Japan Castle Atlas

Niwa Mitsushige

丹羽光重

First lord of the Nihonmatsu domain. Moving from Shirakawa in 1643 with a 100,700-koku domain, he repaired the castle's stone walls and other works and laid out the castle town, creating the basic shape of today's Nihonmatsu.

Years: 1622–1701

Tradition

Story

Tradition says that when building the Minowa Gate he had his whole domain searched for oak timber, and finally used a sacred tree from Mt. Sannoji in Minowa village as the main material, naming the finished gate after the village.

Connected castles

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.

In-depth article

Nihonmatsu, Fukushima

Nihonmatsu Castle

二本松城

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

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 11CastleHilltop

baku13CC BY-SA 2.1 jpWikimedia Commons

first lord of Nihonmatsu; rebuilt the castle and townRecord source: article

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.

In-depth article

Nihonmatsu, Fukushima

Nihonmatsu Castle

二本松城

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

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 11CastleHilltop

baku13CC BY-SA 2.1 jpWikimedia Commons

BuiltRecord source: jokaku

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.

In-depth article

Nihonmatsu, Fukushima

Nihonmatsu Castle

二本松城

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

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 11CastleHilltop

baku13CC BY-SA 2.1 jpWikimedia Commons

Rebuilt / expandedRecord source: wikipedia

Sources

1
霞ヶ城公園(二本松市観光連盟)Checked: 2026-10-03
2
二本松城跡│城跡の歴史(二本松市教育委員会)Checked: 2026-10-03
3
丹羽光重(補助資料・Wikipedia日本語版)Checked: 2026-10-03