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The Minowa Gate and its turret at the front of the third enclosure, June 2010. Burned in the Boshin War of 1868, they were rebuilt in 1982.
baku13CC BY-SA 2.1 jpWikimedia Commons

Fukushima · Nihonmatsu

Nihonmatsu Castle

二本松城

Nihonmatsu, Fukushima

CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 11

What makes this castle distinctive

A medieval mountain stronghold and an Edo-period castle of stone walls sit layered on the very same hill.

Why?

From the time the Hatakeyama family settled here around 1414 until the Meiji Restoration, Nihonmatsu Castle was used on the same site. Excavations below the main enclosure found burned debris from the Hatakeyama era and stone walls from when the castle was a branch fortress of Aizu, and showed that the Kato family turned the medieval stronghold into an early modern castle between 1627 and 1643. The city calls such continuity rare in Tohoku.[2][3]

Three things not to miss

01
The Minowa Gate from the front, July 2018. It is a rebuild of the gate that Niwa Mitsushige is said to have built using a sacred oak from within his domain.Σ64CC BY 4.0Wikimedia Commons

The Minowa Gate, face of the castle

Where
The entrance to Kasumigajo Park, at the front of the third enclosure.
What to look at
The white-walled gate and turret on top of high stone walls, and the statues of the Nihonmatsu Boys' Unit in front.
Why it's interesting
Tradition says the first lord, Niwa Mitsushige, had his whole domain searched for oak and built this gate mainly from a sacred tree in Minowa village. It burned in the Boshin War of 1868, but local calls for its return led to its rebuilding in 1982, and it again shows the dignity of a 100,000-koku daimyo's castle.[1]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideFree to view from outside.
02
The path up to the hilltop main enclosure and its stone walls, July 2018. The walls were taken down and rebuilt, with excavation, between 1993 and 1995.Σ64CC BY 4.0Wikimedia Commons

The hilltop main enclosure walls and keep base

Where
The highest point of the park, the main enclosure site on Shirahatagamine.
What to look at
The stone walls ringing the summit and the keep base, the view over Nihonmatsu and the mountains beyond, and the older stonework that survives below the keep base.
Why it's interesting
To stop them from collapsing, the main enclosure's stone walls were dismantled and rebuilt with excavation between 1993 and 1995. According to the tourism federation, the work was done by descendants of the Ano-shu, the masons who built the walls of Azuchi Castle. Earthquakes in 2011 and 2022 damaged them again, and they were repaired using traditional methods.[1][4][6]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideReaching the main enclosure means climbing a hill path.
03
The Kaisekimei stone near the castle entrance, November 2018. Words of warning to the domain's samurai are carved into a natural boulder; it is a National Historic Site.SuikoteiCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

The Kaisekimei stone, a warning to samurai

Where
Near the entrance to the castle site, in front of where the domain office once stood.
What to look at
The characters carved into the face of a large natural boulder.
Why it's interesting
The inscription means roughly: "Your stipend is the sweat and fat of the people. Treat them with care, for if you make them suffer, heaven will punish you." Tradition says the lord Niwa Takahiro had it carved overnight on the advice of the Confucian scholar Iwaida Kii, to tighten discipline in the domain. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1935.[1][3]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideFree to view.

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station
20 min walk from JR Nihonmatsu Station
Climb
Steep climb
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1.5 hours to walk up from the Minowa Gate to the main enclosure and back; 2–2.5 hours including the Johokan.
Admission
Permanent exhibition: adults 200 yen, high school students and younger 100 yen (groups of 20+: 150 / 50 yen); free for preschoolers. Special exhibitions cost extra.
Hours
9:00–17:00 (last museum entry 16:30)
Access
Open to visitors

Kasumigajo Park is open for walking (opening hours not confirmed). The Japan 100 Castles stamp is at the tourist information office inside JR Nihonmatsu Station and at the Nihonmatsu Johokan.

Checked:

View on mapOpen in Google MapsNihonmatsu Castle Site (Nihonmatsu Board of Education, Japanese)Kasumigajo Park (Nihonmatsu Tourism Federation, Japanese)Nihonmatsu Johokan

The story of this castle

01
Historical record

Shirahatagamine, guarded on three sides

Nihonmatsu Castle was built around Shirahatagamine, a 345-meter peak at the foot of the Abukuma Highlands. Hills enclose it on the south, west and north, leaving only the east partly open, so the castle made use of naturally defensible ground.[2]

02
Tradition

Founded by the Hatakeyama, then held by Date, Gamo and Uesugi

Hatakeyama Mitsuyasu is said to have moved to this hill in 1414 and named his castle Nihonmatsu. In 1586 Date Masamune destroyed the Hatakeyama and took the castle, and after Toyotomi Hideyoshi reorganized the northeast it became a branch castle of the Gamo and then the Uesugi lords of Aizu, run by appointed castellans.[2][3]

