Marugame Castle Festival 2027: Kagawa's Golden Week Matsuri

Marugame Castle is one of only twelve original wooden keeps left in Japan — and almost nobody outside Shikoku visits it. During Golden Week, the moat-ringed hill lights up for a two-day matsuri the rest of the country forgets exists.

Quick facts: Marugame Castle Matsuri 2027

History + what makes this festival special

Marugame Oshiro Matsuri (丸亀お城まつり) has run every Golden Week since 1950 — one of Shikoku's longest-running annual festivals. Marugame Castle (丸亀城), finished in 1660, boasts Japan's tallest stone wall at 60 m and one of only twelve original wooden donjon (keep) still standing. The festival wraps the castle grounds in food stalls, taiko stages, and evening parades, while the castle itself stays open for climbing. Unlike Himeji or Osaka's crowded castle festivals, Marugame rarely tops 50,000 visitors across two days.

• ●Scale — ~50,000 visitors over two days; 300 food stalls; 50+ taiko and dance performances.
• ●Castle access — The original wooden keep stays open 09:00-16:30 both days; stone-wall views from the top are Shikoku's best.
• ●Golden Week calendar — Fixed May 3-4 regardless of weekday; convenient for shinkansen holidaymakers.
• ●Evening parade — Local children's taiko groups + ren from Yosakoi + Awa Odori teams converge May 3 night.
• ●Why visit — You can combine castle climb + festival + sanuki udon lunch in a single easy day trip from Takamatsu.

Getting to Marugame

• ●[Flight](https://www.kiwi.com/en/search/results/anywhere/tokyo-japan/no-return/any?marker=533035) + rail — Haneda → Takamatsu (TAK) 75 min; JR Yosan Line to Marugame 25 min, ¥540. Easiest.
• ●Shinkansen + local — Tokyo → Okayama (Nozomi, 3h20m) → Shikoku Marine Liner across Seto Ohashi Bridge → Marugame 50 min. Full JR Pass works.
• ●From [Osaka](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Osaka&aid=8095781&label=auto-osaka-autolink&nflt=review_score%3D80&order=popularity) — Namba to Marugame express bus 3h15m, ¥5,500 one-way.
• ●Car — Marugame IC off Takamatsu Expressway; parking at Marugame Castle fills by 10:00 on festival days.

What to eat here

Marugame is sanuki udon ground zero — the city has over 100 noodle shops, more than any other city in Japan per capita. Festival food stalls serve snack-size udon alongside Kagawa oysters and olive-fed beef skewers.

• ●Sanuki udon — ¥300-500 — Thick chewy noodles; try the 'bukkake' style with cold broth and tempura.
• ●Honetsuki-dori (骨付鳥) — ¥900-1,400 — Marugame's famous bone-in roast chicken; Ikkaku and Ichibandori are the two originals.
• ●Shodoshima olive-fed beef skewers — ¥500 — Kagawa raises olive-fed cattle; mild sweet flavor.
• ●Oshiro Matsuri yakisoba — ¥500 — Festival staple with ao-nori and pickled ginger.

Bookable experiences — Marugame + Kagawa region

Marugame pairs naturally with Takamatsu (sanuki udon + Ritsurin Garden) and Shodoshima island (olive farms + Angel Road). The castle itself is small enough to combine with a half-day of nearby sights.

• ●Marugame Castle guided [tour](https://www.klook.com/en-US/search/?query=Japan&tp_sub=japan) — ¥1,500; 90-min English docent walks the stone-wall complex and the wooden keep.
• ●Shodoshima island ferry day trip — ¥700 round-trip; olive park + Angel Road sandbar at low tide.
• ●Ritsurin Garden (Takamatsu) — ¥410 entry; 25 min by JR from Marugame; one of Japan's top three gardens.
• ●Konpira-san shrine stairs — ¥0; 785 stone steps up Mt. Zozu, 20 min by JR from Marugame.

FAQ

• ●When exactly is Marugame Castle Matsuri 2027? May 3-4, 2027 — fixed Golden Week dates every year since 1950.
• ●Is this during Golden Week? Yes; combine with other Kansai or Shikoku stops during the week-long national holiday.
• ●Can I climb the castle keep during the festival? Yes — the original wooden keep stays open 09:00-16:30 both festival days.
• ●Is the festival free? Yes for all outdoor activities; only the castle keep interior charges ¥200.
• ●Where should I base? Takamatsu for best food/transit; Marugame proper for post-festival strolling.
• ●What's the weather like? 18-24°C typical; late May can bring sudden rain. Pack a light shell.
• ●Is it kid-friendly? Yes — castle grounds are flat, parade is at ground level, free food stalls everywhere.
• ●Can I combine with Konpira-san? Absolutely — Kotohira is 20 min by JR; climb the shrine stairs in the morning and reach the festival by lunch.
• ●What's the one must-eat? Marugame honetsuki-dori (bone-in chicken) at Ikkaku, 10 min from the castle.
• ●Is English support strong? The castle itself has English brochures; festival signage is Japanese only but food stalls accept gestures + cash easily.