Shimabara Castle, Nagasaki - Getting There, Highlights, And More!

Highlights of Shimabara Castle

The inside of the castle is used as a museum to display historical documents of Shimabara city. Why not explore the inside of the castle in addition to the wonderful outside?

Tenshu

The castle finished in 1964 with a tenshu standing at five stories high. The structure itself stands at 33 meters high and is one of the tallest tenshu after Osaka Castle and Nagoya Castle (not including the stone walls). It is said that the height of the reconstructed castle is almost the same as that of the original.

400 years ago, a warlord named Shigemasa Matsukura ordered the construction of Shimabara Castle. Forcing peasants to undergo hard labor, the massive castle was built and this was said to be one of the reasons that lead to Japan's largest civil war in 1637, the Shimabara rebellion (*3).

Currently, the inside of the tenshu is used as a "Christian Museum" and has many displays of documents about the Christians of Shimabara.

*3 Shimabara rebellion: Japan's largest rebellion held by farmers and Christians during 1637-1638. It is said that the cause of this rebellion was due to the tyranny, heavy tax, and pressure against Christians by Shigemasa Matsukura and his son, Katsuie. The mistreatment of Christians in Shimabara can also be seen in the movie "Silence" directed by Martin Scorsese.

Seasonal Events at Shimabara Castle

Photo courtesy of Nagasaki Tourist Organization

Shimabara Castle gets lit up for seasonal events such as the cherry blossom season in spring and during the winter.

February-March: Shimabara Castle Hinameguri

This is an event held around Shimabara Castle where you can see over 3,000 Hina dolls in 100 different locations such as the shopping district, inns, and samurai residences.

October: Shimabara Castle Takigi Noh

Photo courtesy of Nagasaki Tourist Organization

Takigi Noh is a Noh performance held after sundown with wood fires surrounding the stage and area. The lord and citizens frequently held Noh performances at Shimabara Castle in the past. In order to keep the tradition alive, Noh performances are held even today; these performances take place annually in mid-October and are a wonderful sight to see at night.

Tourist Spots in the Area

Photo courtesy of Nagasaki Tourist Organization

Around Shimabara Castle, there are many samurai residences still standing today. Formally housing samurai who served the castle lord, the houses have a calm atmosphere and many feature small streams where colorful red and yellow carp swim freely. If you have the chance to visit Shimabara Castle, do take a peek at the surrounding samurai residences as well.

Shimabara Castle Ruins

1-1183-1, Jonai, Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture 855-0036

** Travel times and expenses are based on publicly available information and are current as of April 2017. They may be subject to change.