Komine Castle

Komine Castle, which is appreciated as a symbol of Shirakawa City, is a beautiful castle surrounded by stone walls and is designated as one of the three most important castles of the Tohoku region along with Morioka Castle and Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle. Because the castle is restored using Japanese cedar trees from Inari Mountain, which became a fierce battleground during the Boshin War in 1868, some of its floors and pillars bear bullet marks of the battle. Seriously damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, it was closed to the public for a long period due to reconstruction and was reopened in 2015. There is a historical museum within the premises where visitors can learn about the castle's history in a fun way via panels, models and a virtual reality theater. Also, information about castle owners as well as related documents and art pieces are displayed.