The reconstructed castle tower
Shimabara Castle stands at the foot of Mt. Unzen overlooking the Sea of Ariake. It is famous for its solid, high stone walls. It was built taking advantage of the hills called ”Shiheki-zan” or ”Moritake”, so it is also called ”Moritake Castle”. It is a flatland castle of Renkaku style, stretching from south to north, and the surrounding wall is rectangular in shape and nearly 4 kilometers long.
In Edo period, it was the seat of Shimabara Domain government, and also the residence of the feudal lords, but the castle was abandoned in 1874, and the buildings were torn down. Now, the castle tower, turrets and walls have been reconstructed on the main grounds, and they are used as a Christian History Museum (the castle tower), Seibo Kitamura Memorial Hall (the south east turret) and Folk Tools Museum (the north east turret). In spring, the 250 cherry trees planted on the grounds come in full bloom, and from late March onward, many visitors come to see the beautiful sight.
