Shimabara has a long history, and is believed to have been the first officially acknowledged hanamachi and have started with the opening of the 'Keisei no tsubone' (a courtesan house) called 'Kujo no Sato.'
嶋原の歴史は古く、日本で最初の公許された花街であり室町時代に「九条の里」という傾城局が設置されたのが始まりだといわれる。