Beautiful in Every Season: The “Castle of the Mist”, One of Japan’s 100 Finest ‘Hanami’ Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots
Jul 06, 2020
Fukui History Fascinates Me!
The Maruoka Castle in Sakai City is definitely a must-see for history buffs, architecture lovers and everyone else who gets the chance to visit!
The Maruoka Castle was built in 1576 and, as an important piece in the history of Japanese architecture, was nationally designated as an Important Cultural Property.
The castle is beautiful in every season! I went during a clear autumn day and could enjoy the lovely fall leaves.
One of Japan’s 100 Finest Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots!
And as the 400 or so ‘sakura’ cherry trees come into bloom in spring, the castle appears to be floating.
Thus, it is also known as the “Castle of the Mist”. Maruoka Castle is now considered one of Japan’s 100 finest cherry blossom viewing ‘hanami’ locations.
Also One of the Only 12 Castles in Japan That Have Kept Their Original Donjon!
Maruoka Castle is the smallest of just twelve castles remaining in Japan that have survived the post feudal ages with their original donjon.
However, many things are unique to it!
These stairs, thought to be made difficult to climb for defense purposes, are the steepest in Japan according to our very nice volunteer guide, and have recently been featured on Japanese television because of it!
I have to admit it was a little challenging to climb up to the top of the castle tower, but the ropes hung from the ceiling helped a lot.
AndyLai / Shutterstock.com
A Stone-Tile Roof Made of Extra Rare Rocks That Are No Longer Even Excavated
The three-storey Maruoka Castle features its original wood build and a stone-tile roof.
This last part is important because as most castles in Japan have ceramic roof tiles, it is an important characteristic of the Sakai City landmark.
These stone tiles are made of Fukui local ‘shakudani’ rocks.
Fukui’s history is strongly related to these rocks, and I have been hearing about them in several of the places I visited so far.
The ‘shakudani’ rocks, which turn into a beautiful shade of green when wet, were mined long ago from Mt. Asuwa in Fukui, and are used in many things from Buddhist statues and lanterns, to roof tiles and much more. This is the only castle in which this kind of tiles has been used.
Another Reason to Love Fukui: The Prefecture Is Surrounded by Mountains (And the Sea!)
The view we get of Sakai City and its surroundings from the top floor of the castle tower is spectacular!
I am always moved by the beauty of the area, with its majestic mountains always in the background.
The Maruoka Castle was even registered as one of “The 100 Hometown Views of Fukui”, celebrating the natural beauty, history, culture, and agriculture of our hometown, Fukui Prefecture.
Hours and Fees
Address
1-59 Kasumi-cho, Maruoka-cho, Sakai city, Fukui Prefecture
Google Map
https://goo.gl/maps/9yprfNKjDWjRHJW56
Hours
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.)
Closed
Open daily
Price
¥450 for adults, ¥150 for elementary and junior high school students
admission to Maruoka Castle, Maruoka Historical Museum, Letter Museum
Website
Information source
Website
http://www.fuku-e.com/lang/english/
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