Marugame borders the Seto Inland Sea. With an area of 65.387 square kilometers, it is the second largest city in Kagawa Prefecture. The city boasts wide avenues, broad forest coverage, warm temperature and pleasant climate.
Marugame is a famous historical city. Marugame Castle, Nakazu-Bansho-En and other historical heritages are well-preserved there. Marugame Castle, the symbol of Marugame city, has a history of more than 400 years. Its beautiful structure and well-arranged stone walls are popular among tourists from home and abroad. The three-story building Tenshu on the top of Marugame Castle is one of twelve timber-framed towers still existing in Japan. It has been declared as Important Cultural Properties together with the Ote Ichino Gate and Ote Nino Gate. As a famous specialty of Marugame, the world-renowned uchiwa fan has been passed down since the Edo period. About 90% of all uchiwa fans made in Japan are produced in Marugame with an annual output of 70 million. In 1997, Marugame fan was rated as a traditional Japanese handicraft.
Zhangjiagang and Marugame officially became friendship cities on May 28, 1999.
