Castle Town Faces the Seto Inland Sea,
Marugame City is an area of Kagawa Prefecture that faces the Seto Inland Sea, and was historically the castle town of Marugame Castle. There are many historical buildings and modern tourist facilities. The city is also famous for its "Sanuki Udon" and "bone-in chicken" dishes. Marugame is a historic area that has been an important point for maritime traffic since ancient times, and since Marugame Castle was built in the 17th century, it developed into a prosperous castle town. Marugame City also includes remote islands in the Seto Inland Sea.
Marugame Castle is located in the south of the city. It is one of the 100 top-rated castles in Japan with a history spanning approximately 400 years. It is also known as the smallest castle in the country and has the finest stone wall. The castle is designated as an important cultural asset, as it is one of only 12 castles with a keep tower dating to before the Edo period. When the weather is fine, the castle tower provides a panoramic view of the splendid Seto Inland Sea scenery, together with the Seto Ohashi Bridge that reaches to the opposite shore of Okayama.
The Shiwaku Islands are made up of 28 small and large islands and acted as a base for the Shiwaku navy that rose to prominence during the period of warring states. To cope with the rapid, tangled current of the Inland Sea, the navy developed high-level navigation skills and became one of the most powerful navies in Japan. Although it is a quiet fishing village today, there still exists a historical streetscape with beautiful traditional houses in Honjima, where you can soak up the atmosphere of traditional Japan.
Marugame Castle is located in the south of the city. It is one of the 100 top-rated castles in Japan with a history spanning approximately 400 years. It is also known as the smallest castle in the country and has the finest stone wall. The castle is designated as an important cultural asset, as it is one of only 12 castles with a keep tower dating to before the Edo period. When the weather is fine, the castle tower provides a panoramic view of the splendid Seto Inland Sea scenery, together with the Seto Ohashi Bridge that reaches to the opposite shore of Okayama.
The Shiwaku Islands are made up of 28 small and large islands and acted as a base for the Shiwaku navy that rose to prominence during the period of warring states. To cope with the rapid, tangled current of the Inland Sea, the navy developed high-level navigation skills and became one of the most powerful navies in Japan. Although it is a quiet fishing village today, there still exists a historical streetscape with beautiful traditional houses in Honjima, where you can soak up the atmosphere of traditional Japan.
