丸岡城

Connection to Swords

Shibata Katsutoyo, who built Maruoka Castle, was the nephew of Oda Nobunaga's top general Shibata Katsuie, and erected this fortress as a base for pacifying Hokuriku. Echizen Province (present-day Fukui) has been a noted sword-producing region since ancient times, with the Echizen tradition tracing back to Chiyozuru Kuniyasu. The legacy of Echizen forged blades lives on in modern Echizen City's renowned cutlery industry. During the Edo period, Echizen Yasutsugu served as official swordsmith to the Tokugawa, granted the rare privilege of inscribing the hollyhock crest on his blades. The area around Maruoka Castle forms part of the Echizen sword culture zone, and a combined visit with the Ichijōdani Asakura Clan Ruins Museum deepens understanding of Echizen's martial history.