Hinoe Castle Ruins

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.

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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