Aizuwakamatsu Castle : A Study of Japanese Bibliography

This is all about Aizuwakamatsu Castle Ruins you want to know.
Every information you get on this site will be from a credible source based on Japanese history (books for reference).

"Kojō ezu(picture in Edo Period)" from 国立国会図書館

Collected by the Inagaki family, the Toba Daimyō from the mid-Edo period to the Meiji Restoration, as materials for military studies. There are about 350 illustrations, but there is no uniformity because only illustrations of castles, illustrations including castle towns, and old battlefield illustrations are mixed.

Another typical example of a castle picture in the Edo period is "The Shōhō Shiroezu", picture of the castle and castle town that the Edo Shogunate ordered the daimyō to create and submit,aggregating military information such as the buildings inside the castle, the height of the stone wall, the width of the moat and the water depth, etc., it also details the location and shape of the castle town and the mountain river.

Profile : Aizuwakamatsu Castle Ruins


Location	Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
Also known as	Tsuruga Castle, AiZu Castle, Kurokawa Castle
Type of castle	Hilltop
Mountain's name	ー
Elevation	ー
Condition	Reconstructed main keep
Designation	Nationai Historic Sites
Year built	1384
Abolished	1874
Castle lord	Ashina Naomori
Refurbishment lord	Gamou Ujisato

Portrait of Gamō Ujisato from **Wikipedia**

Family Crest of Gamou Clan from **"Wikipedia"**

The family crest was originally created from the pattern that the emperor and the royal family put on the kimono, and the pattern was made into a fixed pattern, and the one attached to his own oxcart is said to be the beginning of the family crest. The warlords drew large crests on the flag-fingers, used to distinguish enemy views on the battlefield, and used by the generals to determine which warlords were active and how much.

Aizuwakamatsu Castle admission

admission fee : 410yen (Adult) 150Yen(Non adult)
admission time : am8:30-pm5
closing period : open daily reference official site (japanese)

Aizuwakamatsu Castle Google Map

Aizuwakamatsu Castle Images　

Ashina Naomori, who ruled this land during the North and South Dynasties, built Kurokawa Castle in 1384. Date Masamune destroyed Kurokawa Clan and entered there In1589. However, the following year Masamune was taken by "Ōshu punishment" Then Gamou Ujisato enters Aizu district. Ujisato changed the name of the place from Kurokawa to Aizu, and rebuilt the medieval castle to the modern castle of sevenfold, and named it Tsuruga Castle. The foundation of the town of Aizu was laid during the Ujisato era.

Main keep and Watari Yagura

Both are rebuilt. The black tiles roof of existing building was replaced with cold-resistant red tiles in 2011, before being demolished in the Meiji era. It was completely renovated to the end of the Edo period.

Stone steps of warrior running for emergency dispatch to the Taikomon Gate.

beautiful landscape with wide moat and stone wall

Aizuwakamatsu City is famous for its snow. Therefore there are many beautiful spots with snow scenery. In particular, the castle with snow makeup is a superb view, worth a looking.

”Roukabashi Bridge” is a very important bridge connecting Honmaru and Ninomaru, as well as an important facility that forms a historical and cultural landscape with the castle tower and stone walls. However, this wooden bridge was decayed and was in a dangerous situation,
a new bridge was rebuilt at the end of March 2018. The new bridge is constructed using Japanese cypress, the upper row of the bridge color is vermilion using lacquer from Aizu, and the structural material supporting the bridge is black, the same color as before.

Memorial monument for blave warriors "Byakkotai"

Aizu Clan, who participated in the Boshin War as a former Shogunate army,organized units similar to the Western countries by age. At this time, the youngest member of the unit, the 16-17 year-old boy, was organized by the "Byakkotai" / **"White tiger forces"** (from Wikipedia)

Although they set off with an order, attacked by new government forces, lost the battle and ran away to Mt. Iimori in the northeast of the Castle on August.1868. In fact, the castle town was burning, not the castle, It is said that they saw the fire rising near the castle and thought it had fallen down. Others say that they chose to kill themselves as samurai, rather than the losing battle they are waiting for.

In any case, their souls, which maintained their pride as samurai until the end, have been deeply carved into the hearts of Japanese people.
I am sorry for the proud.

Link-1 : Three Great Castle in Tōhoku district

【Iwate Prefecture】Morioka Castle　 【Fukushima prefecture】Shirakawakomine Castle 【Fukushima prefecture】Aizuwakamatsu Castle

Link-2 : A fierce battle in japanese history

【north japan】Goryōkaku 【east japan】Kawagoe Castle 【central japan】Ueda Castle 【west japan】Tottori Castle 【west japan】 Chihaya Castle 【south japan】Shimabara Castle 【north japan】Aizuwakamatsu Castle

Link-3 : A Castle closely related to "Gamō Ujisato"

【central japan】Odani Castle 【north japan】 Shiroishi Castle 【north japan】Aizuwakamatsu Castle