* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Kaerikumo Castle (Uchigashima Castle)
帰雲城（内ヶ島城）
Kaerikumo Castle (Uchigashima Castle) is a historic castle in the Chūbu region (Mid-Muromachi period to Azuchi–Momoyama period (built in the Kanshō era, buried 1586)). Its 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 during the Kanshō era (1461–1466) 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 January 18, 1586 (Tenshō 13/11/29), 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. An estimated 500 or more people, beginning with Ujisato, are said to have been buried along with their cattle and horses. 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 in 2027. A stone monument and a statue of Kannon mark the traditional burial site at Hokiwaki. There is also a legend that gold was buried along with the castle, but it is not an old local tradition; it is said to have spread from around 1970.
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.