If you’re staying in Kanazawa and looking for an interesting day trip, Maruoka Castle is the perfect choice. Known as one of the oldest surviving castles in Japan, it is also nearby a small but fascinating local museum and a delicious noodle restaurant. Located just north of Fukui City, Maruoka Castle is accessible by the Hokuriku Shinkansen and local buses or by rental car.
Perched atop a small hill, Maruoka Castle is also known as “mist castle” since thick mist surrounding it was said to have hidden it from enemies. The interior of the castle is unfurnished except for a few information displays and a diorama of the castle. Ascending steep wooden stairs that feel more like climbing a ladder is necessary to reach the top of the castle tower. Once you make it to the top, you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding plains. Like Uwajima Castle, Maruoka Castle is one of the smallest of the twelve original castles.
Note: Due to renovation work, the castle keep of Maruoka Castle will be closed to visitors from May 11, 2026 to July 31, 2026. Check Maruoka Castle’s official website for the latest updates.
How Can I Get to Maruoka Castle from Kanazawa by Public Transit?
This is the route I took to and from Maruoka Castle:
Kanazawa to Awara Onsen Station
- Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Thunderbird or Limited Express) bound for Fukui/Tsuruga.
- Travel time: about 27 minutes
- Fare: around ¥3,000 one way
Awara Onsen Station to Maruoka Castle
- From the station, take the Keifuku Bus bound for Maruoka
- Get off at the Maruoka Castle stop
- Travel time: about 22 minutes
- Fare: about ¥570
Maruoka Castle → Fukui Station
- From the castle bus stop, catch another Keifuku Bus bound for Fukui Station.
- Travel time: about 50-60 minutes
- Fare: about ¥670
Return: Fukui → Kanazawa
- Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen back to Kanazawa.
- Travel time: about 25 minutes
- Fare: around ¥3,500 one way
A Brief History of Maruoka Castle
Maruoka Castle was originally built in 1576 by Shibata Katsutoyo. The castle’s ownership changed several times until Honda Narishige took over in 1613 and made many improvements. Although it was long believed that Maruoka’s tenshu tower keep was the oldest remaining, recent research has shown that the timbers were cut in the late 1620s.
Only a dozen castle towers built before the Edo period in Japan remain, including Maruoka Castle’s tower. Even though the tenshu collapsed during the Great Fukui Earthquake in 1948, it was reconstructed using 70% of its original components like the pillars and beams, so Maruoka Castle is still considered one of Japan’s 12 original castles.
Inside Maruoka Castle
Entry fee: ¥450 for adults, ¥150 for kids
Open daily from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)
As with many Japanese castles, you have to take off your shoes and put on slippers to walk around in order to protect the castle flooring. At Maruoka Castle, bright green rubber slippers were provided.
Once you climb the steep stairs to the third floor of the tenshu, you can enjoy great views of Sakai City and Fukui Prefecture.
Brief Messages From the Heart Museum
Just across the street from Maruoka Castle is the Brief Messages From the Heart Museum. Since it was included in my castle ticket and I had some time to pass before my bus arrived, I decided to check it out and I’m so glad I did!
Inside, the works of past winners of the nationwide “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest are on display. Most of the displays are in Japanese, but there is a bit of English. I used Google Lens on my phone to translate the displays.
An important display in the museum is a letter written by Shigetsugu Honda, the father of the first Maruoka Domain lord Narishige Honda, to his wife while he was at military camp.
Another prominent exhibit is a model of an imaginary battle at Maruoka Castle between samurai warriors and the modern weapons of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force. The creator of the model was inspired by the 1979 film Sengoku jieitai (G.I. Samurai) about a group of modern-day members of the Japanese SDF who along with modern-day weapons like a tank and helicopter, are transported 400 years into the past through a time slip. They are persuaded by Nagao Kagetora to face Takeda Shingen’s forces in battle. The old castle that appears in the film is Maruoka Castle. The exhibit took nine months to complete and was planned to coincide with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Fukui. Sounds of battle noises play from the exhibit, the tank moves, and the helicopter’s blades whir.
There was a map where visitors could pin their hometown. I pinned my hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Where to Eat Near Maruoka Castle
- Maruoka is famous for Echizen Oroshi Soba—cold soba topped with grated daikon radish.
- The noodle shop “Soba shop Ippitsu-Keijō” near the castle next to the bus stop is ideal for a quick, inexpensive lunch.
- I ordered from a machine, inserting cash. I received a ticket with my order on it which I handed to staff.
- There was plenty of seating and also a gift shop in the same building.
- I was unaware that the local specialty was soba before my visit and ordered udon, which was still tasty.
Explore Fukui Station’s Dinosaurs and Food
If you are passing through Fukui Station, it’s worth setting aside some time to check out the big animatronic dinosaurs that surround the station. The station was recently renovated and expanded before the 2024 opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension which connects Tokyo directly to Fukui with a 3 hour bullet train ride. You can purchase local snacks like crab-flavoured crackers and sample sushi in the station’s large food hall. There are also several restaurants that serve local delicacies like Echizen crab or if you just want to grab some fast food before catching the shinkansen, there is a McDonald’s.
When is the Best Time to Visit Maruoka Castle?
The best time to visit Maruoka Castle is during cherry blossom season. At Maruoka Castle 400 sakura trees usually bloom in early to mid April and an annual cherry blossom festival is held during which the trees are illuminated at night by paper lanterns.
However, Maruoka Castle is very much still worth a visit at other times of the year, especially if you enjoy quieter, off-the-beaten path spots. I visited at the end of October and had a great experience without crowds. At times I was the only visitor outside the castle and I got the chance to take it in and walk around the castle grounds alone.
How Much Time Do I Need to Visit Maruoka Castle?
Since Maruoka Castle is a small one, you won’t need more than 3 hours to explore the tenshu, the castle grounds, visit the Brief Messages from the Heart Museum and eat at the noodle restaurant. If you have a rental car, you could even combine your visit to the castle with a visit to Eiheiji Temple, Echizen Daibutsu or the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. However, if you are relying on public transit, I don’t recommend attempting to add another attraction as it would make for a rushed and difficult to plan day.
