Castle Experience
The Castle Experience is a unique journey that immerses you in an extraordinary world, set against the backdrop of valuable cultural assets, including Marugame Castle. Enjoy an exclusive stay within the castle walls, where you can immerse yourself in the local culture, history, and cuisine, just as the feudal lords once did.
Sustainable Journey Contributing to Culture and Communities
Marugame City, recognized by the international certification organization Green Destinations, ranks among the top 100 sustainable tourist spots worldwide for its cultural and traditional contributions. The Marugame Castle Experience is designed to enhance cultural and regional sustainability, serving as a catalyst to rejuvenate the vibrancy of Marugame City.
Culture
Harnessing and Preserving Marugame City’s Historical Resources
The Marugame Castle Experience refines and showcases the allure of Marugame City’s historical resources through tourism, ensuring their preservation for future generations. Each experience and enjoyment offered forms a link in the chain of sustainable inheritance of Marugame’s history and culture.
CommunityContributing to theLlocal Economic Cycle
The Marugame Castle Experience strives to use local resources as much as possible and involve local residents, thereby contributing to the local economy.
Day 1: Enjoy a day at the Marugame Castle Keep
1.Welcome: Travel by Rickshaw from JR Marugame Station(3:25 PM)
A rickshaw will pick you up at JR Marugame Station and take you to Marugame Castle. Please enjoy the guide’s introduction to Marugame’s history and castle town along the way.
2. Castle Entry & Check-in: Marugame Castle Ote Ni no mon and Ichi no mon(3:40 PM)
When you arrive at Marugame Castle, a concierge will be waiting for you at Ote Ni no mon. Proceed to Ote Ichi no mon, an Important Cultural Property built in 1670, to check-in. Only three castles in Japan, Marugame Castle, Kochi Castle, and Hirosaki Castle, still have an existing castle keep and main gate. At Ote Ichi no mon gate, taiko drums are played throughout the year.
3.Drum Performance: Marugame Castle Ote Ichi no mon(3:55 PM)
After check-in, you will be greeted with a traditional Japanese taiko drum performance. Marugame boasts various groups preserving this cultural heritage, including Marugame Basara Taiko, Sanshu Marugame Shiwaku Hachimangu Taiko, Shiwaku Shinmen Taiko, Taiko-do Ibara, and more.
4. Move to Guest Room: Mikaerizaka(4:30 PM)
After enjoying the drum performance, please head to your room. Along the way, ascend the steep slope of “Mikaeri-zaka” and marvel at the splendor of Japan’s finest stone walls.
5. Enjyukaku Bekkan: Guest Room(4:45 PM)
Your room will be at “Enjyukaku Bekkan” located in the Sannomaru area. Please relax in this beautiful building that preserves the history of the Kyogoku clan until dinner is ready.
6.Enjyukaku Bekkan: Food Presentation and Dinner(6:00 PM)
Dinner begins with a greeting from the chef and you will enjoy the local produce of Marugame. We offer a variety of natural ingredients grown locally, from seasonal vegetables to rare seafood. Enjoy the exquisite cuisine associated with the Kyogoku family, fully utilized by skilled chefs, to your heart’s content.
7.Castle Keep Exclusive Experience: Marugame Castle Keep(8:00 PM)
After dinner, you will have exclusive access to the castle keep at night. The castle keep, which retains its original construction, is a nationally designated important cultural property of Japan with beautifully arranged Karahafu-style and Chitori-style gables. A guide will show you around the private area.
08.Night Lounge: Marugame Castle Keep(8:30 PM)
After being shown the private area, you can use the space of the important cultural property as a private night lounge. Enjoy a special space and time with drinks accompanied by music. After you have enjoyed yourself, return to Enjyukaku Bekkan and have a wonderful night’s rest in the castle, floating above Marugame Plain.
Day 2: Exploring the Charms of the Region
9.Moving/Breakfast: Omoya of Nakazu Banshoen(8:00 AM)
Head to the scenic spot “Nakazu Bansho-en” located in the city. Nakazu Bansho-en is a large daimyo garden designed with walking paths, built on the seashore of Nakazu in 1688 by the second feudal lord of the Marugame domain, Kyogoku Takato. Enjoy breakfast at the Main House while viewing the large umbrella-shaped pine tree, which is said to be about 650 years old.
10.Uchiwa (Fan) Making Experience: Shohantei of Nakazu Banshoen(9:15)
You can participate in a traditional Marugame craft activity of uchiwa (fan) making at Shohantei located within Nakazu Bansho-en under the guidance of skilled artisans. Marugame’s uchiwa holds a 90% share of the Japanese market and is designated as a registered intangible folk cultural property by the Japanese government.
11.Sencha Tea Ceremony: Kanchoro of Nakazu Banshoen(10:00 AM)
After the uchiwa-making experience, head to “Kanchoro,” said to be the oldest existing sencha (tea ceremony) room in Japan. Experience the sencha way, using tea leaves such as sencha and gyokuro with a teapot, while leisurely viewing the garden of Nakazu Bansho-en.
12.Free Time and Check-out Preparation: Enjyukaku Bekkan – Check-out(11:30 AM)
Please spend your time freely until check-out, then return to Enjyukaku Bekkan, change clothes and prepare for the end of the experience.