Komine Castle, Japanese castle in Shirakawa, Japan
Komine Castle is a Japanese fortress in Shirakawa featuring a three-story wooden tower rebuilt in 1991 according to historical plans. Massive stone walls surround the compound and rise along the hill where the structure sits.
Yuki Chikatomo established the fortress in 1340 as an important defensive point in northern Japan. During the Boshin War in 1868, the compound was destroyed and remained in ruins for more than a century.
The fortress takes its name from the word meaning "small peaks," referring to the terrain where it sits. Local residents often use the adjacent park for morning walks and seasonal flower viewing throughout the year.
The grounds open daily at 9:30 and close at 17:00 from April through October and at 16:00 from November through March. Visitors can reach the stone walls and tower via paved paths that wind around the hill.
The 2011 earthquake caused 45 meters of stone walls to collapse, revealing how 14th-century builders fitted the blocks together without mortar. Restoration work completed in 2015 used traditional techniques to replicate the original construction method.
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