Hinoe Castle Ruins

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During the period of the Southern and Northern Courts (1337-92), the Arima family ruling

the Shimabara Peninsula constructed a castle named Hinoe-jo. The 14th lord, Harunobu

(1567-1612) was a Christian daimyo and refurbished his castle into a large scale which had

gardens, a tea arbor and many rooms.

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There remain stone walls around the site of the front gate. A recent survey reveals that the

construction materials including the stone steps were diverted from tombstones in Buddhist

grave-yards which the lord had demolished. The fact indicates the religious situation in those

days when Christianity was flourishing. In 1982, the location of the ruined castle was

designated as a National Historic Site.

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 - Shimabara travel guide, Shimabara tour, Nagasaki-prefecture