Nationally Designated Historic Site

Marugame
CastleKirikomihagi Style
Stone Walls

Uchikomihagi Style
Stone Walls

Sharpened and refined stones
are used, and their joints areelaborately stacked with nogaps between them.
This can be seen in the Ote
Masugata and the Hinokidai
stone walls at the
Tochinogi-gate ruins south ofthe mountain.

The stone walls of Marugame
Castle are mainly built with thisconstruction method.
The stones were cut, processedand stacked.

Nozurazumi Style
Stone Walls

The castle
famous for
its stone walls
Various methods, such as“Nozurazumi”, “Uchikomihagi”,
and “Kirikomihagi” were used forthe stone walls of Marugame
castle. They were constructedlargely during the Yamazaki period,
which had the most remarkabletechniques for castle construction.
Stones with engraved marks suchas “△” and “田,” traces ofchiseling on the surface, and bore
holes used to cut the stones canbeen seen.

The 80-meter-long stone wall at
the foot of the southeast side of
the mountain. It can be partly
seen under the earthen wall on
the north side of the inner moat.

Engraved Markings

The stone walls of Marugamecastle have various kinds ofengravings such as “九”, “左”, “田” and “井”.

The legends related to the construction.
The Legend of the Ninomaru Water Well
The lord was satisfied with the completed stone
walls, saying, “No one except a flying bird could climb

marugame castle【Admission fee《Castle Tower》】
Adults / 400 yenChildren (junior high school students, and younger) / FreeGroup (20 people or more) 20% discount per person【Open《Castle Tower》】
9 : 00 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m. ※Last entry 4 : 00 p.m.

The Tragic Legend of Human Sacrifice
One evening in the pouring rain, construction
workers captured a tofu seller passing by the castle.

over it”. But Hasaka Juzaburo, a contributor to the

They put him in a hole and buried him alive as aconstruction of these stone walls climbed over them andhuman sacrifice for the castle. Since then, it is said

proclaimed, “I can climb them with an iron bar”. When thethat the weeping voice of the sacrificed tofu sellerlord saw this, fearing that he would defect to the enemy, hecan be heard on rainy nights.

ordered a fake investigation of the well. While inside, aENGLISH

stone was thrown down the well onto Juzaburo, killing him.

01 Marugame Castle Souvenir ShopMarugame Castle Chronology

Castle and Surrounding Area Map(Within the Marugame Castle Information Center)

Not only the guide of the castle, but you can also get Marugame limited
souveniors!
Tel 0877-25-3881
closed Open all year round9 : 00 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m.

1587 Ikoma Chikamasa was appointed lord of Sanuki which had 170,006 *koku.
A koku is a unit of measurement defined as the rice quantity necessary to feed a person for one year.
1597

Chikamasa and his son, Kazumasa, began construction of Marugame Castle.

02 Uchiwa fan Workshop “Take (Bamboo)”1602 Marugame Castle was completed.
Kazumasa was transferred from Marugame Castle to Takamatsu Castle
and put the castle keeper in Marugame Castle.
1615

Marugame Castle was closed due to the One-Country-One-Castle Order.

1640 The Ikoma clan’s territory was confiscated and transferred to the Yajima Yuri Dewa Province.
And Marugame castle became under the custody of the Kato clan, the feudal lord of Iyo-Ozu.
1641

Skilled craftsmen demonstrate how to make an uchiwa and sell a wide
variety of them at the workshop in Marugame Castle.
The uchiwa hand making experience is very popular! (Reservations arerequired.)
10 : 00 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m. Tel 0877-25-3882 closed Open all year roundYamazaki Ieharu, the Lord of Tomioka Castle in Amakusa district,became a lord of 50,000 koku in western-Sanuki.

1643 Yamazaki Ieharu was granted a deferment of visitation for the year,

03 Marugame City Museum

01

Marugame Castle Souvenir Shop

（Within the Marugame Castle Information Center)02

Uchiwa fan Workshop “Take (Bamboo)”

03

Marugame City Museum

04

Marugame Castle
Comedy Rickshaw

and received 300 kan of silver from the shogunate (military dictator),

9 : 30 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m.

and began rebuilding Marugame Castle.
1657 The Yamazaki family died out.The Kato clan, feudal lord of Iyo-Ozu, was on duty.
1658 Takakazu Kyogoku became the feudal lord of Marugame,consisting of 60,067 koku, from Tatsuno, Banshu.

