Shimabara Castle: Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Shimabara Castle is located between the Ariake Bay and Mount Unzen on the Shimabara Peninsular.  The outer moat is 15 meters deep and between 30–50 meters wide, extends 360 meters east-west and 1260 meters north-south.  The main building has five stories,  a height of 33 meters and is connected to two secondary buildings, each with three stories.

The Arita Clan (Christian ruler) ruled over the domain from Hinoe Castle and Hara Castle.  After the start of the national isolation policy the Tokugawa Regime banned Christianity from 1614 and replaced Arima with the Matsukura Clan.  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.  Shimabara Castle Nagasaki came under siege during the Shimabara Rebellion but was not damaged.

Today only the moat and stone walls remain from the original structure.  In 1980, a memorial museum was opened in honor of Seibo Kitamura, a noted sculptor and designer of the famous Peace Statue at the Peace Park in Nagasaki City.  In 2006, the Shimabara Castle was listed one of the 100 finest Castles in Japan by the Japan Castle Foundation.

Sometimes I am in awe when i am driving down the hill from the mountain and the Shimabara Castle suddenly appears in the foreground.  A real Castle that operated over 400 years ago and still remains today albeit a restored type but really portrays the history and the real life setting of what life was like in Japan in the 17th century.

An absolute must visit for visitors to Nagasaki to inspect its history and beauty.  Always rated very highly by our Private Tour Groups.

Check out the Shimabara Castle on a map below:

 

Click on the photos below to enlarge:

Private Family Tour Group

One of the Outer Buildings

The view

Another view

The entrance

With Plum blossoms

Click on the videos below to see some performances by the staff at the Shimabara Castle:

Check out Shimabara Castle Nagasaki on this videos below:

Nagasaki Ninja and Samurai Experience: Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture

The Nagasaki Ninja and Samurai Experience is one that all children and adults alike will enjoy to no end.  The Shimabara Castle located on the Shimabara Peninsular in Nagasaki has been able to turn back the clock and offer an experience like no other to the public. The chance to be a Ninja or Samurai if only for just a short period of time is one that you should not let slip your grasp.

On a bitterly cold winter day a friend of mine requested to go and check out the Shimabara Castle so without hesitation I grabbed the kids as I knew they would relish being a Ninja again even though they have had the opportunity to do so many times in the past.  Luckily when we arrived late in the afternoon just before closing time, the coast was clear and we had the whole place practically to ourselves.

All the staff members are extremely polite, friendly and helpful in every regard and request.  It is their hope that everyone leaves the Shimabara Castle with a smile on their faces and a positive experience having realized a dream and or just having an experience that one would not be able to back in their home country or even in the city areas of Japan.  Not only have many foreign travelers never had a chance to dress up as a Ninja or Samurai most Japanese people haven`t either!

Well, my friend and my kids left the Shimabara Castle just as intended, a huge smile on their face and they also talked about the experience for hours afterwards.  Mission Completed!  I am sure you will feel the same, come and check it out for yourself whilst on your Private Nagasaki Tour.

Please check out Nagasaki Ninja and Samurai Experience here on a map below:

 

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

At the Shimabara Castle

One happy Samurai

Castle Entrance

Preparing the Ninja`s

The team in action

Real Samurai?

Fighting Style

Action Shot!

Climbing the Castle

Posing like Ninja`s

Closeup of a Ninja?

Please click on the videos below to see the real Nagasaki Ninja and Samurai Experience: