Shirakawa Komine Castle

Shirakawa Komine Castle is a hirayama-style castle completed in 1632 by Niwa Nagashige. It was built on a long, narrow hill called Komine-ga-oka at an elevation of 370 meters, with the main bailey standing approximately 25 to 30 meters higher than the surrounding area. The castle fell during the Battle of Shirakawa-guchi in the Boshin War of 1868, but major structures were later restored, including the three-story turret, which served as the de facto tenshu, in 1991, and the Omote-Gomon Gate in 1994. Designated as a National Historic Site, it is counted among the "Three Great Castles of Tohoku" alongside Morioka Castle and Wakamatsu Castle. The surrounding area has been developed as Shiroyama Park, which also contains the Shirakawa Shukoen Museum. Next to the three-story turret stands the "Otome-zakura" cherry tree, said to have been planted in mourning for a young woman used as a human pillar in the stone walls. Although the original tree was lost in the Boshin War, the second-generation Otome-zakura blooms beautifully each year. Shirakawa Komine Castle is about a 7-minute walk from JR Shirakawa Station. For those traveling by car, free parking is available. Note that there is another site in the city called Shirakawa Castle Ruins, so be careful not to confuse the two.