Fukushima Castle Ruins

[Fukushima Castle Ruins] Fukushima Castle was located on the site of the current Fukushima Prefectural Office. Until the Sengoku period, this place was called Sugime Castle (Sugizuma Castle) or Daibutsu Castle. The "Treasure Pagoda Excavated from the Daibutsu Castle Ruins" (Prefectural Important Cultural Property) shows the history of Daibutsu Castle. There is a record that in 1413, Date Mochimune barricaded himself in Daibutsu Castle and rebelled against Kanto Kubo Ashikaga Mochiuji, and it remained the residence of the Date clan until the end of the Sengoku period. Kimura Yoshikiyo, who was entrusted with the responsibility of 50,000 koku by Ujisato Gamo, moved from Omori Castle to Sugime Castle around the first year of Bunroku (1592) and renamed it Fukushima Castle. However, in the fourth year of Bunroku, Fukushima Castle was demolished by order of Hideyoshi, and the area was subsequently occupied by the Uesugi clan (1598-1664), the Honda clan (679-82), the Hotta clan ( (1686-1700), and during that time the feudal lord changed frequently, including becoming the shogunate, but no new castles were built, and control was carried out from the jinya. In the 15th year of Genroku (1702), the Itakura clan moved in from Okino with 30,000 koku and began to develop Fukushima Castle. The total area of ​​Fukushima Castle was approximately 25 hectares, and although it did not have a castle tower, it was large enough to be the residence of a feudal lord with a wealth of 30,000 koku. The main keep was located near the current governor's official residence, and the Ninomaru, which was responsible for political affairs, was near the prefectural office building.The Abukuma River flowed to the southeast of the castle, and its running water circulated around the inner moat. The garden seen from the palace where the feudal lord lived is the current Momijiyama Park. In addition, the earthworks from that time remain on the south side of the government building.

This is a castle built on the banks of the Abukuma River. Currently, it is the prefectural office, and there are earthworks and garden ruins, but there are no buildings left that can be imagined back then. Around the castle ruins, there were information boards erected about what was once a castle town.

Once it was completely destroyed, it is difficult to even remember its original shape, but only the earthworks behind the prefectural office remain well.

Wednesday, May 3, 2023 Public facilities such as the prefectural office are built on the Fukushima Castle ruins, so the only remains are the earthworks and gardens, but it was fun to look for them. Since it was a holiday, I felt a little nervous walking around the prefectural office looking for it.

There used to be Fukushima Castle, but perhaps due to the fate of Heijo, the prefectural office now stands there, and only the earthworks remain.