🗺️ Maruoka Castle丸岡城

Maruoka Castle was built during the Sengoku period. In 1576 (Tenshō 4), Shibata Katsuie, under the orders of Oda Nobunaga, had his nephew and adopted son, Shibata Katsuie, construct it. During the Edo period, Honda Narimune became the new lord of the castle and established the Maruoka Domain. Subsequently, the Arima clan entered the castle and governed the domain from this stronghold for eight generations. It is one of the oldest architectural styles among the existing tenshu (keep) in Japan and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property. Constructed during the Edo period, specifically in the Kan'ei era (1624–1644), the two-story, three-floor independent watchtower-style tenshu stands about 12 meters tall. It is characterized by its excellent drainage function, featuring "yamen" stone walls and the only stone-tiled roof among existing tenshu. There are no supporting pillars between the first floor and the second and third floors; instead, the entire first floor supports the upper levels. Notable features include "ishiotoshi" (stone drops) and "hazama" (gun holes) designed to prevent enemy invasion. The steep staircase with a maximum angle of 67 degrees is also quite rare in the country. Visitors can actually ascend to the highest floor and carefully explore various parts of the interior. Additionally, the view from the ceiling of the highest level is excellent, allowing for a distant view of the Sakai Plain and the Mikuni Hills to the west.

One of Japan's "Twelve Existing Castles." There is a service for storing hand luggage (coin-operated lockers). With a ticket to Maruoka Castle, you can enter the nearby "Ichibitsu Kijō Nihon Saishō Shoshinkan" for free.