Shimabara, Japan
島原市
Shimabara is a town of 43,338 people in Nagasaki, Japan, founded in April 1, 1940.
Why visit Shimabara
Townapedia lists 58 museums and landmarks, 53 parks and trails, 31 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 21 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Koi Fish Town, Shimabara Castle, Seibo Memorial Hall and Shimeisō Spring Garden.
Weather in Shimabara
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Shimabara
Shimabara (島原市, Shimabara-shi) is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. As of 30 June 2024, the city had an estimated population of 42,181 in 19917 households, and a population density of 510 people per km2. The total area of the city is 170.13 km2 (65.69 sq mi).
From the Wikipedia article Shimabara, Nagasaki (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Shimabara on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do21
Koi Fish Town
Zoo and aquarium
鮮やかな鯉が清らかな湧き水の水路で優雅に泳ぎ、島原市に美しい環境を作り出しています。伝統的な町並みが並ぶ魅力的な水路は、訪れる人々がこれらの魚の美しさを楽しむための穏やかな場所を提供します。
9 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks58
Hamanokawa Water Spring
Monument and historic site · 0.9 km
浜の川湧水は、さまざまな用途のために4つのセクションに分かれた共同洗い場がある、透明度の高い水で知られる有名なスポットです。島原港から簡単にアクセスでき、地域の豊かな伝統と自然の美しさを際立たせています。
46 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds53
土石流被災家屋保存公園
Park · 4.9 km
テント（建物）内の中央の被災家屋1棟は45m離れた地点（現みずなし本陣敷地内）からの移築。他の被災家屋（テント内外10棟）はそのままの位置で保存。
41 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes31
19 more on the map.
History
Shimabara is within ancient Hizen Province. It developed as a castle town around Shimabara Castle which was the capital of Shimabara Domain during the Edo period. It was the site of considerable foreign trade and missionary activity during the late Muromachi period, and in the early Edo period, a large percentage of the population were Kirishitan. Due to misgovernment, high taxes and persecution of Christianity, the population rose up during the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637, which was suppressed with extreme severity by the Tokugawa shogunate. Shimabara was subsequently ruled by a branch of the Matsudaira clan from 1668 to 1774 and from 1774 to 1871.
After the Meiji restoration, the town of Shimabara was created with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Shimabara town annexed neighboring Shimabara village and Minato town on April 1, 1924. On April 1, 1940, it annexed Annaka and Sugitani villages and was raised to city status. Shimabara annexed neighboring Mikae village on April 1, 1955. On January 1, 2006, the town of Ariake (from Minamitakaki District) was merged into Shimabara.
From the History section of Shimabara, Nagasaki on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship25
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Healthcare15
Map of Shimabara
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Amakusa Airport (AXJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 39 km away.
- Ōmuta 29 km north, about 29 min by car
- Kumamoto 30 km east, about 30 min by car
- Isahaya 31 km west, about 31 min by car
- Uto 30 km east, about 30 min by car
- Uekimachi-mōno 33 km northeast, about 33 min by car
- Yamaga 40 km northeast, about 40 min by car
- Miyama 40 km north, about 40 min by car
- Setakamachi-takayanagi 42 km north, about 42 min by car
- Yanagawa 43 km north, about 43 min by car
- Ōkawa 47 km north, about 47 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Shimabara castle 02 r 2004, Image taken by Chris 73 in December 2004, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anyoji Temple in Shimabara, Nagasaki, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara Branch of Shinwa Bank 20170106, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara Cathedral 20170106, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Yamasaki-Honten Brewery in Shimabara, Nagasaki 20170106, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pagoda on Ichibangai-dori Street in Shimabara, Nagasaki, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ichibangai-dori Street in Shimabara, Nagasaki, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arcade of Ichibangai-dori Street in Shimabara, Nagasaki, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ichibangai-dori Street in Shimabara, Nagasaki 2, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Central Park in Shimabara City 20170106-2, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 140321 Lake Shirachi Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan01bs8, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140321 Lake Shirachi Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan02bs, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140320 Shimeiso Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan03s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140320 Shimeiso Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan04s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140320 Shimeiso Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan05s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140320 Shimeiso Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan01s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140320 Shimeiso Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan06s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140320 Shimeiso Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan02s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Central Park in Shimabara City 20170106, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 140322 Unzen Onsen Nagasaki pref Japan01s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- 140321 Shimabara Castle Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan01bs5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Nagasaki Prefecture Shimabara Hospital, user:Atsasebo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 140321 Reikyu-jinja Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan03s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Shimabara Omisaki Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara Koya Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara 4th Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara Mie Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara Athletic Stadium, 国土地理院, CC BY 4.0
- Shimabara 02, User: (WT-shared) Shirakawa-yobune at wts wikivoyage 09:24, 7 February 2008 (EST), CC BY-SA 1.0
- Shimabara Chuo High School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 140321 A view from Shimabara Castle Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan01s3, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
- Minamishimabara Fukae Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Minamishimabara Fukae Junior High School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Minamishimabara Onokoba Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Minamishimabara Kobayashi Elementary School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shimabara Mie Junior High School, hyolee2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street view near Shinwa Spring, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hondo and Cemetery in Kotoji Temple, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View in Kotoji Temple, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shinwa Spring 20170106, そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 140321 Hotel Nampuro Shimabara Nagasaki pref Japan01s5, 663highland, CC BY 2.5
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