Shirakawa Komine Castle

Shirakawa Komine Castle, located in Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture (formerly Shirakawa District in Mutsu Province), is a historic Japanese castle also commonly referred to as Komine Castle. Although there is another Shirakawa Castle ruin within the city, the name "Shirakawa Castle" typically refers to Komine Castle. It has been designated as a National Historic Site of Japan and is one of the Top 100 Japanese Castles.

The castle is a hirayamajiro (hilltop-flatland castle) built on the Komine hills between the Abukuma River and the Yatsuda River, with a terraced enclosure layout. The honmaru (main bailey) is located at the northern end facing the Abukuma River, followed by the ninomaru (second bailey) and sannomaru (third bailey) to the south, and outer areas such as Takenomaru surrounding the complex. Komine Castle is known for its extensive use of stone walls, a rare feature in the Tohoku region, earning it recognition alongside Morioka Castle and Wakamatsu Castle as one of the Three Great Castles of Tohoku.

Most castle structures were destroyed during the Boshin War, leaving only the stone foundations. In 1991, the three-story turret (go-san-kai-yagura) in the honmaru was reconstructed in wood using historical drawings and records, making it one of the early full-scale castle reconstructions in Japan. However, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake caused sections of the stone walls to collapse, leading to the temporary closure of the honmaru area. It reopened in 2015 after restoration, with a formal reopening ceremony held.

In 2020, Shirakawa City launched the “Komine Castle One-Stone Castle Lord” Project, aimed at restoring the Shimizu Gate at the front of the honmaru.

Legend: The Tale of "Otome-zakura"

The most well-known legend associated with Komine Castle is the story of the "Otome-zakura" (Maiden’s Cherry Tree). During major renovations in the Kan'ei era, the stone walls of the honmaru repeatedly collapsed. To stabilize the structure, it was decided to use a human pillar (hitobashira), and the first person to enter the castle that day would be chosen.

Tragically, the first person to arrive was Otome, the daughter of the construction magistrate Hanji Hanzaburō. Though her father desperately signaled her to stay away, she misinterpreted it as a welcome gesture and approached—only to be buried alive beneath the stone wall as the human pillar.

The stone wall was successfully completed, and a cherry tree was planted at the site where Otome was buried. This became known as the "Otome-zakura," a tribute to the young girl who gave her life for the castle. The current tree next to the turret is the second generation, as the original was destroyed in the Boshin War.