The ruins of Marugame Castle are located approximately one kilometer to the south from Marugame Station on the Iyo Line. The top picture shows Marugame Castle from a train on Iyo Line. If you walk approximately fifteen minutes from Marugame Station, you will arrive at the outer moat of Marugame Castle.

You will see the Main Castle Tower of Marugame Castle on the top of Mt. Kameyama from the outer moat. "Otemon" Gate, the main gate, is located along the moat.

"Otemon" Gate of Marugame Castle has the "Masukata-Mon" Gate style, which has the square area between the two gates. The first gate is "Koraimon" Gate shown in the below left picture and the second gate, shown in the below right, is "Yaguramon" Style Gate, which has a gate building above the gate.

The square area is surrounded by tall stone walls. The enemies who enter into the square area are easily attacked by solders who protect the castle.

The gate building was used as a warehouse for weapons, like spears and matchlock guns. The inside of the gate building is very simple and rustic.

If you walk to the right after passing through the main gate, you will see the gate for the palace building. The palace building was located, behind the gate.

If you walk to the left after passing through the main gate, the long steep slope continues to the third bailey.

The tall stone walls on the left of the slop shown in the above picture is the East Stone Walls of the Third Bailey. You will see the third bailey and Mt. Iino from the top of the East Stone Walls. Mt. Iino is also called Mt. Sanuki-Fuji, because of cone shape.

From the third bailey, you will see the stone walls, which surrounds the second bailey.

If you walk around the third bailey, you will see the main Castle Tower of Marugame Castle. Marugame Castle has four stages of stone walls from the bottom to the main bailey on the top of Mt. Kameyama.

The height of these four stages of stone walls is approximately sixty meters and they are the tallest stone walls in total among all the castles in Japan.

To the second Bailey, you will go through the main gate of the second bailey. The steep slope continues to the second bailey.

The Main Castle Tower of Marugame Castle from the second bailey. You will look down the third bailey from the second bailey.

Finally, you will approach to the main bailey.

The main bailey of Marugame Castle is located on the top of Mt. Kameyama, which altitude is sixty-six meters in height. The Main Castle Tower is located in the main Bailey. It was built in 1660. It is the smallest Main Castle Tower among the twelve existing Main Castle Tower from the Edo Age.

The Main Castle Tower of Marugame Castle has less decoration compared with other Main Castle Towers built in the Edo Age. As the Edo Bakufu, the central government in Japan during the Edo Age, prohibited to build a Main Castle Tower in 1615, there is an opinion that this is not a Main Castle Tower, but a turret.

The Main Castle Tower is open for the public. As the Main Castle Tower has less windows, inside the tower is dark. It is also very simple and simple and rustic.

You will look down on the downtown Marugame from the Main Castle Tower. This view is very impressive.

The Main Castle Tower of Marugame Castle and two gate buildings of "Otemon" Gate are designated as important properties of Japan. Marugame Castle is one of three castles which have both the existing Main Castle Tower and the "Otemon" Gate. Other two castles are Hirosaki and Kochi Castles.

Marugame Castle is an epoch-making castle which has the original Main Castle Tower, the tallest stone walls. The view of the main castle tower on the tall stone walls is really impressive.

How to get there
From Tokyo, take a Tokaido Shinkansen, "Nozomi" or a "Hikari" for Japan Rail Pass travelers to Okayama. Take a Limited Express "Shiokaze" to Marugame. Or, take the Limited Express "Sunrise Seto" from Tokyo to Sakaide. Change a local train to Marugame from Sakaide. Marugame Castle is walking distance from Marugame Station.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Ruins of Takamatsu Castle
Ritsurin Garden
Site of Sanuki-Kokubunji
Kotohira-Gu Shrine