rei oka jinja

Reikyu Shrine, located in Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, was established in 1637 in the aftermath of the Shimabara Rebellion. Built to console the souls lost in the conflict and pray for peace in the region, it became the chief guardian shrine of the Shimabara domain, receiving the devotion of successive domain lords. It held the rank of prefectural shrine (kensha) under the old shrine ranking system. Stone monuments within the grounds preserve the memory of the rebellion. The shrine has continued to serve as a spiritual anchor for the local community through the Meiji era and beyond.