Notice of the “New Year Shimabara Castle Sword Exhibition” to Commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Shimabara Castle Construction

The annual “New Year Shimabara Castle Sword Exhibition” will be held at Shimabara Castle from January 6 (Sat.)! This year marks the 400th year since Shimabara Castle was built, and the exhibition will be held to commemorate this event.

The Matsudaira family was the feudal lord of Shimabara for many years until the end of the Edo period. The treasured sword of the Matsudaira family, now designated as a tangible cultural property of Nagasaki Prefecture, is the “Shinki” and “Shinko” (divine breath). They are unveiled once a year for a short period of time.

This year’s special exhibition will be held from January 6 (Sat) through January 21 (Sun).

In addition to the “Kamiki” and “Kamisu”, swords from the Akahoshi family, the blacksmiths of the Matsudaira family, which were donated to Shimabara City, and swords with a connection to Shimabara will also be on display!

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Date and Time

January 6 (Sat) – 21 (Sun), 2024 9:00 – 17:30 (last admission 17:00)

Location

Shimabara Castle Keep, 2nd floor, Local History Floor (1-1183-1 Jonouchi, Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture)

Fees

Shimabara Castle admission ticket (common ticket) Adults 700 yen (tax included) Elementary, junior high and high school students 350 yen (tax included) *Discounts for the physically challenged available

※Admission is also available for “Shimabara Megurin Ticket” purchasers.

Details

The treasured sword of Shimabara Castle, “divine aura/Kami Breath,” is open to the public on the second floor of the castle keep’s local reference floor. In addition, a total of 10 other swords will be on display at the same time, including swords that were donated to Shimabara City by the Akahoshi family, the blacksmiths who served the Matsudaira family, and swords that have a connection to Shimabara. A total of 10 swords will be on display at the same time.

《GodAura》

This sword was made in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). It is said to have been made by Awataguchi Kunitsuna, a swordsmith who was once invited by Hojo Tokiyori, the regent of the Shogunate.
It is a tangible cultural property designated by Nagasaki Prefecture.

《God Breath》

This sword is said to have been made by a master craftsman in Usa, Buzen Province, during the Daido Period (806-810) as a sword for the protection of Emperor Heijo’s son, but the shape makes it highly likely that it was made in the Kamakura Period, just like Jinkiki.