* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Maruoka Castle
丸岡城
Maruoka Castle is a historic castle in Chūbu dating from the Built in 1576 (Tenshō 4), whose lord was Shibata Katsutoyo / Arima clan.
Overview
About the Castle
Maruoka Castle was built by Shibata Katsutoyo, nephew of Oda Nobunaga's trusted general Shibata Katsuie, in Tenshō 4 (1576). It possesses extremely high historical value as one of the oldest surviving keeps in Japan. At the time, Katsuie was serving as commander-in-chief of the Hokuriku region under Nobunaga's orders, suppressing the Ikkō Ikkki uprisings, and Maruoka Castle was constructed as a forward base for these operations. Though modest in scale as a two-story, three-floor keep, the significance of a Sengoku-era castle surviving intact cannot be overstated. Its most distinctive feature is the stone-tiled roof constructed from shakudani stone.
Architecture and Structure
Unlike ordinary clay tiles, the stone tiles fashioned from the pale gray-blue shakudani stone quarried in Fukui are a practical structure capable of withstanding the heavy snows of Hokuriku, while also possessing a unique beauty that shifts to blue-green when wetted by rain. The keep's interior preserves the steep staircases and thick pillars of its original construction, allowing visitors to directly experience the austere atmosphere of the Sengoku period. The keep collapsed in the 1948 Fukui earthquake, but was reconstructed in Shōwa 30 (1955) with maximum reuse of original materials. Known by the poetic name "Kasumigajō" (Mist Castle), approximately 400 Somei Yoshino cherry trees transform the castle into pale pink each spring, and it has been designated as one of Japan's 100 Famous Cherry Blossom Spots.
Battles and Military History
The famous shortest letter in Japan—"Ichifude Keijoujō / Kare-no-yōjin / O-Sen nakasuna / Uma koyase"—was sent from the field by Tokugawa retainer Honda Shigenotsugu (also called Onisakeza) to his wife. The "O-Sen" mentioned in the letter was later the first daimyo of Maruoka domain, Honda Narashige. In commemoration of this anecdote, an annual contest for "Japan's Shortest Letter" is held in the castle town. Though small, Maruoka Castle's keep, bearing authentic history within, offers visitors direct contact with the spirit of the Sengoku period in a way that larger castle complexes cannot provide. The steep staircases inside the keep are angled so steeply that one must grasp a rope to ascend—allowing visitors to physically experience the practical castle structures of the Sengoku era.
Culture and Craftsmanship
Maruoka Castle embodies "unadorned beauty," and its austere form silently conveys the aesthetic of the samurai to us today. The pale gray-blue of the shakudani stone tiles that have weathered the wind and snow of Echizen develops greater depth and character with the passage of time. As one of Japan's oldest surviving keeps, Maruoka Castle's keep is being considered for National Treasure designation in 2024, and its historical significance is expected to continue rising. This keep, small yet bearing authentic history, teaches us the very origins of Japanese castle architecture. Maruoka Castle is also illuminated at night, and the stone-tiled keep glowing in darkness reveals an ethereal beauty quite different from its daytime appearance.
Connection to Swords
Shibata Katsutoyo, who built Maruoka Castle, was the nephew of Oda Nobunaga's top general Shibata Katsuie, and erected this fortress as a base for pacifying Hokuriku. Echizen Province (present-day Fukui) has been a noted sword-producing region since ancient times, with the Echizen tradition tracing back to Chiyozuru Kuniyasu. The legacy of Echizen forged blades lives on in modern Echizen City's renowned cutlery industry. During the Edo period, Echizen Yasutsugu served as official swordsmith to the Tokugawa, granted the rare privilege of inscribing the hollyhock crest on his blades. The area around Maruoka Castle forms part of the Echizen sword culture zone, and a combined visit with the Ichijōdani Asakura Clan Ruins Museum deepens understanding of Echizen's martial history.
Highlights
- Extant tower (Important Cultural Property, among the oldest)
- Distinctive stone-tiled roof
- Cherry blossoms at Kasumigajō Park
- Museum of Japan's shortest letter
- Ichijōdani Asakura Clan Ruins (about 40 min by car)
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.