Shimabara, Nagasaki
Encyclopedia
is a city
located on the north-eastern tip of the Shimabara Peninsula
, facing Ariake Bay in the east and Mount Unzen
(including Fugendake) in the west, in Nagasaki Prefecture
, Kyūshū
, Japan
.
, and 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 in the Shimabara Rebellion
of 1637, which was suppressed with extreme severity by the Tokugawa Bakufu. Shimabara was ruled by a branch of the Matsudaira clan
from 1668-1774 and from 1774-1871.
Modern Shimabara city was founded on April 1, 1940 by the merger of former Shimabara Town with several surrounding villages.
On January 1, 2006 the town of Ariake
, from Minamitakaki District
, was merged into Shimabara.
Throughout its history, Shimabara has been dominated by the seismic activity of Mount Unzen. A major volcanic eruption in 1792 resulted in a tsunami
which destroyed most of the town, and killed over 15,000 people in one of Japan's worst volcanic disasters. In more recent history, major eruptions in 1990-1991 resulted in pyroclastic flow
s, which killed 43 people and forced the temporary evacuation of hundreds of others. The 5th International Conference of Cities on Volcanoes was held in Shimabara November 19–23, 2007.
, and numerous onsen
. The most popular tourist destination within the urban area is Shimabara Castle
and the nearby “Samurai Street”. The city has so much natural spring water, both hot and cold, that it runs through the streets. One picturesque spot, “Carp Street”, has colorful koi
swimming in the canals.
Principal agricultural products include mandarin orange
s, tea
, and tobacco
.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located on the north-eastern tip of the Shimabara Peninsula
Shimabara Peninsula
Shimabara Peninsula is east of Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. On its north-eastern tip stands Shimabara City. It was also the site of the Shimabara Rebellion, a 1637-1638 peasant revolt led by Christians. This further reinforced distrust of Christians and foreigners by Shogun...
, facing Ariake Bay in the east and Mount Unzen
Mount Unzen
is an active volcanic group of several overlapping stratovolcanoes, near the city of Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū, Japan’s southernmost main island....
(including Fugendake) in the west, in Nagasaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
Shimabara is a castle townShimabara Castle
, also known as and , is a Japanese castle located in Shimabara, Hizen Province , also known as and , is a Japanese castle located in Shimabara, Hizen Province , also known as and , is a Japanese castle located in Shimabara, Hizen Province (present day Nagasaki prefecture. This five-story white...
, and was the capital of Shimabara Domain
Shimabara Domain
The ' was a feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in Hizen Province, Kyūshū, occupying most of Shimabara Peninsula.-History:The Arima clan, who were Kirishitan daimyō, ruled over Shimabara Domain in the late Muromachi period from Hinoe Castle and Hara Castle...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. It was the site of considerable foreign trade and missionary activity during the late Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
, and in the early Edo period, a large percentage of the population were Kirishitan
Kirishitan
, from Portuguese cristão, referred to Roman Catholic Christians in Japanese and is used as a historiographic term for Roman Catholics in Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries. Christian missionaries were known as bateren or iruman...
. Due to misgovernment, high taxes and persecution of Christianity, the population rose in the Shimabara Rebellion
Shimabara Rebellion
The was an uprising largely involving Japanese peasants, most of them Catholic Christians, in 1637–1638 during the Edo period.It was one of only a handful of instances of serious unrest during the relatively peaceful period of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule...
of 1637, which was suppressed with extreme severity by the Tokugawa Bakufu. Shimabara was ruled by a branch of the Matsudaira clan
Matsudaira clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. It first originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province . Over the course of its history, the clan produced many branches, most of which also centered around Mikawa Province...
from 1668-1774 and from 1774-1871.
Modern Shimabara city was founded on April 1, 1940 by the merger of former Shimabara Town with several surrounding villages.
On January 1, 2006 the town of Ariake
Ariake, Nagasaki
) was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On January 1, 2006 Ariake was merged into the city of Shimabara.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 11,863 and a density of 505.24 persons per km². The total area was 23.48 km²....
, from Minamitakaki District
Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki
was a district located in Nagasaki, Japan. The district was dissolved on March 31, 2006.The district was equivalent to the cities of Shimabara, Unzen, and Minamishimabara....
, was merged into Shimabara.
Throughout its history, Shimabara has been dominated by the seismic activity of Mount Unzen. A major volcanic eruption in 1792 resulted in a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
which destroyed most of the town, and killed over 15,000 people in one of Japan's worst volcanic disasters. In more recent history, major eruptions in 1990-1991 resulted in pyroclastic flow
Pyroclastic flow
A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of superheated gas and rock , which reaches speeds moving away from a volcano of up to 700 km/h . The flows normally hug the ground and travel downhill, or spread laterally under gravity...
s, which killed 43 people and forced the temporary evacuation of hundreds of others. The 5th International Conference of Cities on Volcanoes was held in Shimabara November 19–23, 2007.
Economy
Shimabara is a popular tourist destination, due to its historical associations, location in Unzen-Amakusa National ParkUnzen-Amakusa National Park
Unzen-Amakusa National Park is a national park in the Kyūshū, Japan. The park consists of Mount Unzen volcano and Amakusa islands.-External links:* http://www.biodic.go.jp/english/jpark/np/unzen_e.html...
, and numerous onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
. The most popular tourist destination within the urban area is Shimabara Castle
Shimabara Castle
, also known as and , is a Japanese castle located in Shimabara, Hizen Province , also known as and , is a Japanese castle located in Shimabara, Hizen Province , also known as and , is a Japanese castle located in Shimabara, Hizen Province (present day Nagasaki prefecture. This five-story white...
and the nearby “Samurai Street”. The city has so much natural spring water, both hot and cold, that it runs through the streets. One picturesque spot, “Carp Street”, has colorful koi
Koi
or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....
swimming in the canals.
Principal agricultural products include mandarin orange
Mandarin orange
The orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads...
s, tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
.