What is a CASTLE STAY?
A "Castle Stay" is a special accommodation program that allows you to experience a stay in one of Japan's historic castles, almost as if you have become the lord of the castle itself.
You can have an entire original or restored castle and its surrounding facilities to yourself for one group per night, allowing you to immerse your five senses in samurai culture, local traditions, and the charm of historic architecture.
This time, we introduce three castles: Ozu Castle (Ehime Prefecture), Marugame Castle (Kagawa Prefecture), and Fukuyama Castle (Hiroshima Prefecture). Each possesses a unique history and character, offering a one-of-a-kind experience.
CASTLE STAY
 Ozu Castle
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 Marugame Castle
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 Fukuyama Castle
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| Access | Shuttle service available from Matsuyama Station/Matsuyama Airport. | Approx. 15-min walk from JR Marugame Station South Exit. Shuttle service available from JR Marugame Station. | Approx. 5-min walk from JR Fukuyama Station North Exit. |
| Price | From 308,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 6 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). | From 382,250 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). | From 396,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). |
| Capacity | 6 people | 4 people | 4 people |
| Dining | "Tono-sama Gozen" (Lord's Banquet) | "Tono-sama Gozen" (Lord's Banquet) | "Kyo-o Ryori" (Traditional Banquet) |
| Guest-Only Programs |
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| Other Highlights |
A powerful cannon salute by the Ozu Domain's rifle squad. | Optional private Seto Inland Sea cruise, Sanuki seaweed dyeing, and Japanese confectionery making. | The "Oyudono," a sauna-style bath said to have been used by the castle lord. |
| Access | Price | Capacity | Dining | Guest-Only Programs |
Other Highlights |
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Ozu Castle
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Shuttle service available from Matsuyama Station/Matsuyama Airport. | From 308,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 6 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). | 6 people | "Tono-sama Gozen" (Lord's Banquet) |
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A powerful cannon salute by the Ozu Domain's rifle squad. |
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Marugame Castle
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Approx. 15-min walk from JR Marugame Station South Exit. Shuttle service available from JR Marugame Station. | From 382,250 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). | 4 people | "Tono-sama Gozen" (Lord's Banquet) |
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Optional private Seto Inland Sea cruise, Sanuki seaweed dyeing, and Japanese confectionery making. |
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Fukuyama Castle
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Approx. 5-min walk from JR Fukuyama Station North Exit. | From 396,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). | 4 people | "Kyo-o Ryori" (Traditional Banquet) |
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The "Oyudono," a sauna-style bath said to have been used by the castle lord. |
Ozu Castle
Located in Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, Ozu Castle offers Japan's first-ever "Castle Stay" experience in a wooden reconstructed keep, faithfully replicating its Edo-period appearance. You can book the entire castle, including the keep and two Important Cultural Property turrets, for one group per day, offering a special time as if you were the castle lord.
Experiences
at Ozu Castle Stay
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A Private Stay in the Castle Keep and Turrets
Guests have exclusive use of the entire Ozu Castle, including its main keep and Important Cultural Property turrets. It is a private space where entry is restricted to only butlers and chefs, allowing you to enjoy the tranquility and historical ambiance.
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Relax at the Castle Lounge
The Castle Lounge, perfectly situated with a direct view of Ozu Castle, serves as an exclusive lounge and bath area for staying guests. The space is adorned with high-end furnishings crafted by Iyo artisans, including Tobeyaki porcelain. In the evening, you can enjoy a luxurious moment while gazing at the illuminated castle keep.
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A Culinary Journey with Local Ingredients
We use ingredients from Ozu, a region blessed with treasures from the sea, mountains, and rivers. Our chefs gather the finest delicacies from the area, including from the Seto Inland Sea, and prepare them with the utmost skill. Enjoy the "Tono-sama Gozen" (Lord's Banquet), rich with seasonal local ingredients, in an Important Cultural Property turret.
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Special Experience Programs
Exclusively for Castle Stay guests, we offer a special reenactment of the scene when the first lord, Kato Sadayasu, entered Ozu Castle. With a procession of retainers in armor, the sound of conch shells, and a celebratory cannon salute from the rifle squad, you can participate in a vivid, immersive historical pageant. You can also enjoy walking programs to explore the beautiful castle town scenery and Ozu's unique culture and historical sites, as well as traditional cultural experiences like tea ceremonies.
| Access | Shuttle service available from Matsuyama Airport or Matsuyama Station. |
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| Price | From 308,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 6 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). |
| Capacity | 1 group per day (up to 6 people). |
| Accommodations | Ozu Castle Keep and Important Cultural Property turrets. |
Access
Shuttle service available from Matsuyama Airport or Matsuyama Station.
Price
From 308,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 6 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast).
Capacity
1 group per day (up to 6 people).
Accommodations
Ozu Castle Keep and Important Cultural Property turrets.
Marugame Castle
Marugame Castle in Kagawa Prefecture boasts over 400 years of history. Famous for having the smallest original keep in Japan and beautiful stone walls, this is a special journey where you can relive the era of the Kyogoku clan, who ruled Marugame for over two centuries. Charter the entire castle and luxuriously enjoy the local culture while reflecting on its history.
Experiences at Marugame Castle
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Rickshaw Welcome and "Toki-daiko" Drum Performance
We will greet you at Marugame Station with a rickshaw and transport you to Marugame Castle. As you pass from the Ote Nino Mon gate to the Ichino Mon gate, you will be welcomed by the sounds of the "Toki-daiko" (time-keeping drum) and a Japanese drum performance.
