Akitakata City and Yoshida Koriyama Castle: Visiting the Warring States Castle Town Associated with Mori Motonari

Akitakata City, Hiroshima is a small mountain city known as the base of Mori Motonari (1497-1571), who unified the Chugoku region during the Warring States period. Mori Motonari, a strategist known for the "three arrows" teaching, was a feudal warlord who conquered the Chugoku region from being a small force in Aki Province.

Yoshida Koriyama Castle Ruins

"Yoshida Koriyama Castle" ruins, which Mori Motonari used as his base, is a mountain castle ruin located on a hillside in the Yoshida district of Akitakata City. Designated as a National Historic Site, earthen walls, dry moats, and foundation stones convey the castle's former appearance. Climbing provides panoramic views of the cityscape and Yoshida Basin.

Mori Museum

The "Mori Museum" at the base of Yoshida Koriyama Castle ruins displays materials introducing the history of three generations of the Mori clan: Motonari, Takamoto, and Terumoto. Documents, armor, and weapons of Mori Motonari are also displayed for learning about the Warring States period's Chugoku region history.

The "Three Arrows" Teaching and the Mori Family

Mori Motonari's "three arrows" teaching — "one arrow breaks, but three together cannot" — is one of Japan's most famous warrior admonitions explaining the importance of brotherly solidarity.

Access

About 20 minutes by car from JR Geibi Line Yoshida-guchi Station. About 50 minutes by highway bus from Hiroshima Station (alight at Yoshida).