当時の大内氏当主、大内義隆肖像画、龍福寺蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)当時の尼子氏当主、尼子晴久肖像画、山口県山口博物館蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Go along the former Oshu Road to the north until you get near Abukuma River, and look back to the left, you will see another great scenery. It is 180m long stone walls on a hill along the river, called Komine Castle Eastern Stone Walls.
Features
Walking around Main Enclosure
If you want to see other attractions of the castle, you can get out of the main enclosure through the ruins of Sakura-no-mon (meaning the cherry gate) to walk around the stone walls of the enclosure on the belt enclosure, the lower tier of the main portion. The ruins of Tsukimi-Yagura (meaning the moon viewing turret) are in front of the gate ruins of the enclosure, which look very strong with their remaining stone wall base.
The map around the main enclosure
The ruins of Sakura-no-mon GateThe entrance of the belt enclosureThe ruins of Tsukimi Turret seen from the second enclosure belowThe back of the Tsukimi Turret Ruins
The belt enclosure surrounds the western and northern sides of the main enclosure. You can feel relaxed by walking on the belt enclosure, while enjoying looking at the great, long and high stone walls of the main enclosure. These stone walls look well-maintained. However, they collapsed heavily during Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and were repaired by Shirakawa City for the following eight years (completed in 2019).
The western part of the belt enclosureThe great stone walls of the main enclosureThe northern part of the belt enclosureThe explanation board of the stone walls being destroyed by the earthquake and repaired later on
You will eventually reach the other gate ruins of the belt enclosure, called Ya (arrow)-no-mon. You can see a great view of the three-level turret at the northeastern edge of the main enclosure on the right. However, if you were an enemy, the defenders would attack you through the turret’s machicolations and loopholes facing you.
The ruins of Ya-no-mon GateThe turret seems to look targeting you
Going to Outside of Castle
Another recommendation for you is to visit the former third enclosure, which is the east of the main portion. It has turned into the city area mainly including public facilities. There is only one remaining castle building among the area, the Taiko-Yagura Turret, which was originally used beside the Taiko-mon Gate in the second enclosure. It was moved to a private sector, converted to a tea room, and finally moved to the current position where it has been since 1930.
The map around the castle
The Taiko Turret has become a tea room
If you go further to the east until the National Route 294 (the former Oshu Road), go along the road to the north until you get near Abukuma River, and look back to the left, you will see another great scenery. It is 180m long stone walls on a hill along the river, called Komine Castle Eastern Stone Walls. In fact, they were recently discovered when the pine trees on the hill were cut down for the bypass road constructions. They must have been built to protect the castle from the threats from the north. These stone walls connect to the back gate of the castle, which opens to the north, but you can’t go directly to the gate due to the construction site between them.
Komine Castle Eastern Stone WallsLooking the stone walls from the bridge over the Abukuma RiverNo entry is allowed around the stone walls due to the constructionsThe ruins of the back gate
My Impression
While visiting the well-remaining structures and restored buildings of Shirakawa-Komine Castle, I felt the strong intentions of Nagashige Niwa, the builder of them, to protect the castle from possible enemies from the north. He must have been one of the few lords to do it properly and quickly. I also think that the history during the Boshin War lets us to know that such a strong castle had a weak point and could not survive without enough soldiers and proper instructions
The three-level turret seen from Abukuma River, north of the castle
How to get There
If you want to visit there by car, it is about a 10-minute drive away from Shirakawa-Chuo Smart IC on the Tohoku Expressway. There is a parking lot in the park. By public transportation, the castle is very near the JR Shirakawa station. You can even see the nice view of the three-level turret from the platform. From Tokyo to the station: Get the Tohoku Shinkansen super express and transfer to the Tohoku Line at Shin-Shirakawa Station. The destination will be the next station.
The castle ruins seen from the platform of the station
