* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Shiraishi Castle
白石城
Shiraishi Castle is a historic castle in Tōhoku dating from the Built around the first year of Bunroku era (1592), whose lord was Katsura Kagenui (Kojūrō).
Overview
About the Castle
Shiraishi Castle is a hilltop castle located on Shiraishi Hill beside the Shiraishi River, a tributary of the Abukuma River, in Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture. It is renowned as the castle where Katsura Kagenui (Kojūrō)—a brilliant strategist known as the right hand of Date Masamune—served as lord, and it held a strategically important position as the southern stronghold of the Date clan. The current three-story wooden tenshu was completely restored in wooden construction in Heisei 7 (1995) based on historical records and receives high evaluation as an excellent example of a restored wooden tenshu. Shiraishi Castle is also called "Sankaikayagura" (three-story tower), and while not formally a "tenshu," its dignified appearance possesses the bearing of a proper castle tower.
The Life of Katsura Kojūrō Kagenui
Katsura Kagenui (1557–1615) was the brother of Kita, the wet nurse of Date Masamune, and supported him as one of his closest retainers throughout his life. Kagenui was not only a warrior skilled in archery, sword, and kusarigama (chain sickle), but also excelled in diplomacy and strategy—a man of both literary and martial prowess. During the Siege of Odawara, he is known for offering sound counsel, such as advising Masamune to submit to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At the Battle of Sekigahara, he commanded the Date forces under Masamune's orders and engaged in fierce combat with the Uesugi army. Shiraishi Castle was developed as Kagenui's residence and became an important political and diplomatic stronghold of southern Ōu under Date control.
Katsura Shigenaga and the Summer Campaign of Osaka / Sanada Yukimura
Katsura Shigenaga, the son of Katsura Kagenui, is famous as a warrior who clashed with Sanada Yukimura (Nobuie) during the Osaka Campaign. During the Summer Campaign of Osaka, while facing repeated crises from the fierce assaults of Sanada's forces, Shigenaga fought valiantly and ultimately spared and protected the wounded warriors of Sanada's faction. From this connection, it is said that the daughter of Sanada Yukimura (such as Aaume or Omatsu) was taken in at Shiraishi Castle and married into the Katsura family—a tale that has been passed down. This human bond between "the Sanada clan after the Fall of Osaka" and "the Katsura family" has been transmitted to later generations as a story of honor and compassion between former enemies of the Sengoku period, and it remains a reason why both Sanada fans and Date fans visit Shiraishi Castle today.
Shiraishi's Land and Industrial Culture
Shiraishi has long been known as a producer of Shiraishi washi (handmade paper) and Shiraishi uumen (thin noodles without oil), and the industrial culture of the castle town flourished richly. Shiraishi uumen—thin noodles made without oil—carries a legend that local merchants devised it for the weak digestion of Katsura Kojūrō's father, and as a Shiraishi specialty it remains widely beloved even today. The "Ichimoku Senbon Sakura" (Thousand Cherry Trees at a Glance) along the Shiraishi River embankment is renowned as one of Japan's representative cherry tree lined walks, and many tourists visit during the spring cherry blossom season. The wooden tenshu of Shiraishi Castle is especially beautiful during cherry blossom season, and the contrast of "the white castle and the pink of the cherry blossoms" has become an iconic spring landscape of Miyagi.
Significance of the Restored Wooden Tenshu
The wooden restored tenshu of Shiraishi Castle, completed in Heisei 7 (1995), boasts exceptional craftsmanship, faithfully reproducing the Edo-period construction techniques, materials, and methods to the greatest extent possible. The design incorporated the traditional techniques of master carpenters from within Miyagi Prefecture and has gained attention in the world of Japanese architectural history and castle studies as a model case of restored wooden tenshu. Inside, it functions as a historical museum for Shiraishi Castle and the Katsura clan, displaying armor, weapons, documents, and other artifacts of the Katsura family.
Connection to Swords
The connection between Shiraishi Castle and swords can be explored through the sword culture of Katsura Kagenui and Shigenaga—father and son who were among the finest warriors of the Date clan—and through the historical legacy that Shiraishi Castle holds as a "castle of swords and armor." Katsura Kagenui is renowned as a warrior versed in the eighteen martial arts and was known especially as a master of archery and swordmanship. While detailed records of the swords Kagenui possessed are scarce, several blades that he received from Date Masamune or acquired in battle have been confirmed, and related materials are displayed in the Shiraishi Castle historical museum alongside the armor and weapons passed down through the Katsura family. Katsura Shigenaga clashed with Sanada Yukimura during the Osaka Campaign, engaging in fierce close combat with Sanada's forces. Following the Battle of Dōmyōji, it is said that Yukimura, resigned to his fate, entrusted his young children to Shigenaga, and Shigenaga protected Yukimura's daughter Aume and son Daihachi (later Sanada Morinobu). Morinobu subsequently became a retainer of the Sendai domain and continued as the Sendai Sanada clan. It has been noted that treasures related to the Sanada family may have been passed down to the Katsura family through the surviving members of the Sanada clan whom Shigenaga protected, which suggests the multi-layered nature of Shiraishi Castle's history. The region of southern Ōu, where Shiraishi Castle is located, is also known as a birthplace of swordsmiths, and several sword makers who forged blades under the patronage of the Sendai and Shiraishi domains have been confirmed. There is also a record of a swordsmith employed by the Katsura family forging blades in Shiraishi, and this is noted by researchers as a case study illustrating the actual state of provincial sword-making culture. The Shiraishi Castle museum displays the armor and weapons of the Katsura family, making it a multifaceted historical site beloved by three communities: Sanada fans, Date fans, and sword enthusiasts.
Highlights
- Complete Wooden Restoration Tenshu — The wooden tenshu built in 1995 is a masterpiece of restoration architecture. Displays armor and documents of the Katsura family.
- Ichimoku Senbon Sakura on the Shiraishi River Embankment — One of Japan's representative cherry tree lined walks. In spring, the tenshu and cherry blossoms create a spectacular view together.
- Historic Sites Related to Katsura Kojūrō Kagenui and Shigenaga — A historical walking tour tracing the story of Date's right-hand man and the bond with the Sanada clan.
- Shiraishi Uumen — Oil-free thin noodles with a tradition of over 400 years, a local specialty of Shiraishi.
- Shiraishi Washi — A traditional craft of the Tōhoku region. Workshops where visitors can experience the industrial culture of the Shiraishi castle town are also popular.
- Obara Hot Spring — A quiet hot spring resort in Shiraishi City. Perfect for leisurely hot spring bathing after a historical walk.
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.