Japanese Castle guide in Japan castle Historical site Statue Introduction.

[Castle name]
Shimabara Castle
Arima, Naozomi, Matsukura, Shigemasa’s Shimabara. Famous for the rebellion of Shimabara by Amakusa castle, the largest revolt of the Edo period.

[Explanation]
Shimabara Castle is a castle in Shimabara city in Nagasaki Prefecture, famous for “Rebellion of Shimabara” in the Edo period. Arima was originally governed for generations, but in the Edo period it was a government office of the Shimabara clan and Matsukura’s daimyo castle of 40,000 stones. As the location faces the Ariake Sea, it is located at the foot of Unzen Volcano.

The castle is a nearly rectangular castle on the plains, characterized by a sturdy high stone wall. Inner Citadel is surrounded by water fountain, and it is connected with outer citadel with a single wooden bridge in the form of a corridor bridge. If it breaks the bridge, it is making it possible to make inner citadel independent and confining.

Ganwa 2nd year (1616), “Arima Naozumi” who served as a territory head for this place for generations has been forcefully relocated to the Hyuugakuni Nobeoka clan, and in lieu of that, Matsukura Shigemasa enters into Hinoe castle which was Arima’s castle. Ganwa 4th Year (1618), Since Hinoe castle was small, Shigemasa started the castle construction of Shimabara Castle and is completed in first year of Kanei Era (1624).

Kanei 14th year (1637), Rebellion of Shimabara broke out due to the misgovernment of first feudal lord “Shigemasa”, the second feudal lord “Katsuie”, will be beheaded by the crime of leading the disturbance in the territory, Matsukura’s rank will be changed. Castle construction work on the ground consisting of volcanic ash and lava flows has been said to have been difficult and is said to contribute to the revolt of the people.

In 15th year of Kanei, Kouriki Tadafusa entered the castle with 40,000 Jewels, and after that four houses of the successive lord Daimyo will be replaced. At the end of the Tokugawa period, Matsudaira’s territory of 65,000 Jewels, and it came to Shimabara prefecture as the abolition of the clan dominated by Meiji 4th year (1871). After that, it was transferred to Nagasaki prefecture.

After the Meiji era abandoned castle disposition, buildings etc. were removed, now the inner citadel, watchtower, the tall fence are reconstructed into a castle ruins park.

[Address,access]
Shimabara city, Nagasaki prefecture 855-0036 1-1183-1

[Map]