The castle was headquarters of the Takamatsu Domain, which ruled eastern Sanuki Province (modern-day Kagawa) from 1588 to 1869.

Following the conquest of Shikoku during the Sengoku period by the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he assigned his general Ikoma Chikamasa as ruler of all of Sanuki.

It was surrounded by a concentric series of enclosures, each protected by stone walls, water moats and masugata-style compound gates.

The following year the castle was returned to the Matsudaira family, who sold off more of the grounds and rebuilt a luxurious villa in the inner ring.

[2][3] The castle was extensively damaged in air raids during World War II, and the Sakuragomon gate in the San-no-maru enclosure burned down (it was rebuilt in 2022).

This designation was changed to that of National Important Cultural Properties in 1950 and the castle grounds opened to the public in 1955.