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Kagawa · Takamatsu

Takamatsu Castle

高松城

Takamatsu, Kagawa

CastleSea castle (umijiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 76

What makes this castle distinctive

The moats hold 100% seawater: the water rises and falls with the tide, and sea bream swim in the inner moat.

Why?

Takamatsu Castle was built facing the Seto Inland Sea, and all three of its rings of moats were filled with seawater. The moats are still linked to the sea by a sluice gate, so the water level changes with the tide. The sea bream in the inner moat were raised from young fish in a seawater pond near the station and released.^[5][7]

Three things not to miss

Moats linked to the sea, with sea bream

Where: The inner moat around the main enclosure and other moats in the park
What to look at: Tide marks at the foot of the stone walls, and sea bream swimming in the moat
Why it's interesting: The seawater moats are the clearest surviving sign that Takamatsu was a sea castle. In the park you can buy fish food from a capsule machine and toss it to the sea bream, an activity called "Taigan Joju" (100 yen).^[5][7]
Can you see it?: Visible from outsideInside Tamamo Park (admission required).

The Mizute Gomon water gate and the Watari Yagura, both Important Cultural Properties. The gate faced the sea and was used to come and go by boat. May 2007.

Tsukimi Yagura and the sea gate

Where: The north enclosure, in the northeast part of the park
What to look at: The three-story Tsukimi Yagura, and next to it the Mizute Gomon water gate and the Watari Yagura. The sea once lay just beyond the gate.
Why it's interesting: All three are original Edo-period structures and Important Cultural Properties. The Mizute Gomon faced the sea and was used to come and go by boat. Land to the north was reclaimed after the Meiji era, so today there is ground outside the gate instead of water.^[2][7][12]
Can you see it?: Partly visibleExteriors can be seen from inside the park. Interior access is not confirmed.

Across Sayabashi to the keep base

Where: Sayabashi bridge from the second enclosure to the main enclosure, and the keep base
What to look at: The roofed wooden bridge and the stone keep base rising out of the moat
Why it's interesting: The main enclosure was surrounded by water and connected to the outside only by this bridge. The keep was dismantled in 1884, and its stone base was taken apart and rebuilt in work that began in 2006. Excavations then uncovered the keep's basement level and 58 foundation stones.^[4][12]
Can you see it?: Visible from outsideOpen to view inside the park.

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station: 2 min walk from Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station
Climb: No climb
Time neededEditors' estimate: About 1 hour. Volunteer guide tours take 1–2 hours.
Admission: General (18 and over) 300 yen; groups of 20+ 240 yen. Free for under-18s and school students (revised April 1, 2026).
Hours: West Gate: sunrise to sunset (e.g. 5:30–18:30 in April–May, 7:00–17:00 in December–January). East Gate: 7:00–18:00 April–September, 8:30–17:00 October–March.
Access: Open to visitors
Tamamo Park (the castle site) charges admission; enter by the West or East Gate. The interior of Hiunkaku can be seen with a volunteer guide on days it is not rented out. The exhibit inside the rebuilt Sakura Gomon is open on weekends and holidays, 9:00–16:00 (the exterior can be seen anytime the park is open).

Checked: 2026-10-03

View on map Open in Google Maps Takamatsu Castle (Tamamo Park) official site Tamamo Park (Takamatsu City)

The story of this castle

Historical record

Built on the shore by Ikoma Chikamasa

In 1587 Toyotomi Hideyoshi gave Ikoma Chikamasa the whole of Sanuki Province, and from 1588 Chikamasa spent several years building Takamatsu Castle. He also renamed the area, then called Nohara, as Takamatsu. The Ikoma family ruled for four generations, 54 years, until a family dispute in 1640 cost them the domain.^[7][2]

Historical record

A sea castle filled with seawater

The castle was built right on the Seto Inland Sea, and all three rings of moats, inner, middle and outer, were filled with seawater. Takamatsu City notes that it is counted, along with Imabari and Nakatsu, among Japan's three great water castles.^[7]

Historical record

A castle of the Tokugawa-related Matsudaira

In 1642 Matsudaira Yorishige, a grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu and elder brother of Tokugawa Mitsukuni of Mito, became lord. Yorishige rebuilt the keep, finishing in 1670, and added the east and north enclosures; his successor Yoritsune built Tsukimi Yagura and other turrets. The Matsudaira ruled for 11 generations and 228 years and handed over the castle without a fight in 1868. Takamatsu Castle never saw battle.^[7][2]

Historical record

Reclaimed land and a lost keep

In the Meiji era the outer moat was filled in, and so was the sea to the north, weakening the castle's seaside character. Most buildings were torn down, and in 1884 the aging keep was dismantled as well. Today's park covers only about one-eighth of the original castle area. Still, four structures survive, Tsukimi Yagura, Mizute Gomon, Watari Yagura and Ushitora Yagura, all Important Cultural Properties.^[7][2]

Historical record

Tamamo Park and ongoing restoration

Takamatsu City acquired the site in 1954; it became a National Historic Site in 1955 and opened as Tamamo Park. In the third enclosure stands Hiunkaku, a Matsudaira family residence from the Taisho era and an Important Cultural Property. Sakura Gomon, a gate lost in the 1945 air raid, was rebuilt in 2022, and the city is studying a future recreation of the keep.^{[7][3][10][4]}

People of this castle

Builder of the castle, lord of Sanuki

Ikoma Chikamasa

生駒親正

1526–1603

A warlord who served Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Given the whole of Sanuki Province in 1587, he began building Takamatsu Castle on the shore the following year.

First Matsudaira lord of Takamatsu, who rebuilt the keep

Matsudaira Yorishige

松平頼重

1622–1695

A grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu and elder brother of Tokugawa Mitsukuni of Mito. He became lord of Takamatsu in 1642, the first of 11 generations of Matsudaira lords who ruled for 228 years.

Lord

Ikoma clan

生駒氏

Lord

Matsudaira clan

松平氏

Rebuilt / expanded

Matsudaira Yoritsune

松平頼常

1652–1704

Timeline

1588
Ikoma Chikamasa begins building the castle^[2][7]
1642
Matsudaira Yorishige becomes lord^[2][7]
1670
Yorishige completes the rebuilt keep^[7]
1884
The aging keep is dismantled^[7][4]
1955
Designated a National Historic Site and opened as Tamamo Park^[2][7]
2022
Sakura Gomon, lost in the 1945 air raid, is rebuilt^[10]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

Keep lost

The keep was dismantled in 1884 and only its stone base remains; the base was dismantled and rebuilt in work starting in 2006. The city aims to recreate the keep in the future.

The site today

The main, second and third enclosures, the Sakura-no-Baba and the north enclosure survive as Tamamo Park, a paid city park. The outer moat has been filled in and the land north of the castle is reclaimed. It sits just east of JR Takamatsu Station.