Frequently Asked Questions
English answers are machine-translated from the property's Japanese information. Please confirm important details with the property directly.
Or browse the answers we’ve already prepared below.
These answers were written by AI from the property's official website. The property has not checked them. Collected on September 28, 2026. Prices and times may be out of date, so please confirm anything important with the property.
Other (16)
What is the address?
1-1183-1 Jonai, Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture
How do I get there?
About 10 minutes' walk from Shimabara Station on the Shimabara Railway, or about 40 minutes from Isahaya IC on the Nagasaki Expressway via Route 57.
What are the opening hours?
9:00-17:30 (last admission 17:00).
When is it closed?
Open all year (please check the official website for details).
How much is admission?
Castle keep (Christian History Museum): adults 700 yen, elementary and junior high school students 350 yen (combined tickets for several facilities are available).
Is there parking?
Parking is available. Please check the official information for details.
What are Shimabara Castle's opening hours and closed days?
Open 9:00-17:30 (last admission 17:00). It is basically open all year; please check the official website (shimabarajou.com) for the latest information.
How much is admission?
Admission to the castle keep (Christian History Museum) is 700 yen for adults and 350 yen for elementary and junior high school students as a guide. The grounds also hold the Seibo Memorial Hall, the Tourism and Reconstruction Memorial Hall and the Folk Tools Museum, and a combined ticket for three facilities is available. Please check the official website for current prices.
Tell me about the castle's history.
It was built from 1618 over seven years by the daimyo Matsukura Bungo-no-kami Shigemasa, and is distinctive for its white five-tiered keep. It was the setting of the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637-38. The castle was abolished and dismantled after the Meiji Restoration, but the keep was rebuilt in 1964, and it is now one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan.
What is on display inside the keep?
The first floor holds Christian historical material, the second local history, the third folklore material and the fourth local products of Shimabara City. The top floor (fifth) is an observation deck with a 360-degree panorama over central Shimabara, Mount Mayuyama, the Ariake Sea and as far as the mountains of Kumamoto.
What facilities are there in the castle grounds?
As well as the keep (Christian History Museum) there is the Seibo Memorial Hall displaying work by the sculptor Kitamura Seibo, holder of the Order of Culture; the Folk Tools Museum with everyday objects from the Meiji to Showa periods; the Tourism and Reconstruction Memorial Hall with a film hall and events; and the Obamisho, a registered national Tangible Cultural Property.
Is there parking?
There is a paid car park right in front of Shimabara Castle, at 330 yen per car per visit (prices subject to change).
How do I get there?
About 10 minutes' walk from Shimabara Station on the Shimabara Railway. By car it is about 40 minutes from Isahaya IC on the Nagasaki Expressway via Route 57.
Where can I get the 100 Fine Castles of Japan stamp?
The stamp is at the ticket office of the castle keep. If you have a stamp book, please say so at the desk.
What was the Shimabara Rebellion?
It was the largest peasant uprising in Japanese history, in 1637-38, when farmers suffering under persecution of Christians and heavy taxation rose up with Amakusa Shiro as their leader. Shimabara Castle and its surroundings were the main setting, and the Christian History Museum in the keep explains the history in detail.
Are there sights near Shimabara Castle?
Nearby are the Shimabara samurai district and the street of carp swimming in clear spring water. Unzen Onsen is also close, about 30 minutes by car, and is worth combining with a visit.