muffled moan of an old vendor calling “Tofu, Tofu…” as though it were coming from beneath the castle…
Written 13 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul R
Brisbane347 contributions
Jan 2013 • Couples
This castle was built to defend Kagawa from sea invasion, so it is built very high and therefore it is a steep walk to the castle itself. It is surrounded by a water filled moat and local gardens for children to play; a baseball pitch, and beautiful swans gliding around the moat. Take it easy and do visit. Tickets can be purchased from the shop at the bottom just inside the main gates.
Written 9 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike W
8 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
Marugame castle is 15 minutes from the JR station. Easy day trip from Kurashiki. Not buckingham palace, but very historic. Excellent local food choices in town.
Written 22 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D L
Hong Kong, China358 contributions
Dec 2016
The interior of the castle costs admission fee, yet it is very empty without many exhibits. I am not saying this because I do not understand the Japanese words, but because there really is limited information boards, so it is not worth the money.
The whole castle park itself is very good. We visited in mid-December and there were still red autumn leaves everywhere. The park should also have sakura since we spotted a few dots of tiny sakura flowers when we visited (not joking!). The park is mostly empty because the only facilities found are the castle, tourist centre, a museum (closed when we visited) and the trees.
Not so nice to visit on a rainy day because the paths can get muddy...
The whole castle park itself is very good. We visited in mid-December and there were still red autumn leaves everywhere. The park should also have sakura since we spotted a few dots of tiny sakura flowers when we visited (not joking!). The park is mostly empty because the only facilities found are the castle, tourist centre, a museum (closed when we visited) and the trees.
Not so nice to visit on a rainy day because the paths can get muddy...
Written 28 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jan C. Weirauch
Onna-son, Japan118 contributions
Mar 2016 • Family
I walked up there yesterday with my family it's undoubtedly the highlight in the area.
Cherry blossoms starting to come out now at the end of March which gives a very beautiful scenery.
Cherry blossoms starting to come out now at the end of March which gives a very beautiful scenery.
Written 28 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JapanExpress
Ermelo, The Netherlands8 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
A charming small castle dates from 1644. Perky built on a manmade hill, sixty meters in height and surrounded by a moat, right in the middle of the city. It offers a magnificent panoramic
view. To the West, we see a great plain, with an exceptionally beautiful symmetrical volcano, Ii-no-yama, with a height of 420
meters, towering on the other side of the plain.
view. To the West, we see a great plain, with an exceptionally beautiful symmetrical volcano, Ii-no-yama, with a height of 420
meters, towering on the other side of the plain.
Written 25 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary B
Shinjuku, Japan253 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
Marugame is a fantastic little castle, one of the 12 originals in Japan. It is good walk a bit hot and humid in July, with a great view of the city. Got some wonderful photos even with it being overcast.
Written 20 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jimcraw74
London, UK29 contributions
Feb 2020
Lovely looking Castle with spectacular 360 degree views of the surrounding area.
Bit of a steep climb but well worth the effort.
Nice gentle flat walk from Marugame Station.
Bit of a steep climb but well worth the effort.
Nice gentle flat walk from Marugame Station.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rinn_Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia549 contributions
Oct 2019
I visited this castle as a side trip of the Triennial Setouchi International Art festival, when both the castle and the Great Seto Bridge had illumination. There are not may places in Shikoku that offer great night view with easy public transportation access. This place is one of them! Well worth the effort to come to Marugame and climb up the slopes for a great view of the Great Seto Bridge.
Written 16 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robina
Perth, Australia404 contributions
Sept 2019
Taking a tour from the Cruise ship. The enormous walls surrounding the castle are original but the castle at the top was rebuilt in the 1950's. Still it is well worth the effort to mount the very steep sides and reach the castle with the great panorama from the top. Entrance to the castle is at a charge. I would recommend the climb only for the fit folk. The road is a hard surface but extremely steep. The moat still contains water and is home to numerous turtles.
Best thing to take home is memories and photographs of the great views.
Best thing to take home is memories and photographs of the great views.
Written 15 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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