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Private Guided Tour of the Original Keep
Enjoy a private tour of the castle keep at night when it is closed to the public. Inside Shikoku's oldest wooden keep, an Important Cultural Property, a guide will explain the history of Marugame and the Kyogoku clan.
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Kyogoku Clan Banquet at Enjukaku Annex
In the beautiful Enjukaku Annex, a building that preserves the history of the Kyogoku family, you will enjoy a meal beautifully presented on custom tableware featuring the Kyogoku family crest, the "Yotsumeyui-mon."
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Breakfast at the Nakazu Banshoen Garden
Enjoy breakfast at the city-designated cultural property, the "Nakazu Banshoen" daimyo garden. Afterwards, take a stroll through the garden and feel the harmony of history and nature.
| Access | Approx. 15-minute walk from JR Marugame Station (shuttle service available). |
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| Price | From 382,250 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). |
| Capacity | 1 group per day (up to 4 people). |
| Accommodations | Marugame Castle Enjukaku Annex. |
Access
Approx. 15-minute walk from JR Marugame Station (shuttle service available).
Price
From 382,250 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast).
Capacity
1 group per day (up to 4 people).
Accommodations
Marugame Castle Enjukaku Annex.
Fukuyama Castle
Celebrating its 400th anniversary, Fukuyama Castle in Hiroshima Prefecture is a rare fortress, known for being the closest to a train station in Japan and having a unique iron-plated north side. The Fukuyama Castle Stay is a one-of-a-kind luxury experience, making use of historically and culturally significant sites and the rich assets of Fukuyama's history, food, and culture by chartering the entire castle grounds.
Experiences at Fukuyama Castle Stay
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Welcome by Retainers and Castle Entry Ceremony
Upon entering through the Sujigane Gomon gate (an Important Cultural Property), you will be greeted by retainers in hakama and change into a lord's costume. Enjoy the beginning of an extraordinary experience as you have the magnificent castle grounds all to yourself.
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Stay in the Tsukimi Turret and Bathe in the "Oyudono"
Your accommodation is the Tsukimi Turret, which includes a restored sauna-style bath called the "Oyudono," said to have been used by the castle lords. Experience the life of an Edo-period lord.
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Night Museum Tour and Private Lounge in the Keep
At night, enjoy a private museum tour of the castle keep. The top floor's "Tenku no Ma" (Room of the Heavens) becomes a private lounge where you can enjoy the night view.
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Breakfast at Fukuju Kaikan Hall and Traditional Culture
The next morning, enjoy breakfast at Fukuju Kaikan Hall. Optional experiences include a stroll through the streets of Tomonoura, Noh theater viewing, sutra copying, and Zen meditation.
| Access | Approx. 5-minute walk from JR Fukuyama Station. |
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| Price | From 396,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). |
| Capacity | 1 group per day (2 to 4 people). |
| Accommodations | Fukuyama Castle Tsukimi Turret. |
Access
Approx. 5-minute walk from JR Fukuyama Station.
Price
From 396,000 JPY per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay for 4 people (includes 1 dinner and 1 breakfast).
Capacity
1 group per day (2 to 4 people).
Accommodations
Fukuyama Castle Tsukimi Turret.
Testimonials
SAMPLE STAY
SAMPLE STAY
Testimonial 1
Fukuyama Castle Stay Experience
A family of three—a father from overseas, a mother, and their daughter—participated in our Fukuyama Castle Stay. This plan, which allows you to experience a day in the life of a castle lord, gave them the thrill of stepping onto the actual stage of history.
During the castle entry experience at dusk, they were welcomed by retainers dressed in hakama. The father and daughter participated, and as the mother watched their gallant figures, the family remarked, "It was breathtaking."
Their stay was in the historic Tsukimi Turret. They relaxed in the private bathing space, a recreation of the former "Oyudono," and at night, they enjoyed a special private lounge in the chartered castle keep, savoring local flavors. It was an experience like slipping back in time to the Edo period while being in the present day.
"We were able to actually experience an era we had only imagined," and "Fukuyama Castle, which was always nearby, has become a much more beloved presence," they commented. It seems to have been a night deeply etched in the family's memory.
We are truly delighted to have witnessed this special moment where the weight of history and family bonds intersected.
SAMPLE STAY
Testimonial 2
Ozu Castle Stay Experience
Two travel industry professionals experienced our Ozu Castle Stay. Before arriving, they had tempered their expectations, thinking it might be a "typical performance for foreigners," but the actual experience far exceeded their imagination.
During the castle entry ceremony, they were so moved by the solemn welcome, put on with such genuine effort by so many people, that they were brought to tears. At the Kagura performance in the evening, they told us they strongly felt the sincerity of Japanese hospitality, with thoughtful touches like a kotatsu and hot water bottles being prepared.
They gave it high praise, saying it was a special and extraordinary time worthy of the phrase "Lord Experience," and that it was content they could wholeheartedly recommend even to those with a deep interest in history and culture.
During their stay, they also enjoyed the life of the town, such as visiting a local ramen shop, making their stay a memorable one that included not just the castle, but the entire town of Ozu.
SAMPLE STAY
SAMPLE STAY
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I make a reservation?
We accept reservations through the official website for each Castle Stay or via the reservation links on this page.
Is English support available?
You can choose plans that include interpreters or English-speaking guides. Please confirm when booking.
Do you offer luggage delivery or storage services?
Each facility can accommodate this. Please inquire for details when making your reservation.
What is the cancellation policy for bad weather?
Cancellation policies differ for each facility. Please be sure to check in advance.
