Marugame Castle

What to know

Marugame Castle (丸亀城, Marugamejō), also known as Kameyama Castle, is a hilltop castle in Marugame City. Perched atop steep stone walls, it offers commanding views of the city below and overlooks one of the narrowest stretches of the Seto Inland Sea—a strategic position that once controlled key shipping routes in the region.

Marugame Castle is one of only twelve castles in Japan that have survived the post-feudal era (since 1868) with their original keeps intact.

Originally built between 1597 and 1602 by Ikoma Chikamasa—the feudal lord who also constructed Tamamo Castle in nearby Takamatsu—Marugame Castle was dismantled just 13 years later due to a shogunate policy limiting each province to one castle. It was rebuilt in 1660 after the province was split in two. Over the centuries, many of its buildings were lost to fires, leaving only the original keep and several gates standing today.

Now the centerpiece of Kameyama Park, a large public park covering the original castle grounds in the heart of Marugame City, the castle invites visitors to climb a steep road through multiple defensive circles to reach its small, three-story keep. The effort is rewarded with panoramic views over Marugame and the Seto Inland Sea. The keep is open to the public and houses a small museum.

The castle grounds are also one of the region's most famous cherry blossom spots, with nearly 1,000 cherry trees planted around the walls and keep. The blossoms are usually at their best from late March to early April, and an annual cherry blossom festival is held on the grounds.

The entrance to Marugame Castle is about a 15-minute walk south of Marugame Station. Several buses also run between the station and the Marugamejo-mae bus stop in front of the castle (5 minutes, 200 yen, multiple buses per hour).