Takamatsu Castle

Castle

Prefecture

Kagawa

Type

Castle

N/A

0 reviews

Train Access

About This Destination

Takamatsu’s waterfront castle survives as Tamamo Park, where seawater fills the moats beside original turrets. The absent keep leaves room to focus on stone defenses, formal gardens and the castle’s unusual relationship with the Seto Inland Sea.

Takamatsu Castle was built beside the Seto Inland Sea, making water an active part of its defenses. Construction began under Ikoma Chikamasa in 1588, and the Matsudaira family later enlarged the complex. The site is now Tamamo Park, close to the city’s rail terminals and waterfront.

Seawater still enters the moats, distinguishing this castle from inland fortresses. Original structures including the Tsukimi and Ushitora turrets preserve elements of the old skyline, while the main keep no longer stands. Walk the moat edges and look at the stone platforms before moving toward the garden and Hiunkaku area. The castle’s surviving architecture is spread across the grounds rather than concentrated in one tower.

Its position makes the park easy to combine with a ferry journey or a walk through central Takamatsu. Check which historical buildings are open on the day, since exterior access does not guarantee entry to every room or turret. A slower circuit is especially useful here: views across the water reveal how the castle once addressed both the sea and the town.