Shimabara Rebellion Day

What Is Shimabara Rebellion Day?

October 25th is "Shimabara Rebellion Day" in Japan. On the 25th day of the 10th month of 1637 (Kan'ei 14, by the old lunar calendar), people in Shimabara -- today's Shimabara Peninsula in Nagasaki Prefecture -- driven to the limit by harsh taxation and the persecution of Christians, killed a local magistrate. This marked the start of the Shimabara Rebellion.

The Largest Uprising in Japanese History

Also known as the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion, it was the largest peasant uprising of the Edo period, and is often described as the last full-scale civil war in Japan before the end of the shogunate era.

• Outbreak: the 25th day of the 10th month of 1637 (lunar calendar), when locals killed the magistrate Hayashi Hyozaemon
• Background: harsh tax collection and severe persecution of Christians
• Leader: Amakusa Shiro (Masuda Tokisada), a charismatic 16-year-old revered among Christians
• Aftermath: about a year and a half after it was suppressed, the Portuguese were expelled from Japan, solidifying the so-called "closed country" policy

Peasant Revolt or Religious War? A Changing View

The long-accepted view was that the religious element was only on the surface and that the uprising was essentially a revolt against exploitation. However, some aspects of how events unfolded are hard to explain as a simple peasant revolt, and some scholars now re-evaluate it as a religious rebellion. Historical interpretations shift as research advances.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Read up on Amakusa Shiro and the Shimabara Rebellion
• Check a timeline to see how the rebellion connects to Japan's isolation policy
• Explore the history and sights of the Shimabara Peninsula and Amakusa
• Think about how accepted historical views get revised over time

The Lives Behind a Line in the Textbook

The Shimabara Rebellion was an uprising by people suffering under heavy burdens and religious persecution. October 25th is a day to imagine the lives and feelings of the people behind a date you may once have memorized for a test.