Japanese Castle guide in Japan castle Historical site Statue Introduction.

[Castle name]
Aizuwakamatsu Castle
Boshin war the greatest battlefield one-month battle Aizuwakamatsu castle.

[Explanation]
Aizuwakamatsu Castle located in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a historic castle that is now crowded with many tourists. Muromachi era “Masao” was ruling over this place for generations, but it was captured by “Date Masamune” which continued to expand the territory from Yonezawa at the end of Sengoku Era. Aizuwakamatsu castle at this time was called “Kurokawa castle”.

After that, the central unification of “Toyotomi Hideyoshi” advanced in the middle of Japan, and its influence was also spreading to the Ouu district. Hideyoshi had declared “a war on me a battle prohibition” to the whole country under the name of the champion of the world, but Shimazu in Kyushu and Nagamori in Shikoku etc did not obey it. Masamune ignored this proclamation and promoted unification of Oku, finally succeeded in breaking the largest rival Aizu of Ashina and putting the ground under the influence.

Meanwhile, the state of the world has spread to the northern end Ouuwa district of Japan depends on Hideyoshi ‘s unification of Kyushu and Unification of Shikoku, and finally the pre – eminent Kanto “Hojo attack” began. Masamune was also doubting about himself until the last moment Hojo attacks were done, but eventually he joined Hojo to attack Hideyoshi and thanked his minister.

However, Hideyoshi does not completely trust Masamune, but confiscates the land of Aizu which Masamune himself cut out, and decides to move the headquarters to Iwadeyama castle. In the field of Aizu as a role of monitoring and supervising that politician, the former ‘Matsuzaka Castle Owner’, a senior son-in-law of Oda Nobunaga, has been appointed.

The land of Aizu is said to have been called Wakamatsu by Township. However, Shigo unfortunately suffered young at the age of the disease and the young successor to the Gamo family will be succeeded by Hideyuki Gamo. The second lord lord “Hideyuki” was still childish, so he could not rule over his family, and the house fuss also broke up and it was moved to country of San’s Utsunomiya.

The next largest family of Echigo who came in Aizu this time is “Uesugi Kagekatsu”, one of the five elderly people who succeeded the Uesugi Kenshin ruins. Uesugi was the greatest stonewall of Tohoku and was assigned as a suppression of Masamune. In such circumstances, the most famous “battle of Sekigahara” broke out in history in the fifth year of Keicho (1600 years). This race occurred in the form of Uesugi Kenkatsu opposing the exclusive domineering of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the battle became a massive battle in the form of bisecting Japan nationwide.

The warfare such as Uesugi Kanbaku and Ishida Mitsunari was lost to Ieyasu Tokugawa by this battle, and the Uesugi family also become allegiance. And from Aizu 1.2 million Jewels to Yonezawa 300 thousand Jewels, Uesugi vassal group goes to Yonezawa and retreats. After that, when the Gamo family returned as a lord of Aizu, but Tadasato who succeeded Hideyuki died, because there was no inheritance, it is declined and it is regarded as a transference to Iyo Matsuyama.

After that, it was Hideyoshi’s surviving daimyo “Kato Yoshiaki” who reigned the land of Aizu. The Kato family entered the Aizu site with 400,000 Jewels. However, at the Kato family after the death of Kaohi, the house riot is constantly finally decided, the ordinary child of Shogun Tokugawa Shogun Hidetada entered with Aizu 230,000 stones, then renamed to Matsudaira) will govern.

At the end of the Tokugawa period, a battle took place between the new government army and the former shogunate army in various places, and call it “Boshin War”. After the battle of Toba Fushimi, the battle of Koshu Katsunuma, the battle of Akeni Ueno, the battle of Utsunomiya by the former shogunate deserting army, the battle of Nagaoka, the battleground finally came close to Aizu castle. The Aizu clan sent regular forces to various places, and only a few old soldiers and young soldiers remained in the castle.

The Aizu clan who received the raid was pushed by the new government forces boasting overwhelming military power in various places, and finally the battle shifted to the basketball game. Although the Aizu clan often fought well well, it is surrounded many times by the new government forces gathered from the whole country, and it will surrender to the Kaijo until now. In addition, it is said that this is the most tragic event in this battle, anecdotes of “Byakkotai” which left their name until posterity remain. The young clans of 16 to 18 years old misunderstood that the castle fell as a result of seeing the fire in the burning castle town, and it was self-edging.

Even now, near the castle of Aizu, “Iimoriyama” has a tomb of Byakkotai built and many people are visiting. Meanwhile, Aizu Wakamatsu Castle was torn down in the early Meiji era because it was subjected to heavy attacks during the Boshin War but it was rebuilt as “Restored castle tower” in the Showa era. Currently, Aizuwakamatsu Castle is selected as “Japan 100 Great castle No. 12th”.

[Address,access]
1-1, Ochiai Town, Aizuwakamatsu city, Fukushima Prefecture, 965-0873

[Map]