Maruoka Castle Update
Amidst exciting changes, the historic castle will soon undergo renovation.
Cover photo: Maruoka Castle Machiyori Market, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan (2025). Photo by Danny With Love.
Intro
Maruoka Castle (丸岡城) — the only original castle in Japan’s Hokuriku region — will undergo renovations soon. The area has transformed recently with the arrival of the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train), connecting Fukui to Tokyo. Visitors can now enjoy the new tourist center Maruoka Castle Machiyori Market and reopened soba restaurant Maruokajo Gomonan. I took a trip to see for myself! Please read on for more details.
About Maruoka Castle
Maruoka Castle was first built around 1576, under the rule of Shibata Katsuie (柴田 勝家), retainer to the warlord Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長). Built on temple ruins, the tower served as defense against the Ikko-ikki (一向一揆), an armed group of egalitarian Buddhists.
The castle keep appears to be two-stories tall from the outside, but features three floors, necessitating the use of steep stairs at angles of around 65 degrees! On clear days, you can see Fukui City from the top story! The structure also boasts windows for riflemen, as Nobunaga was Japan’s first warlord to adopt the use of firearms.
Maruoka Castle is famous for a tale of human sacrifice. According to legend, the stone base would not stand during construction, so a sacrifice was deemed necessary to bless the structure with stability and protection — a practice called hitobashira (“human pillar”). Local widow Oshizu (お静) agreed to be buried on the condition her son be made a samurai. The promise was never fulfilled, but a grave stands today to appease her spirit.
Maruoka Castle Machiyori Market
The new tourist center Maruoka Castle Machiyori Market (丸岡城マチヨリマーケット) opened March 15th, on the first anniversary of the new Hokuriku Shinkansen extension into Fukui.
The single-story building features glass walls and local Shakudani volcanic-ash stone. It’s quite spacious! The curved roof and latticework ceiling are inspired by textile weaving. There is also a new reflection pool outside, which recalls the castle’s long-buried moat.
Inside, visitors can find a small gallery, VR theater room, cafe, and a shop with local specialties and exclusive merchandise. There are many photo-spots, as well as complementary lockers available for comfortable sightseeing — a 100 yen coin is necessary for use.
Maruoka Castle’s original shachi (sea monster) ornaments are on display inside the gallery! There are also vintage photos and architectural drawings. Most plaques are in Japanese language only, but the VR theater room includes English subtitles.
Maruya Cafe faces the castle, allowing for an especially pleasant experience. It’s open from 8:30 to 17:30 (5:30 PM) every day except Wednesday. I enjoyed a slice of seasonal sweet potato cheesecake (600 yen ~ 4 USD). It was so rich and yummy, made sweeter after climbing castle stairs!
The shop includes items designed by popular graphic artist Chalkboy and goods featuring Sakai City’s new mascot Hoyamaru. The Pomeranian character won fourth place at national mascot contest Yurubirth 2025!
Ultimately, Maruoka Castle Machiyori Market is a wonderful addition to the area, making the tourist experience much more immersive and comfortable. If you’re interested in castles, please visit!
Soba Restaurant Maruokajo Gomonan
For lunch, I had a warm bowl of kakiage soba, or vegetable tempura buckwheat noodles (1080 yen ~ 7 USD) at Maruokajo Gomonan (そば処 丸岡城御門庵). The popular soba restaurant reopened in October, relocating from the old tourist center. The second floor features a nice view of the castle!
Guests can enjoy handmade soba from locally-grown Maruoka buckwheat. The restaurant offers an extensive menu with many Fukui specialties, including “sauce katsudon” — fried pork cutlets glazed with light Worcestershire.
Maruoka Castle Nightly Projection Mapping
Maruoka Castle is also featuring a free projection mapping event, with shows every night at 20:00 (8:00 PM) and 21:00 (9:00 PM) running through mid-December. The show was produced by creative company NAKED and is voiced by actor and Fukui-native Shouta Aoi (蒼井 翔太).
Maruoka Castle Renovations
Maruoka Castle is set to undergo extensive repairs and seismic-reinforcement, with work expected to last two years. Scaffolding will cover the castle keep, but the interior will remain open and accessible to visitors. Set to proceed from December, the project is delayed and there is no confirmed start date as of yet.
Access to Maruoka Castle
Maruoka Castle is easy to reach from Fukui Station, either by bus or taxi. The price of admission inside the castle keep is 450 yen (approx. 3 USD). It’s open from 8:30 to 17:00 (5:00 PM) every day. Maruoka Castle Machiyori Market is free to enter. Projection mapping is also free.
Fukui Reporter Disclosure
As part of the Fukui Reporter program, I am tasked with participating in local events and publicly promoting the prefecture. This is a volunteer position that allows me free entrance to a selection of spots throughout the area, including Maruoka Castle. The opinions I share are my own.
