Marugame is part of the so-called “Authentic Dozen,” a group of twelve castles whose donjons have survived to the present day without major reconstructions since the Edo period.
After Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s forces conquered the island of Shikoku in 1587, Sanuki Province was granted to Ikoma Chikamasa (1526–1603). He initially settled in Hiketa Castle, but its location at the far eastern edge of the province made it difficult to govern all of Sanuki. For this reason, in 1590 Chikamasa built a new residence, Takamatsu Castle, located farther west along the coast.
In 1597, Marugame Castle was constructed on Mount Kameyama, a hill about 66 meters high, approximately 30 kilometers west of Takamatsu. After the construction was completed, Chikamasa moved there, appointing his son as the castellan of Takamatsu Castle.
During the Sekigahara Campaign in 1600, Chikamasa supported the Western Coalition, but at the same time he sent his son, Ikoma Kazumasa, to fight on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu. As a result of the Eastern Coalition’s victory, the Ikoma clan retained its rights to Sanuki Province. During this period, Chikamasa once again moved to Takamatsu Castle. In 1615, in accordance with the Tokugawa shogunate’s decree of “one province, one castle,” Marugame Castle was abandoned. Today, only partially preserved stone walls on the eastern slope of the hill remain as reminders of this stage in the castle’s history.
In 1640, a conflict broke out within the Ikoma clan, prompting intervention by the Tokugawa shogunate, after which the Ikoma holdings were confiscated. The following year, these lands were granted to Yamazaki Ieharu (1594–1648), who was known as a capable administrator and castle builder. He received them in part as a reward for his achievements during the reconstruction of Osaka Castle and for his participation in suppressing the Shimabara Rebellion.
Although the Yamazaki clan was small and largely unknown, it was renowned for its talented fortification architects, who were considered on par with figures such as Kato Kiyomasa and Todo Takatora. Castles built by the Yamazaki, including Wakasa Oniga, Nariwa, and Tomioka, impressed contemporaries with the scale and strength of their stone structures.
After gaining control of Sanuki Province, the Yamazaki clan decided to construct a well-fortified castle on the site of the ruins of Marugame. Ieharu built some of the tallest stone walls in Japan at the time and also promoted the development of the castle town.
In 1657, the Yamazaki clan lost Sanuki Province because it was left without an heir. The remaining members of the clan were relocated to Nariwa Castle, which had previously belonged to them. The following year, the Kyogoku clan was transferred to Marugame from Tatsuno Castle. Earlier, this clan had served as governors of Wakasa Province with their seat at Obama Castle, and in 1634 they were moved to Matsue Castle. In 1637, the Kyogoku clan also found itself without an heir and was demoted, after which it was relocated to Tatsuno with a reduced income. After settling in Marugame, the Kyogoku clan undertook a large-scale reconstruction of the castle. The donjon that has survived to the present day was built in 1660. The complete reconstruction of the castle complex was finished by 1670, and in the same year the masugata gate complex of the Otemon, which still survives today, was constructed.
The castle is arranged on three levels. At the top of the hill were the main bailey, the honmaru, and the second bailey, the ninomaru. Below them lay the third bailey, the sannomaru, and farther down was the outer bailey, which was surrounded by water-filled moats. The total area of the castle grounds was approximately 500,000 square meters.
The upper half of the hill is completely reinforced with ishigaki stone walls, giving it the appearance of a stone pyramid. In some sections, the height of these walls exceeds 20 meters.
The tenshu donjon is located in the northern part of the main bailey and takes the form of a tower with three tiers and three floors. It belongs to the simplest dokuritsushiki type, as it has no additional attached structures.
The Kyogoku clan ruled the castle until the end of the Edo period. In 1869, a fire destroyed several towers. In 1871, in line with the policies of the new Meiji government, the castle was abandoned and transferred to the Japanese army. In 1877, many of the structures were dismantled, and only the donjon and the Ote Ichinomon and Ote Ninomom gates have survived to the present day. All three structures are designated as Important Cultural Properties.