03
Historical record

From medieval stronghold to castle of stone

Excavations showed that the major conversion from medieval stronghold to early modern castle took place under the Kato family between 1627 and 1643. In 1643 Niwa Mitsushige arrived with a 100,700-koku domain, repaired the stone walls and other works, and laid out the castle town. Nihonmatsu's streets today still follow almost the same plan.[2][3]

04
Historical record

The Boshin War and the Nihonmatsu Boys' Unit

On the 29th day of the 7th month of 1868, during the Boshin War, the castle fell to the new government's army around noon. 337 defenders died, including 14 members of the boys' unit aged 13 to 17 by traditional count. Inside the castle, three senior officials who had argued for fighting took their own lives to accept responsibility.[3][1]

05
Historical record

A silk mill rises on the burned castle

The castle's buildings burned in the fighting, and in 1873 the Nihonmatsu Silk Company, an early machine-reeling silk mill, opened in the third enclosure and played a major part in modernizing the area. Today stone walls of the main and third enclosures remain, along with old wells and the Kaisekimei stone.[3][1]

06
Historical record

Rebuilding the Minowa Gate and the summit walls

The Minowa Gate was rebuilt in 1982, and the main enclosure's walls were reconstructed in 1993–1995. The site became a National Historic Site in 2007, and in 2024 the designation was extended to include the site of the domain school, Keigakukan. Walls damaged by earthquakes in 2011 and 2022 have been repaired with traditional techniques.[1][2][4][6]

People of this castle

Timeline

  1. Hatakeyama Mitsuyasu is said to move to Shirahatagamine and found Nihonmatsu Castle[2][3]

  2. Date Masamune defeats the Hatakeyama and takes the castle[3]

  3. Niwa Mitsushige arrives with a 100,700-koku domain[2][3]

  4. The castle falls in the Boshin War; 337 die, including 14 boys[3]

  5. The Minowa Gate is rebuilt[1]

  6. Work in fiscal 1993–1995

    The main enclosure's stone walls are rebuilt[4][6]

  7. Designated a National Historic Site[2]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

Not yet confirmed

Only the stone keep base survives in the main enclosure (the Japan Castle Foundation lists "keep base only"). Whether a keep ever stood on it could not be confirmed.

The site today

The site is now Kasumigajo Park, with the hilltop main enclosure, the rebuilt Minowa Gate, stone walls, wells and gardens. Nearby stands the Nihonmatsu Johokan history and tourism center.

Main buildings

Modern reconstruction

Minowa Gate and attached turret

Burned in the Boshin War; rebuilt in 1982.[1]

Original, relocatedNihonmatsu City Tangible Cultural Property

Senshintei (tea house)

Originally the Sumie tea house in the lords' castle garden; after being moved, it was set at its present spot. City-designated in 1976.[1]

Lost

Otemon (Sakashita Gate)

A gatehouse built in 1832 with shogunate permission, probably torn down soon after the Boshin War; its stone walls remain.[5]

Key facts

Type
Castle
Setting
Hilltop castle (hirayamajiro)built on a low hill rising from the plainEditorial article
Period
Medieval (c.1185–1570s), Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Not yet confirmedwhether a keep existed is still being checkedEditorial article
Built by
Gamo Ujisato, Niwa Mitsushige, Katō AkitoshiJapan Castle Foundation
Built
1414Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords
Hatakeyama clan, Date clan, Gamō clan, Uesugi clan, Katō clan, Niwa clanJapan Castle Foundation
Abandoned
1872Wikipedia (ja)
Remains to see
Keep base (tenshudai), Stone walls, Trench cuts (horikiri), Gates, Turrets or turret bases, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Fortified gateways (koguchi)Editorial article
Designation
National Historic Site (Nihonmatsu Castle Site) (2007); National Historic Site (Kaisekimei stone of the former Nihonmatsu domain) (1935)Editorial article
Selection
Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 11Japan Castle Foundation

Visiting

Access

Open to visitors

Kasumigajo Park is open for walking (opening hours not confirmed). The Japan 100 Castles stamp is at the tourist information office inside JR Nihonmatsu Station and at the Nihonmatsu Johokan.

