Reihoku Town

A razed castle stands again as it was.

Tomioka Castle, razed, rebuilt

Photo by Taken by YAPON(ja:利用者:YAPON) (CC BY-SA 3.0)

01 ／ Amakusa Marine Biological Laboratory

In the castle site's third enclosure (Sannomaru),a marine laboratory opened in 1928.

The grounds of Kyushu University's Amakusa Marine Biological Laboratory consist of the Sannomaru (三ノ丸, third enclosure) inside the Tomioka Castle site, the adjoining shoreline, and Tomoezaki (巴崎). The land was donated through local goodwill, and the laboratory opened in April 1928 (Showa 3). It carries out marine biology education and research, and turns 100 in 2028.

Opened April 1928 (Showa 3)
Site donated through local goodwill
100th year in 2028

02 ／ Kotsufukae Hadaka Matsuri

Men carrying a vermilion portable shrineenter the sea at Daikan (大寒), the Great Cold.

Held every January 20 at Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社) in Kotsufukae (上津深江). About 400 years ago, when a disease spread through the district, a yamabushi (山伏, mountain ascetic) is said to have purified himself in the sea and driven it off; this is taken as the origin. After the ritual, to a conch-shell signal, the men plunge into the sea carrying a vermilion-lacquered portable shrine, then run up into parishioners' houses with their shoes on.

Every January 20
Said to date from about 400 years ago
Run into houses in their shoes

03 ／ Tomioka Peninsula and Tomoezaki

A detached islet joined Shimoshima by a sandbar;the Tomoezaki spit forms calm Tomoe Bay.

The Tomioka Peninsula, at the northwest tip of Amakusa Shimoshima (天草下島), is a tied island: a detached islet that became joined by a sandbar. From its east end the Tomoezaki (巴崎) spit curves out in an arc, forming the calm Tomoe Bay (巴湾). The Hamajincho (ハマジンチョウ) colony on Tomoezaki was designated a prefectural natural monument in 1982 (Showa 57).

Tied island (rikukeito)
Tomoezaki spit forms Tomoe Bay
Hamajincho colony: prefectural natural monument

Living here

From Mogi Port in Nagasaki, 45 minutes by boat.

about 7,000 people
Rural district town

The gateway is Tomioka Port (富岡港), where the Nagasaki-Amakusa high-speed boat arrives. Reihoku Kanko Kisen's boats make four round trips a day to and from Mogi Port (茂木港), each taking 45 minutes. The town's site lists this boat first among routes from other Kyushu prefectures; it carries passengers only, so after landing visitors use public transport, taxis or rental cars.

People living here: 7,114people
Area: 67.58km²
Households: 2,769households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 3 hospitals ／ 6 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —6 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Reihoku Town in Japan32.513°N 130.055°E

to NagasakiReihoku Kanko Kisen45min

Travel times follow 事業者公式・苓北観光汽船『時刻表』（http://www.reihoku-kisen.jp/time-table.php・2026-10-03 に読んだ）。茂木港発→富岡港着：8:10→8:55（1便）・10:20→11:05（2便）・14:45→15:30（3便）・17:00→17:45（4便）の4便がすべて45分。富岡港発→茂木港着：7:10→7:55・9:15→10:00・13:40→14:25・15:55→16:40もすべて45分。事業者トップに『天草苓北と長崎市を45分で結ぶ海の高速船です』 (checked 2026-10-03). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 1 municipalities.

Territory of Reihoku Town

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

12.7km

天草市

Reihoku Town isthis kind of town.

01According to Kumamoto Prefecture, Tomioka Castle was razed (破城) in Kanbun 10 (1670); its turrets, gates and stone walls were later rebuilt from a drawing said to show it before the razing
02Within the Sannomaru (三ノ丸) of the castle site stands Kyushu University's Amakusa Marine Biological Laboratory, opened in 1928; its grounds include Tomoezaki (巴崎), the spit that extends from the east end of the peninsula
03Every January 20, at Yasaka Shrine in Kotsufukae (上津深江), men carrying a vermilion-lacquered portable shrine enter the winter sea in the Hadaka Matsuri (裸まつり), said to have begun about 400 years ago

See the town as it is now.

Facebookreihokutown ↗

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Reihoku Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