Maruoka Castle, Japanese castle in Sakai, Japan
Maruoka Castle is a 16th-century fortress in Sakai that rests on a six-meter stone platform surrounded by black pine and cherry trees. The wooden tower with black exterior walls rises through three floors and remains one of the oldest surviving structures of its kind in Japan.
Shibata Katsutoyo, nephew of general Shibata Katsuie, constructed this fortress in 1576 as a strategic point between Kaga Province and Echizen Province. The tower changed hands several times over the centuries before being recognized as a protected cultural property.
The castle is also called Kasumi-ga-jō, or Mist Castle, after a legend that a giant serpent appeared in battle and breathed mist to hide it. A second legend tells of O-shizu, a one-eyed widow buried as a human pillar in the stone base; her memorial stands in the grounds, and April rain is called her tears.
The interior staircases are steep, with angles of 65 degrees from the ground floor to the first level and 67 degrees between the first and second levels. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and hold the handrails, as the steps can be narrow and slippery.
The roof uses local shakudani stone tiles weighing 60 tons instead of traditional wooden shingles to provide better winter insulation. These heavy tiles also prevent strong winter winds from damaging or lifting the roof.
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