・Shimabara Castle was built on a small hill called “Moritake” located in the central part of Shimabara Peninsula, over a period of about seven years from 1618 by the feudal lord Matsukura Shigemasa.
・The castle saw the prosperity of the Shimabara Domain over 253 years, with 19 generations of five clans serving as its feudal lord.
・Shimabara Castle was too magnificent for 40,000-koku class feudal lord, placing a great burden on the people. On top of that, the tyranny of Matsukura Katsuie, the second lord of the castle, the oppression of Christians, and famine caused local people to rise in rebellion (known as the “Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion”) in 1637. The castle became a battleground of the rebellion.
・Under the Ordinance abolishing castles, Shimabara Castle was demolished in 1876. In 1964, the castle tower was revived to be used as a museum exhibiting valuable historical materials concerning Christianity and its followers.
・Exhibits include historical materials that introduce the flourishing Christian culture on the Shimabara Peninsula, centering on Christian lord Arima Harunobu, the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion, which shook the entire nation, and the intense oppression of Christians.
・In 2006, Shimabara Castle was designated as one of Japan’s 100 best historical castles by the Japan Castle Foundation, and in 2016 the site of the castle was designated as a historical asset by Nagasaki Prefecture.