Wonderful bike & train tour in Fukushima 福島大好きおじさんの自転車・鉄道旅日記

Today I headed towards eastern part of Shirakawa mainly along the Abukuma River and visited ancient kofuns (tumuli or burial mounds) and demolished temple ruins.
本日は、白河の東部の地域を主に阿武隈川沿いに進み、古墳や廃寺跡を訪ねました。




Photos above show the largest kofun I visited today called Shimousazuka Kofun built in late 500’s. Large mound area spreading on a field in front was the kofun site which was 71.8m long keyhole shape type. It was considered that local powerful clan at Shirakawa at the time was buried in here. Most of the surrounding areas were now rice fields.
写真は、６世紀後半につくられた下総塚古墳で、本日巡った中で最大のものでした。山の手前の地面に広く盛り土が広がっている部分で、全長７１，８ｍの前方後円墳です。当時のこの地の豪族「白河国造」が埋葬されていると考えられています。なお、まわりはほとんど田んぼでした。






Very close to this kofun site, ancient demolished temple site was excavated which was called Kariyado temple ruins. At the site shown above there were only some remains of foundations left but many artifacts were already taken out and preserved in museums. The temple existed between 700’s and 900’s.
下総塚古墳のすぐ近くに、借宿廃寺跡があります。現地は、写真のように当時の礎が少し見られる程度ですが、多くの発掘されたものは、白河市歴史民俗資料館などで大切に保管されています。寺は、８世紀から１０世紀頃に機能していたようです。




Earlier in the morning on the way toward east, I visited some more different types of kofuns. One of them was shown above named Yachikubo Kofun estimated to be built in late 600’s. A part of the stone structure was revealed on the surface but the whole shape was round type of 17m diameter.
更に、今朝東に進む途中で、また別の種類の古墳を見ました。１つは、写真の谷地久保古墳で、７世紀後半につくられたものです。一部石の構造が地表に露出していますが、全体は直径１７ｍの円墳とのことです。




Another kofun site was Nojikubo site located very close to the Yachikubo site. The actual kofun was hiding underground and I could only see the location site in a wood as shown above. The type of this kofun, which was round at the top and square at the bottom, was a rare type across Japan. The time of this kofun was considered to be the late 600’s which was the same as Yachikubo.
もう１つは、野地久保古墳で先の谷地久保古墳のすぐ近くにあります。写真の通り、実際の古墳は地下に隠れていて説明板のみでしたが、全国的にも珍しい上円下方墳とのことです。谷地久保古墳と同じく、７世紀後半のものです。




The last kofun site I visited today was Zaruuchi Kofun now moved and restored on the ground of Kochinodai Park located close to the original site. It looked as shown above. It was a round kofun of a diameter of 11.5m estimated to be built in 600’s.
本日訪ねた最後の古墳は、写真の笊内古墳４号墳です。ここのすぐ近く（上野出島）で発掘され、その後ここの東風の台公園に移設復元されています。７世紀のもので、直径１１，５ｍの円墳です。

Some other historic sites I stopped at today are shown below.
本日寄った他の場所は、以下の通りです。




Photo above shows Utatanenomori site where a powerful general Minamoto-no-Yoshiie (1039-1106) was said to have taken a nap here.
写真は、「転寝の森（うたたねのもり）」と呼ばれる場所です。昔、源義家（1039-1106）がここでうたたねをした言い伝えがあります。




Photo above shows Otaki Spring where the general Minamoto-no-Yoshiie loved during “Zenkunennoeki” battle in Tohoku (1051-1062).
写真は、「小滝の清水」で、同じく源義家が前九年の役（1051-1062）の時にここの清水を愛用したとのことです。




Photo above shows foot of Mt. Shinchi which had a nickname “Hitowasurezu-no-yama”. This word frequently appeared in Japanese Waka poem in the old days.
写真は、「人忘れずの山」とも呼ばれた新地山のふもとです。「人忘れずの山」は、歌枕にもなりました。