In 1919, the upper part of the hill was purchased by the city of Marugame, and Kameyama Park was opened there. In 1943, the castle’s donjon was designated a “National Treasure” under the old Law for the Protection of National Treasures. In 1950, the donjon was dismantled, restored, and reassembled. In 2006, the Japan Castle Foundation (Nihon Jokaku Kyokai) included Marugame Castle on its list of the “100 Fine Castles of Japan.” The castle grounds are designated a National Historic Site. Marugame Castle is also known by the names Kameyama and Horai.
See also
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Okayama Castle
According to a number of accounts, the earliest fortifications on the site of present-day Okayama Castle appeared as early as the 14th century and were built by the Nawa clan. The Asahigawa River was used as a natural defensive barrier, protecting one side of the fortifications.
In the early 16th century, the Kanamitsu clan constructed a new castle here, which at the time was known as Ishiyama. In 1573, it came under the control of the Ukita clan, after which Ukita Naoie (1529–1582) launched large-scale reconstruction efforts. He did not live to see the work completed, and construction was continued by his son Hideie. -
Nagahama Castle
Hashiba, later known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, received Odani Castle and the surrounding lands from Oda Nobunaga after the defeat of the Azai clan. However, Odani Castle was located high in the mountains, which made it poorly suited for the effective administration of the territory. For this reason, in 1575 Hideyoshi began constructing a new castle in the village of Imahama on the shore of Lake Biwa. Taking the character naga from Nobunaga’s name, he renamed both the village and the new castle Nagahama.
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Kokura Castle
Kokura Castle is traditionally considered to have been founded by Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563–1645), although by the time the Hosokawa clan came to control these lands, the fortification had already existed since at least 1569 and was most likely built by members of the Mori clan.
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Ikeda Castle
In 1334, Ikeda Noriyoshi built a small fort on this site, which over time was repeatedly expanded and rebuilt. During the Ōnin War of 1467–1477, the Ikeda clan supported the Western Coalition. As a result, Ikeda Castle was attacked and captured by the forces of the Eastern Coalition, but it was soon recaptured, allowing it to avoid serious destruction.
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Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle
Aizu-Wakamatsu is the most powerful and at the same time the oldest castle in the Tōhoku region in the north of Honshu Island. Its history begins in the 14th century and is closely connected with the Ashina clan, whose members claimed descent from the legendary Taira family.
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Maruoka Castle
Maruoka Castle is located in the central part of the former city of Maruoka, which is now part of the city of Sakai. This area lies in the northeastern part of Fukui Prefecture. The castle was built on the bank of the Kuzuryu River, on the side opposite Fukui City, which once served as the administrative center of the former Echizen Province. Thanks to its location, Maruoka held significant strategic importance, as it controlled two major routes at once: the Hokurikudo highway leading from Kaga Province and the Mino Kaido road connecting these lands with Mino Province.
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Iyo Matsuyama Castle
Historically, the center of Iyo Province—corresponding to today’s Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku—was the city of Imabari, while the Matsuyama area was regarded as an agricultural hinterland with broad plains and low hills. During the Muromachi period, the central part of the province was governed by the Kano clan from Yuzuki Castle. With the onset of the Sengoku period, however, this clan lost its former influence and was forced to survive in the shadow of the more powerful Mori and Chōsokabe clans. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s forces conquered Shikoku in 1587, the northern part of Iyo Province was granted to Fukushima Masanori, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake.” In 1595, Masanori was transferred to Kiyosu Castle, and the lands around Matsuyama were given to another of the Seven Spears, Katō Yoshiaki, who received Masaki Castle and an income of 60,000 koku of rice.
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Kanazawa Castle
Construction of Kanazawa Castle began in 1580 on the orders of Sakuma Morimasa, a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. The castle was built on the site of the Ikko-ikki sect's Oyama Gobo temple, which is why it is sometimes called Oyama Castle. Morimasa managed to build several moats and begin construction of a castle town. However, after his defeat at the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, he was executed, and ownership of the castle passed to Maeda Toshiie (1538–1599).
