Warengawa Spring

In the dry Mizunashi riverbed in Shimabara, the Warengawa Spring emerged from a crack opened by the 1791 earthquake that preceded the collapse of Mt. Mayuyama, an event known as the Shimabara Catastrophe. The spring became a vital community water source after the resulting tsunami and landslides. Two centuries later, the 1991 eruptions sent debris flows down the same river, destroying the community again. The spring survived both disasters and became a symbol of resilience. The riverbed was then remade with both safety and recreation in mind: debris-capturing dams upstream, open space and monuments downstream. A stone monument near the spring gives thanks to it and to the community that depended on it.