About Shiroishi Castle

There are several theories about the origin of the name Shiroishi (“White Stone”). One theory relates to stones: it is said to derive from the presence of large, glossy, pure-white stones called Kami-ishi Shiroishi found in this region. Another theory traces the name to the Ainu word Shurau-shi, meaning “a place with many stones.” Later, according to historical records, the land came to be known as Shiroishi after the rise of the Shiroishi clan, who ruled this area in the 11th century.

Shiroishi has long been an important strategic point for both transportation and military affairs in Tohoku, making it a land many warlords sought to control. Initially, it was governed by the Shiroishi clan, a powerful local family with close ties to the Date clan, even adopting children from them. Thus, during the Sengoku period of the 16th century, Shiroishi came under Date influence, maintaining relative stability. The Date clan was the family of Date Masamune, the feudal lord who later founded the city of Sendai.
However, in 1591, after Toyotomi Hideyoshi achieved national unification, Shiroishi was granted to the Gamo clan, taking it out of Date control. It later became the territory of the Uesugi clan, but following the Battle of Sekigahara, Date Masamune—the 17th head of the Date family—regained the land, bringing it once again under Date rule.

Shiroishi Castle was not originally built by the Date clan but by the Gamo clan, who had been granted the land by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After the Battle of Sekigahara, the territory returned to the Date family, and Date Masamune appointed his loyal retainer Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna as lord of the castle. Under Katakura’s leadership, the castle underwent major renovations, laying the foundations of today’s castle town. From then on, for more than 260 years, Shiroishi Castle served as the residence of the Katakura clan.
Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Edo shogunate, issued the “One Castle per Province” decree, allowing only one castle per domain. Shiroishi Castle, however, was one of the rare exceptions permitted to remain—a privilege said to reflect Ieyasu’s high regard for Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna, its lord at the time.

Until the late Edo period of the 19th century, Shiroishi Castle survived earthquakes and fires, being repaired and rebuilt many times. However, at the end of the shogunate, as power shifted from the Tokugawa shogunate to the new Meiji government, the Boshin War broke out. Ordered by the new government to attack the Aizu domain (present-day Fukushima), the Sendai domain refused. Instead, together with the Yonezawa domain (present-day Yamagata), they convened at Shiroishi Castle to support Aizu. Fourteen domains of northern Japan gathered at the castle, forming the Ouetsu Reppan Alliance (an alliance of the domains of Mutsu, Dewa, and Echigo).
Their petitions were rejected, and the castle became a military stronghold. Ultimately, however, the Sendai domain surrendered to the new government forces, and Shiroishi Castle was handed over. It later came under the control of the Ministry of the Army and then the Ministry of Finance before being sold into private hands in 1874 and dismantled. Today, the site is known as Masuoka Park. Notably, the Umayaguchi Gate (the horse gate) was relocated to Enmei-ji Temple as its main gate, and the Ninomaru Ote Ni-no-mon (East Gate) was moved to Toshin-ji Temple, where both still stand today.

In modern times, citizens’ calls for reconstruction grew stronger, though many challenges remained. The turning point came with the broadcast of NHK’s historical drama Dokuganryu Masamune, which renewed attention on Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna and greatly boosted the movement to rebuild Shiroishi Castle. In 1988, Shiroishi City officially announced its policy to reconstruct the three-story keep.
Although a concrete reconstruction was initially considered, the decision was made to rebuild in wood, adhering as closely as possible to historical authenticity. Research was conducted through historical documents and archaeological excavations. Almost all of the building materials used were domestic, rather than inexpensive foreign imports. To raise funds, citizen-led campaigns such as the “One Roof Tile Movement” were launched, ultimately collecting over 100 million yen in donations.
Construction began in 1992, and by 1995 the three-story keep, the main gates, and sections of the earthen walls were completed. After 120 years since its demolition, Shiroishi Castle once again rose proudly as the symbol of the city.

There are only five castles in Japan that have been reconstructed in wood with strict historical accuracy, and Shiroishi Castle is one of them. Excavations, geological surveys, and detailed studies of historical records guided the work to ensure faithful reproduction. Materials were carefully sourced: stone from the Shiroishi area, timber from Aomori and Nara, roof tiles from Gifu, and decorative fittings from Kyoto. The stone walls, architecture, and plasterwork were all reproduced using traditional craftsmanship.
The stone walls, in particular, were reconstructed using three techniques: kirikomi hagi (finely cut stonework), uchikomi hagi (roughly dressed stonework), and nozura-zumi (unhewn stone piling). Shiroishi Castle is especially notable as the first reconstructed castle in Japan to incorporate nozura-zumi.

The beams of the Ni-no-mon Gate were constructed with Taiwanese cypress (hinoki). Cypress is regarded as the finest timber in traditional Japanese architecture, capable of withstanding the elements for over a thousand years. In particular, the pillars required logs over 120 cm in diameter without a core—wood that could only be sourced from Taiwanese cypress.