0877-22-5366

closedon Mondays,

04 Marugame Castle Comedy Rickshaw

1660 The Castle Tower was completed.
1670

Telnational holidays, during inventory periods and around the New Year.

The main entrance gate, “Otemon” was built.

1688 Construction began on the Kyogoku family villa on Nakazu,
the seaside of Shimokanakura village. (Nakazu Banshoen Garden)
1694 Takamochi Kyogoku became the third lord of the domain
and allotted 10,000 koku of Tadotsu to his older half brother.

The tour takes about 30 minutes to visit the photo spots while listening tothe driver's guide.
You can reserve at the Marugame Castle Tourist Information Center or bycalling 0877-22-0331.

1869 Akiyuki Kyogoku became the governor of the Marugame domain due to Hanseki-hokan.
The residence of the feudal lord was destroyed by fire.
1877

Such things as the turrets and some stone walls were demolished by this time.

MARUTASUMarugame City Hall

05 Akitora no Yakata

1943 The remaining Castle Tower was designated a National Treasure.
The tower became an Important Cultural Property due to an amendment to the law.
1953 The ruins of Marugame Castle are designated as a national historic site.
1957 The Otemon gate is designated as an Important Cultural Property.
1963 The entrance gate of Marugame Castle is designated as a cultural property by the prefecture.
1997 The 400th anniversary of the castle's construction was celebrated.
2018

The stone wall in the southwest corner of “Sannomaru” collapses in three stages.

Commemorative stamp 〜 Stomp the stamp located in the castle tower! 〜

An old house that is open as a public space.
There is an information corner, a civic gallery and restrooms.
10 : 00 a.m. ~ 5 : 30 p.m.

Tel0877-21-1511

closed33
21

on Wednesdays

Hotels06 Rental Bicycles
Just one minute from JR Marugame Station
There is a parking lot at Marugame castle
7 : 00 a.m. ~ 7 : 00 p.m. Tel 0877-25-1127

05
closed07 Tasuke Toro Stone LanternOpen all year round

Akitora no Yakata
204

HotelsElementary school1950 Demolition and repairs of the Castle Tower is completed.

Hotels“Tasuke Toro” is a symbol of Marugame Port, which was crowded withpilgrims heading to Konpira shrine.

06 Rental Bicycles

HotelsMarugame Genichiro-Inokuma
Museum of Contemporary Art(MIMOCA)

Hotels<< Nakazu Banshoen Garden >>JR Marugame Station

A large Japanese garden with a winding path aroundseveral ponds, created by Takatoyo Kyogoku, a feudal
lord of Margame, as his personal villa.
It also houses an art and ceramics gallery and a
Marugame uchiwa museum.
25-1 Nakazu, Marugame, Kagawa 763-0054
9 : 30 a.m. ~ 5 : 00 p.m. (Last entry 4 : 30 p.m.)
Tel0877-23-6326

closedon Wednesdays<<Marugame Uchiwa Museum>>2024/4/1 初版第 1 刷発行

Tourist information
for Marugame City(is found here)

General Incorporated Foundation
Marugame City Tourist Association
6-2 Shinmachi, Marugame 763-0045
TEL:0877-22-0331

9 : 30 a.m. ~ 5 : 00 p.m. (Last entry 4 : 30 p.m.)
Tel0877-24-7055

closedon Wednesdays

Tasuke Toro Stone Lantern
Hotels・Nakazu Banshoen Garden
・Marugame Uchiwa Museum
About 2 km to the west⇒

Marugame
Castle's
Official Website

A comprehensive museum for Marugame's traditional “Uchiwa” fan.
Rare documents, tools, and a variety of Marugame Uchiwa are on display.
You can experience how to make an uchiwa. (Reservations are required.)07

Stone Wall Route

Marugame Castle Guide Map

A walking course with a view of beautifull
the stone walls. It’s recommended to takethe Karamete route on the way backdown and stop by the stone wall
restoration PR pavilion and the museum.

07 Enjyukaku Bekkan

The shortest route

Karameteguchi

Required time : about 15 minutes fromthe Ote Gate.

Sannomaru

Karamete route
You can enjoy viewing the earlyNozurazumi style stone walls. There is afoundation stone said to be the remains of
the first Ote (entrance) Gate.

Honmaru

09

The collapsed stone wall restoration siteand stone wall restoration PR pavilion.

