Photo: 663highland / CC BY 2.5Built in 1590 by Ikoma Chikamasa on the shoreline itself, and one of only three Japanese castles whose moats are filled directly from the sea. The fish swimming in them are sea bream, there is a feeding platform, and you can buy food for them.
The keep is gone — dismantled in 1884 — but the Tsukimi Yagura turret, the water gate through which the lord boarded his boat, and the Hiunkaku villa of 1917 all survive. It is a small site and it is ten minutes from your ship.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Feed the sea bream: the moat boat (about 30 min, boarding near the west gate) hands you food as you go.
- The water gate is the thing to see — the lord left for Edo by boat, straight from the castle.
- Hiunkaku, the 1917 villa, is a hire venue for tea ceremonies and events; see it from outside. The Tsukimi-yagura turret opens inside only on Sundays (9:00–12:00, 13:00–15:00).
- It opens as early as seven in summer, which is useful on an early call.
- The ferry terminal for the islands is two minutes further on. Combine them.
It is a small site and it is ten minutes from your ship.
Guided days from Takamatsu
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
More in Takamatsu
Questions people ask here
Is Takamatsu Castle worth visiting?
For a cruise passenger, yes — it is about ten minutes on foot from the cruise quay, costs ¥300, and takes under an hour. It is one of only three Japanese castles moated directly from the sea, the fish in the moat are sea bream, and the water gate through which the lord boarded his boat still stands.
Does Takamatsu Castle have a keep?
No — it was dismantled in 1884. What survives is the Tsukimi Yagura turret, the sea gate, the stone walls and the seawater moats, plus the Hiunkaku villa of 1917, a hire venue for tea ceremonies and events that you see from outside. The turret opens inside only on Sundays.