- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 1629 · 17th century
- Site origins
- 1340 per Wikidata – an earlier stronghold or first mention
- Location
- Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
- Coordinates
- 37.1326°, 140.2136°
History
The first stronghold on Komine hill was raised in 1340 by Yūki Chikatomo of the Shirakawa-Yūki clan. The clan lost its lands in 1590, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi reshaped the balance of power in the north. In 1627 the Shirakawa domain was given to Niwa Nagashige, who in 1629–1632 turned the medieval fort into a modern castle with stone walls and a three-storey turret serving as its keep. Many families ruled here later, among them Matsudaira Sadanobu, author of the Kansei Reforms. In 1868, during the Boshin War, fierce fighting raged over Shirakawa and the castle was almost entirely burned.
What to see
On top of the hill stands the three-storey turret, recreated in 1991 in traditional timber construction from plans of 1808, with the Mae-gomon gate rebuilt beside it in 1994. The tall stone walls, badly damaged by the 2011 earthquake, were repaired over several years – the turret reopened in 2015 and work on the walls was completed in 2019. The castle lies right next to Shirakawa railway station, and a path leads up to the turret through the former enclosures; in spring the hill is a popular spot for viewing cherry blossom.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q522630
Popularity: articles about this site in 12 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).