View source for Shimabara Castle

{{Infobox military installation
|name = Shimabara Castle <br>島原城
|partof = 
|location = [[Shimabara, Nagasaki|Shimabara]], [[Nagasaki prefecture]], [[Japan]]
|image = 140321 Shimabara Castle Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan01bs5.jpg
|image_size = 300px
|caption = Inner Bailey
|map_type = Japan Nagasaki Prefecture#Japan
|map_size = 
|map_caption = 
|type = Hira-style [[Japanese castle]]
|coordinates = {{coord|32.789162|130.367222|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:JP_scale:10000}} 
|built = 1624
|builder = [[Matsukura Shigemasa]]
|materials = 
|height = {{convert|33|m|ft}}
|used = [[Edo period]]
|demolished =1874
|condition = reconstruction from 1964
|ownership = 
|open_to_public = yes
|controlledby = 
|garrison = 
|current_commander = 
|commanders = 
|occupants = 
|battles = [[Shimabara Rebellion]]
|events = 
|image2 = 
|caption2 = 
}}
{{nihongo|'''Shimabara Castle'''|島原城|Shimabara-jō}}, also known as {{nihongo|'''Moritake Castle'''|森岳城|Moritake-jō}} and {{nihongo|'''Takaki Castle'''|高来城|Takaki-jō}}, is a [[Japanese castle]] located in [[Shimabara, Nagasaki|Shimabara]], [[Hizen Province]] (present day [[Nagasaki prefecture]]). This five-story white building stands in stark contrast to the black [[Kumamoto Castle]] in neighboring [[Kumamoto prefecture|Kumamoto Prefecture]].

==Description==
Shimabara Castle is a {{nihongo|flatland castle|平城|Hirajiro}}, located between [[Ariake Bay]] and [[Mount Unzen]]. The outer [[moat]]s, some 15 meters deep and between 30–50 meters wide, extended 360 meters east-west and 1260 meters north-south, with the enclosed area divided into three [[Ward (fortification)|bailey]]s. The walls extended for 3900 meters and had 16 ''[[Yagura (tower)|yagura]]'' of various sizes at key points. The main [[keep|''donjon'']] had five stories, and a height of 33 meters, and was connected to two secondary keeps, each with three stories. In terms of scale, it was far larger than normal for a ''[[daimyō]]'' with revenues of only 40,000 ''[[koku]]'' .

==History==
[[File:Shimabara Castle Tower 20090906.jpg|thumb|left|Keep of Shimabara Castle]]
The [[Arima clan]], who were ''[[Kirishitan]] daimyō'', ruled over [[Shimabara Domain]] in the late [[Muromachi period]] from Hinoe Castle and Hara Castle. After the start of the [[sakoku|national isolation]] policy, the [[Tokugawa Bakufu]] banned Christianity from 1614 and replaced [[Arima Naozumi]] with [[Matsukura Shigemasa]]. Matsukura, who strictly enforced the prohibition against Christianity with mass executions, also severely raised taxes to pay for the construction of his new Shimabara Castle from 1618-1624. This oppression of the peasants was a major factor leading to the [[Shimabara Rebellion]].

The castle came under siege during the Shimabara Rebellion, but was not damaged. It subsequently served as the seat of the [[Kōriki clan]], who ruled Shimabara from 1638–1668, [[Matsudaira clan]] (1669–1747, 1774–1871) and Toda clan (1747–1774)

The Matsudaira ''daimyō'' remained in residence at Shimabara Castle until the [[Meiji Restoration]] of 1868. It was the seat of the local government until 1871, when the former Shimabara Domain was merged into the new [[Nagasaki prefecture]]. The keep was pulled down in 1876, as were most of the supporting structures. The third bailey became a school grounds, and most of the inner bailey was given over to farmland.

Today, only the moat and stone walls remain from the original structure. A number of the ''yagura'' were restored in 1960 and 1972, and the keep was rebuilt in 1964 in reinforced concrete as a city museum containing exhibits of the ''Kirishitan'' culture, Shimabara Rebellion and feudal period.

In 1980, a memorial museum was opened in honor of [[Seibo Kitamura]], a noted sculptor. In 2006, the Shimabara Castle was listed one of the [[100 Fine Castles of Japan]] by the Japan Castle Foundation.
 
== References ==
*{{cite book |title=Japan's Castles: Citadels of Modernity in War and Peace | last=Benesch |first=Oleg and Ran Zwigenberg |year=2019 |pages=374 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=9781108481946}}
{{Commons category|Shimabara Castle}}
*{{cite book |title=An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles | last=De Lange |first=William |year=2021 |pages=600 pages|publisher=Toyo Press |location=Groningen |isbn=978-9492722300}}
*{{cite book| title=Castles in Japan| last=Schmorleitz| first=Morton S.| year=1974| pages=[https://archive.org/details/castlesinjapan00schm/page/144 144–145]| publisher=Charles E. Tuttle Co.| location=Tokyo| isbn=0-8048-1102-4| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/castlesinjapan00schm/page/144}}
*{{cite book | title=Japanese Castles| last=Motoo| first=Hinago| year=1986| publisher=Kodansha| location=Tokyo| isbn=0-87011-766-1| page= 200 pages}}
*{{cite book | title=Castles of the Samurai: Power and Beauty | last=Mitchelhill| first=Jennifer| year=2004| publisher=Kodansha| location=Tokyo| isbn=4-7700-2954-3 | page= 112 pages}}
*{{cite book | title=Japanese Castles 1540-1640  | url=https://archive.org/details/ospreyfortressja00ospr  | url-access=limited  | last=Turnbull| first=Stephen| year=2003| publisher=Osprey Publishing|  isbn=1-84176-429-9 | page= [https://archive.org/details/ospreyfortressja00ospr/page/n62 64] pages}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Shimabara Castle}}
*[https://shimabarajou.com/ Shimabara Castle home page]
*[http://www.japan-photo.de/e-burg41.htm Photo Gallery]

{{100 Fine Castles of Japan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Castles in Nagasaki Prefecture]]
[[Category:Museums in Nagasaki Prefecture]]
[[Category:History museums in Japan]]
[[Category:100 Fine Castles of Japan]]
[[Category:Designated historic sites of Nagasaki Prefecture]]