Christian Pilgrimage tour in Nagasaki region

 

The Christian Pilgrimage tour visits Japanese Christian sites such as Churches & Cathedrals,

and Pilgrimage sites including Martyrdom sites.

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Japanese Christian was started when St. Francis Xavier came to Japan as a

first Christian missionary in 1549 and has unique history of continuing faith while

coexisting with Japanese Religion Shinto and General society. It spread mainly to

Nagasaki, Sotome, Shimabara, Unzen, Hirado, Goto, Amakusa and other areas.

And there are many Pilgrimage sites such as Churches, Cathedrals and martyrdom sites.

 

The tour visits Christian Pilgrimage sites while introducing the following:

How did Japan, whose main religion is Shinto, accept Christianity?

Why did Christianity spread in and around Nagasaki?

Why did Japan ban Christianity even though once accepted it?

How did Christians continue their faith during the ban period?

What kind of oppression and martyrdom took place during the ban on Christianity?

 

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Making the customized Itinerary

The tour Itinerary is created in consideration of customer’s conditions and preferences

such as the following ;

Tour date and duration, number of travelers, Churches & Cathedral, Pilgrimage sites

including Martyrdom sites, type and grade of accommodation,

type of private vehicle.

 

When you have a plan to travel, please contact us to send the request using Enquiry form,

please click the link below and write your enquiries.

    ↓　↓

Make an Enquiry

 

 

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Model Itinerary 

We have the following various model Itineraries of Kyushu tours to assisist in making your

customized tour, for more detail Itinerary, click the photos

 

26 Saints Martyrs of Japan Pilgrimage tour

 

26 Saints are the first martyrs in Japan. The tour follows the pilgrimage routes of 26 saints from Fukuoka to Nishizaka. And also visit the relating places of 26 Saints.

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6 days Christian Pilgrimage tour in Nagasaki region

 

	Nagasaki-prefecture has arduous and sacrifice histories during the ban on Christianity, such as Shimabara Rebellion and many religious persecutions.  Day 1 : Nagasaki Day 2 : Nagasaki
Day 3 : Nagasaki & Sotome Day 4 : Shimabara & Unzen Day 5 : Hirado Day 6 : Hirado →　drive to Fukuoka

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9 days Christian Pilgrimage tour in Nagasaki and Amakusa regions

 

	Introduce how Christians have been continued their faith  Day 1 : Hirado, stay Hirado  Day 2 : Hirado, stay Nagasaki  Day 3 : Nagasaki, stay Nagasaki
Day 4 : Nagasaki and Sotome, stay Nagasaki  Day 5 : Unzen and Shimabara, Shimabara Day 6 : Amakusa, stay Amakusa  Day 7 : Amakusa and Kumamoto, stay Kumamoto Day 8 : Fukuoak, Fukuoka Day 9 : Return to Home

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Japanese Christianity

 

Christian history in Japan was started when St. Francis Xavier came to Japan as a first Christian missionary in 1549. Then Christianity was spread in Nagasaki region. However, unparalleled hidden Cristian history was started from when Toyotomi Hideyoshi Shogunate proclaimed Christian ban in 1587. During ban on Christianity, people secretly continued to faith while surviving in the midst of the conventional society and Japanese religions. Since ban on the Christianity was lifted in 1873, new Christian history in Japan has begun.

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6 days Christian Pilgrimage tour in Nagasaki region

 

This is the model plan for making your customized tour.

The tour visits Christian Pilgrimage sites in Sotome, Nagasaki, Shimabara and Unzen

while introducing the following:

How did Japan, whose main religion is Shinto, accept Christianity?

Why did Christianity spread in and around Nagasaki?

Why did Japan ban Christianity even though once accepted it?

How did Christians continue their faith during the ban period?

What kind of oppression and martyrdom took place during the ban on Christianity?

 

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When you have a plan to play golf in Kyushu, please contact us to send

the request using Enquiry form, please click the link below and write your enquiries.

    ↓　↓

Make an Enquiry

 

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Itinerary   

 

Day 1   Nagasaki 

 

Welcome to Fukuoka ! You will be greeted tour guide. Drive to Nagasaki Lunch at Nagasaki Visit Hongouch Church and Saint Kolbe Memorial Museum Visit Mt. Inasa by the use of Slope car Check in the Hotel Own dinner at the restaurant in Nagasaki Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 2   Nagasaki 

 

Breakfast at the Hotel Visiting Pilgrimage sites in Nagasaki Martyrdom of 26 Saint of Japan   Nishizaka hill is the most significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.   The 26 Martyrs of Japan were a group of Catholics who were executed   by crucifixion on February 5, 1597. The 26 Martyrs Museum Nakamachi Church   The Church dedicated to 16 Saints in Nagasaki including Satint Tomas Nishi Lunch in Nagasaki Oura Cathedral   The Cathedral is one of the significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.   Established 1865, this church is officially known as “Oura Cathedral, the   Church of 26 Martyrs.” Glover Garden   nine Western style buildings. The Glover’s Residence built in 1863   and is Japan’s  oldest wooden Western–style building Urakami Cathedral   Constructed in 1914 after ban on Christianity, however destroyed in   1945 by Atomic bomb, and re-built in 1959 Own dinner at the restaurant in Nagasaki Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 3  Nagasaki & Sotome 

 

