Shirakawa Castle: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "{{Castle |English Name=Shirakawa Castle |Japanese Name=白川城 |Alternate Names=Karame Castle, Yūki-Shirakawa Castle |Founder=Yūki Yuhiro |Year Founded=1331 (estimate) |Castle Type=Mountaintop |Castle Condition=Ruins only |Designations=National Historic Site |Historical Period=Pre Edo Period |Features=trenches, walls |Access=Shirakawa Station on the JR Tohoku Line. It's a 3km walk from the station, fairly flat, takes about 40 minutes. There are buses from Shirakawaek...") |
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|Notes=The site is much more extensive than I realised at the time (see map photo), so I only saw part of it. The part I saw was well-maintained and interesting. An on-site sign noted that remnant dry moats, earthworks and “flat areas” were in good condition. Excavations have uncovered post-holes, pit structures and trench remains, as well as ceramics and earthenware. | |Notes=The site is much more extensive than I realised at the time (see map photo), so I only saw part of it. The part I saw was well-maintained and interesting. An on-site sign noted that remnant dry moats, earthworks and “flat areas” were in good condition. Excavations have uncovered post-holes, pit structures and trench remains, as well as ceramics and earthenware. | ||
I took a taxi from Shirakawa Station, and walked back to the station which took 30-40 minutes. You could also visit via Shin-Shirakawa Station - it's further away but a bus and then walking from there apparently would only take about 40 minutes also. Check bus frequency beforehand. | I took a taxi from Shirakawa Station, and walked back to the station which took 30-40 minutes. The taxi took me right into the site to the bottom of the steps up to the main bailey. You could also visit via Shin-Shirakawa Station - it's further away but a bus and then walking from there apparently would only take about 40 minutes also. Check bus frequency beforehand. | ||
|History=In the late 12th century Yūki Tomomitsu, head of the Yūki Clan from Shimotsuke Province, was awarded extensive extra lands for his service to Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. These included the Shirakawa area, and around 1289 his grandson Yūki Yuhiro established a new branch of the clan at the castle site. It's not known for sure when the castle was built, but 1331-7 has been estimated. Later in the 14th century, Komine Castle (later known as Shirakawa Komine) was built as a subsidiary, and over time another branch of the clan developed there. By the late 16th century, the two branches were in conflict, and there were also hostilities with neighbouring clans. The Yūki failed to submit to Toyotomi Hideyoshi before the Battle of Odawara in 1590, and as a result were dispossessed. They became vassals of the Date clan, and Shirakawa Castle was abandoned. | |History=In the late 12th century Yūki Tomomitsu, head of the Yūki Clan from Shimotsuke Province, was awarded extensive extra lands for his service to Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. These included the Shirakawa area, and around 1289 his grandson Yūki Yuhiro established a new branch of the clan at the castle site. It's not known for sure when the castle was built, but 1331-7 has been estimated. Later in the 14th century, Komine Castle (later known as Shirakawa Komine) was built as a subsidiary, and over time another branch of the clan developed there. By the late 16th century, the two branches were in conflict, and there were also hostilities with neighbouring clans. The Yūki failed to submit to Toyotomi Hideyoshi before the Battle of Odawara in 1590, and as a result were dispossessed. They became vassals of the Date clan, and Shirakawa Castle was abandoned. | ||
Revision as of 21:28, 3 September 2025
The site is much more extensive than I realised at the time (see map photo), so I only saw part of it. The part I saw was well-maintained and interesting. An on-site sign noted that remnant dry moats, earthworks and “flat areas” were in good condition. Excavations have uncovered post-holes, pit stru
History
In the late 12th century Yūki Tomomitsu, head of the Yūki Clan from Shimotsuke Province, was awarded extensive extra lands for his service to Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. These included the Shirakawa area, and around 1289 his grandson Yūki Yuhiro established a new branch of the clan at the castle site. It's not known for sure when the castle was built, but 1331-7 has been estimated. Later in the 14th century, Komine Castle (later known as Shirakawa Komine) was built as a subsidiary, and over time another branch of the clan developed there. By the late 16th century, the two branches were in conflict, and there were also hostilities with neighbouring clans. The Yūki failed to submit to Toyotomi Hideyoshi before the Battle of Odawara in 1590, and as a result were dispossessed. They became vassals of the Date clan, and Shirakawa Castle was abandoned.
Excavations from 2010 to 2015 uncovered remains and artifacts from the 14th to 16th centuries. This led to the castle's designation as a National Historic Site in 2016.
Field Notes
The site is much more extensive than I realised at the time (see map photo), so I only saw part of it. The part I saw was well-maintained and interesting. An on-site sign noted that remnant dry moats, earthworks and “flat areas” were in good condition. Excavations have uncovered post-holes, pit structures and trench remains, as well as ceramics and earthenware.
I took a taxi from Shirakawa Station, and walked back to the station which took 30-40 minutes. The taxi took me right into the site to the bottom of the steps up to the main bailey. You could also visit via Shin-Shirakawa Station - it's further away but a bus and then walking from there apparently would only take about 40 minutes also. Check bus frequency beforehand.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Shirakawa Castle |
| Japanese Name | 白川城 |
| Alternate Names | Karame Castle, Yūki-Shirakawa Castle |
| Founder | Yūki Yuhiro |
| Year Founded | 1331 (estimate) |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | National Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | trenches, walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Shirakawa Station on the JR Tohoku Line. It's a 3km walk from the station, fairly flat, takes about 40 minutes. There are buses from Shirakawaeki-mae (near the station) but they only get you to Yokomachi and there's a 2.4km walk from there. |
| Hours | Open 24/7 |
| Time Required | 60 minutes or more depending on how much you want to see |
| Location | Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 37.11728, 140.23432 |
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| Collections | Koka Castles |
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | AnneMcL |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
