Kaerikumo Castle (Uchigashima Castle)
帰雲城（内ヶ島城）
Kaerikumo Castle (Uchigashima Castle) is a historic castle in 岐阜県 dating from the Mid-Muromachi period to Azuchi–Momoyama period (built c. 1462, buried 1586), whose lord was The Uchigashima clan (from Uchigashima Tameuji to Uchigashima Ujisato).
Overview
Overview
Kaerikumo Castle stood at the foot of Mt. Kaerikumo in Hokiwaki, Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu Prefecture, and served as the stronghold of the Uchigashima clan. It is said to have been built around 1462, during the Kansho era, by Uchigashima Tameuji. In 1586, the Tensho earthquake triggered a landslide that buried the castle and its castle town in an instant, making it famous as a castle that vanished overnight.
Rule of the Uchigashima Clan
The Uchigashima were a local warlord (kokushu) family who governed the Shirakawa-go region, holding Kaerikumo Castle as their base for four generations spanning roughly 120 years. They are said to have amassed wealth through gold and silver mining, and the last lord, Uchigashima Ujisato, is said to have maintained the clan's fortunes partly through diplomacy with neighboring powers.
Burial in the Tensho Earthquake
On November 29, 1585 by the old calendar (January 18, 1586 in the Gregorian calendar), the Tensho earthquake, estimated at roughly magnitude 8, struck the Chubu region and caused a massive collapse of Mt. Kaerikumo. A banquet hosted by Ujisato was reportedly underway in the castle at the time; the resulting landslide buried the castle and more than 300 houses of the castle town instantly. The Chōryūji Shōgonkō Kiroku records that both Mt. Shirakawa and Mt. Kaerikumo collapsed, killing Ujisato and more than 500 people along with cattle and horses in an instant. The debris also dammed a river, causing flooding.
Extinction of the Clan
The disaster nearly wiped out Uchigashima Ujisato and his entire clan, effectively ending the Uchigashima as a ruling house. Only a handful of survivors are said to have escaped, having been away from the castle on business at the time.
Present Condition and Research
The castle's exact location remains unidentified, and its remains have never been excavated. Since a preparatory committee for excavation and preservation was formed in 1972, volunteer investigations have continued, and the Shirakawa-go Buried Kaerikumo Castle Research Association plans a trial excavation using heavy machinery in 2027. A stone monument and a statue of Kannon mark the traditional burial site at Hokiwaki. A legend of buried treasure has circulated since the Edo period, though this is thought to be a story that spread more widely in modern times.
Connection to Swords
Highlights
- Stone monument and Kannon statue at the traditional burial site
- Landscape of the area struck by the 1586 Tensho earthquake
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.