Finally I stayed overnight at Kitsuneuchi hot spring inn as shown above located in the easternmost part of Shirakawa.
最後に、今晩は白河市の一番東にある写真のきつねうち温泉に泊まります。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。

Today was the second day and I first stopped at well preserved graveyard of the first lord of Shirakawa domain Niwa Nagashige in Edo Period. Photo above was a small pond called “Shonanko” located at the entrance point for the graveyard.
２日目の最初は、江戸時代の初代白河藩主丹羽長重の墓所を訪ねました。写真は、その墓所への入口にある小南湖と呼ばれる池です。




Walking up for a while I came to a mausoleum of the lord Niwa Nagashige (1571-1637) as shown above.
しばらく登ると、写真の丹羽長重（1571-1637）の霊廟が現れます。


In the same graveyard there were tombs for other lords who served for Shirakawa domain. A brief description board on site, as shown above, explained it.
同じ墓所には、白河藩の他の藩主、松平直矩、松平基知のお墓もあります。




There was also a tomb, as shown above, for 23 Nihonmatsu domain soldiers who died in Boshin Civil War in 1868. Why? Because Niwa lord family later moved to Nihonmatsu domain.
また、戊辰戦争でこの白河で亡くなった２３人の二本松藩士のお墓もありました。丹羽家は、白河のあと二本松藩の藩主にもなり、関係が深かったためと思われます。




Near the graveyard, there was a historic Daitoji Temple shown above in Umamachi area. The Buddhist temple was originally found in early 800’s at a separate place but later the lord Niwa Nagashige moved to the current place.
墓所の近くの馬町には，写真の大統寺があります。８００年代の初期に別の場所に建てられたものですが、丹羽長重がここの場所に移しました。




Then I pedaled the bike heading toward Shirakawa Castle site, which was established between 1331 and 1337 by Yuki Munehiro who was a family member of powerful Shirakawa-Yuki clan at the time. The site was located on top of a large hill and the approach looked as shown above. (This site is different from Kominejo Castle which was built later than this one.)
次にチャリで向かったのが、白川城跡です。1331-1337年の間に、当時権勢をふるっていた白河結城氏の結城宗廣が構築しました。高い丘陵の上にあり、写真が今日の入口になります。（このお城は、白河小峰城の以前に建てられたもので別物です。国の史跡にもなっています。）


Climbing up the steps the top ground looked as shown above. Only a small shrine and a monument were there.
段を登り丘の上にでると、写真のような光景で、小さな祠と記念碑があるくらいでした。


Looking into the small shrine I found the name of the founder Yuki Munehiro as shown above.
祠の中を覗くと、構築した結城宗廣の名前が見えます。


Leaving Shirakawa Castle site I headed to Nanko Park completed in 1801 by Shirakawa domain lord Matsudaira Sadanobu, which was designated as national historic site as well as national scenic site. This was the first official park in Japan and the entrance of the park looked as shown above.
白川城をあとにし、次に南湖公園に向かいました。ここは、白河藩主の松平定信が１８０１年につくったもので、国の史跡・名勝になっています。また、日本で最初の公園でもあります。写真は、本日の入口の光景です。




A Japanese style garden “Suirakuen” made later was located adjacent to Lake Nanko. The late autumn foliage looked as shown above.
南湖のすぐ脇に、後になってできた日本式庭園の翠楽苑があります。写真は，本日の晩秋の光景です。


Right next to this garden there was Nanko Shrine where Shirakawa domain lord Matsudaira Sadanobu who developed Nanko Park was enshrined. There was a statue of the lord at the entrance of the shrine as shown above.
翠楽苑の隣に、南湖公園を開発した松平定信を祀った南湖神社があります。その入口には写真の定信像が建っています。




A historic teahouse building “Shofutei-ragetsuan” which was built in 1795 was located within the precinct. The teahouse was originally built in separate place and loved by the lord, but later moved to the current site.
南湖神社の境内に、「松風亭蘿月庵」という茶室があります。１７９５年に最初別の場所に建てられたものですが、定信も時折訪れていて、後でこの地に移設されたものです。






