Shimabara Castle
| Shimabara Castle 島原城 |
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|---|---|
| Shimabara, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan | |
Inner Bailey
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| Coordinates | 32°47′21″N 130°22′02″E / 32.789162°N 130.367222°ECoordinates: 32°47′21″N 130°22′02″E / 32.789162°N 130.367222°E |
| Type | Hira-style Japanese castle |
| Height | 33 metres (108 ft) |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
yes |
| Condition | reconstruction from 1964 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1624 |
| Built by | Matsukura Shigemasa |
| In use | Edo period |
| Demolished | 1874 |
| Battles/wars | Shimabara Rebellion |
Shimabara Castle (島原城 Shimabara-jō?), also known as Moritake Castle (森岳城 Moritake-jō?) and Takaki Castle (高来城 Takaki-jō?), is a Japanese castle located in 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.
Shimabara Castle is a flatland castle (平城 Hirajiro?), located between Ariake Bay and Mount Unzen. The outer moats, 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 baileys. The walls extended for 3900 meters and had 16 yagura of various sizes at key points. The main 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 .
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