Maruoka Castle

A castle in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, whose keep, built before the Edo period, still stands today. It is one of only 12 original castle keeps remaining in Japan and is designated a National Important Cultural Property. The plain keep on a low hill is also known as Kasumigajō and is loved as a place for cherry blossoms.

Admission and Hours

• Admission is ¥450 for adults and ¥150 for elementary and junior high school students (a combined ticket with the Museum of Japan's Shortest Letters)
• Hours are 8:30 to 17:00 (ticket sales until 16:30)

The Only Original Keep in the Hokuriku Region

The keep is a watchtower-style structure about 12 meters tall, two tiers on the outside and three floors within, standing on a wall of rough piled stone. Its roof uses tiles made of stone, a feature found only here among the surviving keeps. The steep stairs and small windows preserve the form of a castle from an earlier age.

Also Known as Kasumigajō

It is said to have been built in 1576 by Shibata Katsutoyo, a nephew of Shibata Katsuie. The name Kasumigajō, or Mist Castle, comes from a legend that mist rose to hide the castle during battle. Seen from the town below, the keep still presents a calm, composed figure.

Ippitsu Keijō, Japan's Shortest Letter

Maruoka is associated with the letter known as Japan's shortest, “Ippitsu keijō, hi no yōjin, O-Sen nakasu na, uma koyase.” It roughly means be careful with fire, do not make O-Sen cry, and feed the horses. The letter is said to have been sent by Honda Shigetsugu to his wife from the camp at the Battle of Nagashino, and the O-Sen in it is his son Honda Narishige, later the first lord of the Maruoka domain. A monument stands near the castle, and the Ippitsu Keijō Prize, which invites short letters from across Japan, continues today.

Recovery from the Earthquake

The keep collapsed in the 1948 Fukui Earthquake, but it was reassembled in 1955 using the original materials. Much of the fallen stonework and timber was reused as it was, and the keep is known as one that came back to life after the disaster.

A Famous Spot for Cherry Blossoms

About 400 Somei-yoshino cherry trees are planted around the castle, and it is listed among Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots. In April, the Maruoka Castle Cherry Blossom Festival is held, and you can enjoy the sight of the keep framed by blossoms.