The historical records that we use to learn about the past are inevitably written by the victors, while the history of the losing side vanishes with them and typically is not recorded. Thus, the only records we have of the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion are from the victorious shogunate forces.
Through excavation of the Hara Castle Ruins, however, we can start to piece together the rebels' side of the story. Many archaeological digs have been conducted at the Hara Castle Ruins site. Keep reading to find out what we have discovered!

Row of standard huts inside the castle grounds


In this photo you can see how the ground has been divided neatly into squares, like the floor plan of a house. This is where a row of simple huts for the rebels once stood.
The huts were dug into the ground slightly, in a semi-basement style. This groundbreaking discovery sheds light on the story of how the rebels managed to hold out for so long?a story that the pictures and official documents tell from one side only. It tells us something of how they lived inside the confines of Hara Castle, in tiny rectangular huts measuring little more than 2 m x 3 m. The neat alignment of the huts suggests that they were used by members of the same family or the same village. It suggests that they were prepared to stay and fight for as long as it took.


Central kitchen facilities
The Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion took place in winter. But the huts show no evidence of heat from open fires or stoves that might have been used for cooking. This suggests that the rebels had a central kitchen facility that prepared meals for all, as a way to conserve their precious food supplies. It's a great example of teamwork!


Even in Minami-Shimabara, the winters would have been very cold. The people were fed via a rationing system, but how did they stay warm? There is no evidence of fires or heat being used in the huts. This suggests that people were not permitted to use fire inside their huts, a rule designed to prevent accidental fires. This rule was actually copied from the shogunate forces of the time.
In shogunate government records of the Rebellion, the rebels are ridiculed as a disorderly and undisciplined rabble. But these discoveries show us that they were in fact highly disciplined and organized.


Fighting to the end for their beliefs
Excavations of the main compound have uncovered a number of Christian religious symbols including crosses, medallions and rosary beads alongside skeletons, indicating that the rebels stuck resolutely to their religious beliefs right to the end.
Interestingly, Hara Castle is the only castle in Japan where Christian relics have been unearthed in such quantities.


Further archaeological studies are planned at the ruins of Hara Castle, and we are sure to discover yet more about our history.


An archaeological dig in progress. No doubt there will be many more digs like this in the future.