Photo Spot

08 Tenshu (Castle Tower)

Ninomaru

03 Marugame City Museum

06 Ogi no kobai

05 Mikaeri-Zaka Slope
02 Genkansaki gomon·Bansho·Nagaya

04

Marugame Castle
Tourist Information01

the first entrance gate (Ote ichinomon) /the second entrance gate (Ote ninomon)

marugame castle information map(Ote ichinomon)

02 Genkansaki gomon(the front gate of the feudal
lord’s residence)·

Bansho (the guard house)·
Nagaya (the row house)

04 Marugame Castle

05

Feel free to ask anything, such as whatsights to see around the castle and thetime required. Souvenirs and a work
shop “Take” are also located here.

Entering from the first entrance gateand going to the left, you’ll see a 10
degree slope 150m in length.
The slope turns to the right halfway up,
and the gradient becomes evensteeper.

Tourist Information

Mikaeri-Zaka Slope(Prefectural Tangible CulturalProperties : designated in 1963 )(Inside of Ote ichi no mon)08

Tenshu (Castle Tower)

One of the 12 existing wooden towers in Japan. The three-story, 15-meter-highstructure is believed to be the oldest wooden castle tower in Shikoku.
Kara style and Chidori style gables were arranged in a skillful way, and theelaborate design of the stone drop and wooden latticework on the north side are amust-see.

It was the front gate of the Kyogoku
family’s estate. It’s a Yakui style gate.
The Bansho and Nagaya adjoin to thisgate.
The area around the lawn and theMarugame City Museum was once theresidence of a feudal lord. Marugame
Castle is the only castle in Japan where
the front gate of the feudal lord’s
residence still remain.

09 The collapsed stone wall
restoration site andstone wall restoration
PR pavilion.
The stone walls that collapsed during
heavy rains on 2018 are being repaired.
You can look at photos and videos ofthis restoration from the initial collapse
to the present condition.

(Ote ninomon)

01

stone wall restoration PR pavilion.
Open 9 : 00 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m.
Free

Ote Ichi no mon·Ni no mon(National Important Cultural
Properties designated in 1957)

Ote Ichi no mon (the first gate)·Ni nomon (the second gate) that protect thefront of the castle were built around
1670.
The Ichi no mon on the inner side of thecastle is a turret gate with large pillars
and beams, and has the dignity of
being the main gate.
It is also called “Taiko mon (drum gate)”because clan members used to beatdrums to announce the time.
The ni no mon at the edge of the moat
is a Korai style gate, with a small tiled
roof so that the gate door is not wet
with rain even when the gate is open.
Ote Ichi no mon
Free Admission
9 : 00 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m.
Closed in rainy weather

06

The highest stone wallin Japan in total heightOgi no kobai

The gentle slope gradually becomes steeper towards the top, and the gracefulcurves of the stone wall, which arches at the top, resembles an open fan. The
stone walls are not only defensive but also beautiful.

03MarugameCity Museum

A permanent exhibition focuses on thehistory of Marugame Castle and thesurrounding feudal town, as well as
materials related to the successive
lords of Marugame Castle : The
Ikoma·Yamazaki·Kyogoku families.
You can also enjoy special exhibitions
that are held several times a year.
Open 9 : 30 a.m. ~ 4 : 30 p.m.
Free (special exhibitions require
admission fee)
Closed on Mondays, national holidays,
during inventory periods and around theNew Year.

Marugame Castle is famous for having the beautiful
stone walls in Japan. It was built on a Hirayamajiro, aflat top-mountain about 66 meters above sea level. It isalso called Kameyama-Jo, round shaped turtle castle.

Honmaru 66.3 m
Ninomaru 58.6 m
Sannomaru 50.5 m

07

Enjyukaku Bekkan

Part of the Kyogoku family’s residencein Azabu city, Tokyo, and its fittings
were donated and placed in the castle’s
San no maru area in 1933. The building
is simple but elegant, with sukiya-stylearchitecture and a ceiling made of asingle piece of yakusugi wood. “Shirohaku:” Since 2024 visitors can stayovernight and spend a leisurely time
experiencing the history and culture ofMarugame.

Lower end of thestone walls 29.5 m

The resurrected Marugame Castle 〜 Marugame History Experience Free App 〜
This App allows you to experience a CG reconstruction ofMarugame Castle during the Edo period.
After installing the app, hold the device over a desired
spot within the castle, you can see the turrets standing onstone walls (Marugame Castle VR reconstruction), takecommemorative photos with historical figures related to Marugame Castle (AR), andenjoy explanations about Marugame Castle and the surrounding cultural assets.

Just search Marugame Castle!