Address

Kakunai, Nihonmatsu, Fukushima (Nihonmatsu Johokan: 3-303-5 Kakunai)[10]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Nearest stations and how to get there

JR Nihonmatsu StationJR Tohoku Main Line

about 20 min walk · Steep climb

About 20 minutes on foot from the station to the castle entrance, then about 15 minutes more up to the hilltop main enclosure (from supplementary sources). The climb involves slopes and steps.[12]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Hours and admission

Nihonmatsu Johokan (Nihonmatsu History Museum)
Hours
9:00–17:00 (last museum entry 16:30)
Closed
Mondays (or the next non-holiday if Monday is a holiday), December 29 – January 3
Admission
Permanent exhibition: adults 200 yen, high school students and younger 100 yen (groups of 20+: 150 / 50 yen); free for preschoolers. Special exhibitions cost extra.[7][8]
Checked: 2026-10-03

By car / parking

The nearest exit is Nihonmatsu IC on the Tohoku Expressway. Parking locations are shown on the tourism federation's map (numbers and fees not confirmed).[13][1]

Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
Not confirmedChecked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1.5 hours to walk up from the Minowa Gate to the main enclosure and back; 2–2.5 hours including the Johokan.
Steps, slopes and footing
The main enclosure is on a 345-meter summit, reached from the Minowa Gate by slopes and steps.[2][1]
Wheelchairs and strollers
Not confirmedChecked: 2026-10-03
Toilets and rest
There are toilets in the park; their locations are shown on the tourism federation's map.[1]
English signs / audio guide
The Johokan website has pages in English and other languages. English signage on site is not confirmed.[9]
Seasons
The tourism federation's flower calendar lists wisteria in mid-May, irises in mid-June, hydrangeas in mid-July and autumn leaves in early November.[1]
Photography
Not confirmed
Works, closures and restrictions
The Nihonmatsu Johokan opens every day during the Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival (October 3–5) and the chrysanthemum doll exhibition (October 10 – November 23). Its closing days in October–November 2026 are October 6, November 24 and November 30.[9]Checked: 2026-10-03

Editors' guide

An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.

Who will enjoy it

For visitors who want to feel a castle's scale by climbing it, those interested in how a medieval mountain fort became a stone-walled castle, and travelers tracing the history of the Boshin War.

What makes it interesting

See the Boys' Unit statues before the Minowa Gate, pass through, and climb to the summit. Looking down on the town from the main enclosure walls and keep base shows why the castle was put here. On the way back, look for the Hikage Well, the older stonework below the keep base, and the Kaisekimei stone at the entrance.

Before you go

No Edo-period buildings survive; the Minowa Gate is a 1982 rebuild. The path to the summit is a steady climb of slopes and steps, so wear good shoes. The Johokan closes on Mondays, except for special openings during festivals.

Ways to enjoy it

Learn the castle's story at the Johokan first, and the summit walls will mean much more. In autumn, combine your visit with the chrysanthemum doll exhibition or the autumn leaves.

Photos

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Open questions

Sources

  1. 1
    霞ヶ城公園二本松市観光連盟tourismChecked:
  2. 2
    二本松城跡│二本松城跡の概要二本松市教育委員会municipalChecked:
  3. 3
    二本松城跡│城跡の歴史二本松市教育委員会municipalChecked:
  4. 4
    二本松城跡│被災石垣の修理二本松市教育委員会municipalChecked:
  5. 5
    二本松城跡│二本松城大手門跡二本松市教育委員会municipalChecked:
  6. 6
    二本松城(お知らせ)二本松市教育委員会municipalChecked:
  7. 7
    開館時間・休館日にほんまつ城報館(二本松市)municipalChecked:
  8. 8
    二本松歴史館の入館料にほんまつ城報館(二本松市)municipalChecked:
  9. 9
    10月・11月の臨時開館日についてにほんまつ城報館(二本松市)municipalChecked:
  10. 10
    にほんまつ城報館のご紹介にほんまつ城報館(二本松市)municipalChecked:
  11. 11
    日本100名城 一覧公益財団法人日本城郭協会jokakuChecked:
  12. 12
    二本松城(補助資料)Wikipedia日本語版otherChecked:
  13. 13
    二本松城跡│アクセス二本松市教育委員会municipalChecked:
  14. 14
    List of Japan's 100 Fine Castles and the Next 100公益財団法人日本城郭協会jokakuChecked:
  15. 15
    Wikipedia「二本松城」Wikipedia日本語版wikipediaChecked:
  16. 16
    Wikidata Q593054WikidatawikidataChecked:
  17. 17
    OpenStreetMap way/1189149053© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)osmChecked:

Listing status

  1. Candidate foundChecked
  2. Confirmed as a castle siteChecked
  3. Basic informationChecked
  4. In-depth articleChecked
  5. Photo rights checkedChecked
  6. Visit info checkedChecked

Castles nearby

Hachichome Castle7.3 km · Not yet confirmedObama Castle8.3 km · Not yet confirmedMiyamori Castle9 km · Not yet confirmedOdemori Castle13.7 km · Not yet confirmedTakakura Castle13.9 km · No keep recordedOmori Castle14 km · Not yet confirmed

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