After the Boshin War during the Meiji Restoration, Miharu Castle was abandoned. All the buildings and even most of the stone walls on the mountain were demolished and sold. Only the Main Hall for the lord was developed into the local government building. In 1922, the castle ruins on the mountain was developed as a park. Many of the remaining foundation of the castle was unfortunately destroyed, while lots of cherry trees were planted instead.
The ruins of the Second GateThe Second Enclosure
My Impression
I have learned a lot about how the local clans and Miharu Castle survived under difficult situations. The castle may be simpler than other popular castles like Wakamatsu Castle, but it also has an interesting history and distinct taste. I also hope some new discoveries about the castle will be found in the future. In addition, Miharu Town is very famous for cherry blossoms, especially Miharu Takizakura or The cherry blossom flowers that look like water falling down is about 4km away from the castle. However, the castle ruins also have great cherry blossoms and many other ones are around, too. I would like to visit the ruins in the spring next time.
The cherry blossom flowers that look like water falling down of Miharu (taken by nana201855 from phtotoAC)The cherry blossom flowers in the ruins of Miharu Castle (quoted from the website of Miharu Tourism Association)
How to get There
If you want to go there by car: It is about 15 minutes away from Funehiki-Miharu IC on the Banetsu Expressway. The parking area is halfway up the mountain. By train, it is about 30 minutes away from JR Miharu Station on foot. I recommend using a taxi from the station to avoid getting lost. To get to Miharu Station from Tokyo: Take the Tohoku Shinkansen super express and transfer at Koriyama Station to the Banetsu-Tou Line.
If you visit the ruins of Miharu Castle today by train, you will find JR Miharu Station to be the nearest station from the castle, being at the bottom of the valley surrounded by the hills. In this area, the roads, train lines and rivers go through the valleys. Currently you will see many large official facilities and even some farmlands are on the hills. They have the distinct feature of the area. Similarly, we can easily speculate that people of this area in the past would have had access to this unique terrain which were important facilities for a castle.
The center of Miharu Town originates from the castle town of Miharu Castle. It was divided into 2 sections – the southern town and northern town. The route through the town has a 90 degree angle connecting the southern and northern parts. In the Southern Town, currently you can only see the remaining gate for the Miharu Domain school and the Miharu Primary School standing there. In the past, you would be able to see the Main Gate of the Castle and the Main Hall for the lord at the foot of the mountain.
The map around the castle
The southern townThe northern townThe remaining remaining gate for the Miharu Domain school
Route from Southern town
You can now access the ruins of Miharu Castle by climbing up the Castle Slope which is another route to the front of the castle. There, you will see several enclosures along the slope with some of them being used as modern residential area. In order to reach the top of the mountain, you will have to go up on a zigzagged trail. At the peaks of the trail, you will see the gate ruins such as the Second Gate, the Agetsuchi Gate and the Third Gate. This would have been the defense system of the castle. You will soon reach the entrance of the lower tier of the Main Enclosure at the top where the Large Gate once stood. You can only see the stone foundations of the gate from here.
The Castle Slope and the residential area aroundThe zigzagged trail to the topThe Agetsuchi Gate ruinsThe Third Gate ruinsThe Large Gate ruins in the lower tier of the Main Enclosure
Route from Northern town
The Northern Town has a Back Route to the top of the mountain called the Sanbu-zaka Slope. The trail also zigzaggs along with a lot of empty enclosures which shows the long history of the castle. There, you will see the ruins of the Back Entrance, the ruins of the Turret and the few remaining stone walls which the Gamo Clan built before reaching the other entrance of the lower tier of the Main Enclosure. This is where the Back Gate would had been in the past.
The Sanbu-zaka SlopeThe empty enclosuresThe ruins of the Back EntranceThe ruins of the TurretThe few remaining stone walls
Main Enclosure with Shrine and lots of Trees
The lower tier is an open square now, but the Three Story Turret stood out in the past. The upper tier of the Main Enclosure is next to the lower tier. It is mostly empty now because of the great fire that happened in the Edo Period. You can only see the shrine which worships the Akita Clan at the stone wall foundation. However I can not be certain if the stone walls are from the original castle. There, You will see a view of the other hills around overlooking the castle town. Lots of trees have been planted around the enclosure as a park attraction. Therefore this view is very beautiful during the spring and autumn seasons .
The lower tier of the Main EnclosureThe upper tier of the Main EnclosureIs this the stone wall base for a Main Tower? but it seemed to be built after the castle was abandonedThe shrine which worships the Akita Clan on the stone wallsA view from the Main Enclosure