Another historic teahouse called “Kyorakutei” was located on a small hill on the edge of Lake Nanko as shown above. It was built between 1801 and 1803 after the development of Nanko Park was finished. The name symbolized the basic idea of the lord that everyone should enjoy their life regardless of rank, position or class. Near Kyorakutei there was a tomb for Tanagura domain soldiers who fought and died in Boshin Civil War in Shirakawa battlefield.
もう１つの茶亭「共楽亭」は、南湖の縁の小高い丘に建っています。南湖開発終了後の1801-1803年の間に建てられたもので、その名前は、身分の上下なく平等に共に楽しむという考えを現してします。なお、共楽亭の近くには、白河の地で戊辰戦争の犠牲となった棚倉藩士のお墓も建っていました。






Leaving Nanko Park I headed to Inariyama site where Shirakawaguchi battle, which was the fiercest Boshin fight in Shirakawa between Tohoku region allied forces and the new government forces. Photo above was a grave for Aizu domain soldiers who died in the Shirakawaguchi battle.
南湖公園を後にし、稲荷山に向かいました。ここは、白河の戊辰戦争で、奥羽越列藩同盟軍と新政府軍との間で最も激しい戦いが行われた「白河口の戦い」の場所です。写真は、犠牲になった会津藩士の墓です。




There was another memorial monument shown above for all the victims of Boshin Shirakawaguchi battle.
また別の場所（稲荷山公園内）には、写真の白河口の戦いの犠牲者全員の慰霊碑もあります。

The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。

Stone walls of Kominejo Castle site in Shirakawa were heavily damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Restoration work began after the disaster and it took more than 7 years to fix the majority of the walls. Today the repaired walls were opened to the public for only a single day and photo above shows the repaired western stone wall protecting the Honmaru or the central area of the castle. The location of the castle was right next (north side) to JR Shirakawa Station.
白河小峰城跡の城壁は、東日本大震災で大きく崩れました。震災後、修復作業が始まりましたが、７年以上経ちようやく大部分が完成しました。本日は１日だけ、修復された石垣が公開されました。写真は、本丸西側の城壁です。小峰城は、ＪＲ白河駅のすぐ北隣にあります。


Photo above was a map of the castle area posted at the site showing the repaired portion of the stone walls in red and blue. Restoration work was completed for the major parts except for the yellow part in the east. All the work is scheduled to be finished in the next few years when all the area will be open to the general public.
写真は、現地にあった城壁の修復状況を示す地図です。青と赤の部分が修復済みです。ほとんど修復は終わっていますが、東側にある黄色の部分が残っています。あと２－３年のうちには、全ての修復が終わり一般に公開されるとのことでした。


Photo above shows the northern side of the wall which is the longest. White colored stones show the repaired part of the collapse.
写真は、本丸北側の城壁です。色の白い部分が、崩壊による修復箇所を示しています。


Photo above shows stone wall at the back side (northern side) of 3-story Yagura or turret building. This stone wall was one of the oldest ones built even before the large-scale reconstruction work between 1629 and 1632 lead by the load Niwa Nagashige.
写真は、三重櫓北側（裏側）の城壁です。初代藩主の丹羽長重公が１６２９年から１６３２年の間に行った大規模改修より以前から存在している古いものです。


Right next to the east side of the castle area there was a large tomb for some of the new government force solders from Satsuma domain who died in the Boshin civil war battle in Shirakawa as shown above.
城の東側のすぐ隣に、戊辰戦争の白河での戦いで亡くなった薩摩藩の戦士のお墓（戊辰薩藩戦死者墓、合葬）がありました。（写真）



Photos above show Shimizumon gate site (left hand side) which was the most important gate for the castle and which was located just in front of the main 3-story Yagura building. A brief description panel stood at the site.
写真は、三重櫓の南側正面に位置し、城で最も重要な清水門跡（左側）とその説明です。