Shirakawa Komine Castle

The moats and walls around this castle are very well preserved. If you're in the area it is definitely worth a stop. Walk around the full outside of the castle to see the stone walls well. The main keep is also very well rebuilt.

History

Komine-jo was originally built by the Yuuki in 1340. When they were dispossessed of all their holdings by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, it became a subsidiary castle of the lords of Aizu, first the Uesugi, then after the Battle of Sekigahara, the Gamō. They are thought to have begun modernising it. In 1627 Niwa Nagashige became the first lord of the Shirakawa Domain, made the castle his headquarters, and significantly renovated it. In 1643 the Niwa were moved to Nihommatsu and the Sakaibara took over. In 1649 they were replaced by the Honda Clan who were in charge till 1681. They were followed by three different branches of the Matsudaira clan. In 1823 the Abe Clan became the final lords, continuing until 1866 when the castle was transferred from Abe Masakiyo to direct shogunate control. He returned for a short while but it was then put under the command of the Nihommatsu Domain. It fell to Imperial forces in 1868.

Field Notes

The moats and walls around this castle are very well preserved. If you're in the area it is definitely worth a stop. Walk around the full outside of the castle to see the stone walls well. The main keep is also very well rebuilt.

Gallery

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  main keep
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  main keep and gate
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  honmaru stone wall
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  Taiko gate
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  Gate, ninomaru, and main keep
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  Honmaru moat
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  Honmaru stone walls
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  Honmaru stone walls
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  honmaru stone wall
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  inside the donjon
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  stone walls

Castle Profile
English Name	Shirakawa Komine Castle
Japanese Name	白河小峰城
Alternate Names	Shirakawa-jo
Founder	Niwa Nagashige
Year Founded	1627
Castle Type	Hilltop
Castle Condition	Reconstructed main keep
Designations	Top 100 Castles, National Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Main Keep Structure	3 levels, 3 stories
Year Reconstructed	1991 (wood)
Features	main keep, gates, turrets, stone walls, walls
Visitor Information
Access	Shirakawa Station (Tohoku Honsen), 7 minute walk
Hours	9:00-17:00
Time Required	120 mins
URL	Castle Website
Location	Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture
Coordinates	37.1328, 140.21358
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	1999
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	1998, 2003
Admin Visits	September 1998, September 13, 2003

3.18

(11 votes)

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