Shimabara Castle (島原城) is located in Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Unzen, facing Ariake Bay.
It was built over a seven-year period (1618–1624) by order of Matsukura Shigemasa (1574–1630), a powerful daimyo of the late Sengoku period and early Edo period. For about 250 years, 19 feudal lords from four clans – Matsukura, Koriki, Matsudaira and Toda – lived there. The castle survived the Shimabara Rebellion (1637–1638), which was sparked by the persecution of Christians and the heavy taxation imposed for the construction of the castle. It also survived natural disasters such as the Shimabara Disaster of 1792 with the volcanic activity of Mount Unzen, earthquakes, and a large tsunami.
With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the castle was destroyed, losing all its buildings, including the castle tower, and only the stone walls and moat remained. The current buildings are concrete reconstructions from 1964.
Today there are exhibition spaces where visitors can see artifacts from the Shimabara Rebellion, along with items related to local history and folklore, as well as works by sculptor Kitamura Seibo, known for creating the Nagasaki Peace Park statue.
The castle ruins are designated as a National Historic Site.
Shimabara Castle is a 10-minute walk from the Shimabara Station.
photos: Junko Nagata ©Japanbyweb.com, 10/2025