Shimabara Castle
| Shimabara-jō | ||
|---|---|---|
 Shimabara Castle seen from the south |
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| Alternative name (s): | Moritake-jō, Takaki-jō | |
| Castle type : | Hirajiro ( Lower Castle ) | |
| Conservation status: | Only the stone walls and the base of the castle tower have been preserved. | |
| Place: | Shimabara | |
| Geographical location | 32 ° 47 '21 " N , 130 ° 22' 2" E | |
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The Shimabara Castle ( Japanese 島原城 , Shimabara-jō ), also known as Castle Moritake ( 森岳城 , Moritake-jō ) or Castle Takaki ( 高来城 , Takaki-jō ) is a Japanese castle on the east side of the Shimabara Peninsula in the city of the same name ( Nagasaki Prefecture ; historically Takaki County, Bizen Province ). It is best known for the Shimabara uprising of 1637/38.
history
In 1616 Matsukura Shigemasa ( 松 倉 重 政 , 1574? –1630) was transferred from Yamato-Gojō to Shimabara with an income of 40,000 koku . He began building the castle, which was completed in 1625. His son Katsuie ( 勝 家 , 1597-1638) was found guilty of the Shimabara uprising by the shogunate through his harsh regime and - extremely unusual for a daimyo - not only deposed, but sentenced to death.
- 1638 took over Kōriki Tadafusa ( 高 力 忠 房 , 1584-1656), coming from Hamamatsu, with 40,000 Koku the fief. Followed him
- 1669 Matsudaira Tadafusa ( 忠 房 , 1619–1700) with 65,000 Koku,
- 1749 Toda Tadamitsu ( 忠 盈 , 1730–1781) with 77,000 Koku,
- 1792 Matsudaira Tadahiro, ( 忠恕 , 1740–1792) with 65,000 Koku.
The castle complex
The complex is typical of a Japanese low castle: In the row construction ( 連 郭 式 , renkaku-shiki ) the main castle ( Hommaru , in the picture below) is protected by a first outer castle ( Ni-no-maru , in the picture above, by a ditch separated), both of which are enclosed by a common trench. The entrance is secured by another outer bailey ( San-no-maru , here without a ditch). All areas are at the same level. Besides the main tower ( tenshukaku ) there were several watchtowers ( yagura ). The length of the main and first outer bailey is 400 m.
All structures were lost after 1868. In 1957 the area of the main castle was redesigned to a public park, in 1964 the five-story castle tower was rebuilt. Inside are materials on the history of Christianity in the area. Some watchtowers have also been restored. The city's cultural center is located on the site of the first outer bailey.
Remarks
- ↑ Tadafusa as well as later Tadahiro belonged to the Fukōzu branch of the Matsudaira.
literature
- Ikeda, Kōichi: Shimabara-jo in: Miura, Masayuki (Ed.): Shiro to jinya. Saikoku-hen. Gakken, 2006. ISBN 978-4-05-604379-2 .
