Marugame Castle

Marugame Castle is located on Kameyama hill at the center of the city of Marugame, in western Sanuki Province. It was ruled by different clans during the Muromachi period such as Kagawa, Miyoshi and Chosokabe, but was conquered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Sengoku period. Hideyoshi awarded the area to Ikoma Chikamasa in 1587, who first built Hiketa Castle and later Takamatsu Castle, but he built Marugame Castle as stronghold for control of western Sanuki. After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Ikoma clan were confirmed in their holdings in Sanuki Province but Marugame Castle was abolished in 1615 due to the law which allowed each domain only one castle. In 1640, the Ikoma clan was demoted and their holdings were divided, the area around Marugame was awarded to Yamazaki Ieharu who rebuilt the castle with 20-meter stone walls. The castle was considered completed in 1670 and was ruled by the Kyogoku clan till the end of the Edo period. The castle was destroyed in 1869 and 1876, only the tenshu and central portion of the castle were preserved and it was opened to the public in 1919 as "Kameyama Park". It was listed as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006.