Breakfast at the Hotel Exploring Peace Park where the Atomic Bomb dropped in 1945  Atomic Bomb Museum   The museum exhibits a number of photograph that depict the devastation   caused by atomic bomb showing the lead-up to this tragic day Ground Zero   The plutonium atomic bomb exploded about 500m over the central monument   at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945.   The most part of Nagasaki was destroyed,   and a tremendous number of lives were lost Peace Statue   Completed in 1955, ten years after the Atomic bombing. The 9.7 meter high   statue sitting on a 4 meter tall pedestal. The raised arm points to the threat of   nuclear weapons and the out-stretched arm symbolizes peace Drive to Sotome Lunch at Sotome Shitsu Church   On an elevation commanding a view over the Sea of Goto, Father   Marc Marie de Rotz established a church at his own expense 1882 Endo Shusaku Literary Museum   The setting of Endo Shusaku’s novel Silence. Sotome is blessed with a   unique history and culture of Christianity Drive to Nagasaki  Own dinner at the restaurant in Nagasaki Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 4  Shimabara & Unzen

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Nagasaki Drive to Shimabara Shimabara Castle   it was built in 1625 by the feudal load Matsukura Shigemasa,   who was regarded as a master of castle building Lunch at Shimabara  Drive to Unzen Nita Pass   One of the best scenic spot in Unzen. At any time of the year the   natural scenery of Nita Pass in Unzen is magnificent. Azaleas, green   leaves, brilliant autumnal tints of maples and silver frost represent    each season of the year Unzen Jigoku Martyrdom site   Jigoku, means Hell, is the number one attraction of Unzen with a   peculiar smell of sulfur emitted from the springs, and with white smoke   rising from the ground over a wide area Check in the Hotel in Unzen Dinner at the Hotel Stay in Unzen

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Day 5  Hirado 

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Unzen Drive to Hitado Lunch at Hirado, local cusine Tabira Church   The church was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke, a famous   architect of various churches in Nagasaki-prefecture, and   built between 1915 Exploring Hirado St Francis Xavier Memorial Church   This church is a catholic church in Hirado, Nagasaki. Hirado   is a place where Francis Xavier visited 3 times in Japan to   spread Christianity Dutch Trading Post   Set up in Hirado in 1609 as the base of operations of the   Dutch East India Company in Japan Check in the Hotel Dinner at the Hotel Stay in Hirado

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Day 6  Hirado → Fukuoka

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Hirado  Exploring Hirado Yamada Church    The Church dedicated to Satint Tomas Nishi, built in 1912  Kurose-no Tsuji Martyrdom site Lunch in Hirado Nakae no Shima Island Martyrdom site observatory place    Located two kilometers off the coast of Hirado Island, Nakae no   Shima is a small, uninhabited island where religious leaders   were executed during the persecution of Christians Drive to Fukuoka  Arrive at Fukuoka, end of the tour

 

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9 days Christian Pilgrimage tour in Nagasaki and Amakusa rejions

The tour visits Christian Pilgrimage sites in Hirado, Nagasaki, Sotome,

Unzen, Shimabara, Amakusa and Fukuoka while introducing the following :

How did Japan, whose main religion is Shinto, accept Christianity?

Why did Christianity spread in and around Nagasaki?

Why did Japan ban Christianity even though once accepted it?

How did Christians continue their faith during the ban period?

What kind of oppression and martyrdom took place during the ban on Christianity?

 

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Itinerary

 

Day 1   Hirado 

 

Welcome to Fukuoka ! You will be greeted tour guide. Drive to Hitado Lunch at Hirado, local cusine Tabira Church   The church was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke, a famous   architect of various churches in Nagasaki-prefecture, and   built between 1915 Exploring Hirado St Francis Xavier Memorial Church   This church is a catholic church in Hirado, Nagasaki. Hirado   is a place where Francis Xavier visited 3 times in Japan to   spread Christianity Dutch Trading Post   Set up in Hirado in 1609 as the base of operations of the   Dutch East India Company in Japan Check in the Hotel Dinner at the Hotel Stay in Hirado

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Day 2   Hirado 

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Hirado  Exploring Hirado Hoki Church    The Church built in 1898, at the place overlooking the sea Yamada Church    The Church dedicated to Satint Tomas Nishi, built in 1912  Kurose-no Tsuji Martyrdom site Lunch in Hirado Nakae no Shima Island Martyrdom site observatory place    Located two kilometers off the coast of Hirado Island, Nakae no   Shima is a small, uninhabited island where religious leaders   were executed during the persecution of Christians Drive to Nagasaki Check in the Hotel Own dinner at the restaurant in Nagasaki Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 3  Nagasaki

 

Breakfast at the Hotel Martyrdom of 26 Saint of Japan   Nishizaka hill is the most significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.   The 26 Martyrs of Japan were a group of Catholics who were executed   by crucifixion on February 5, 1597. the 26 Martyrs Museum Oura Cathedral   The Cathedral is one of the significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.   Established 1865, this church is officially known as “Oura Cathedral, the   Church of 26 Martyrs.” Glover Garden   nine Western style buildings. The Glover’s Residence built in 1863   and is Japan’s  oldest wooden Western–style building Lunch in Nagasaki Dejima Urakami Cathedral Return to the Hotel Own dinner at the restaurant in Nagasaki Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 4  Nagasaki

 

Breakfast at the Hotel Exploring Peace Park where the Atomic Bomb dropped in 1945  Atomic Bomb Museum   The museum exhibits a number of photograph that depict the devastation   caused by atomic bomb showing the lead-up to this tragic day Ground Zero   The plutonium atomic bomb exploded about 500m over the central monument   at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945.   The most part of Nagasaki was destroyed,   and a tremendous number of lives were lost Peace Statue   Completed in 1955, ten years after the Atomic bombing. The 9.7 meter high   statue sitting on a 4 meter tall pedestal. The raised arm points to the threat of   nuclear weapons and the out-stretched arm symbolizes peace Drive to Sotome Lunch at Sotome Shitsu Church   On an elevation commanding a view over the Sea of Goto, Father   Marc Marie de Rotz established a church at his own expense 1882 Endo Shusaku Literary Museum   The setting of Endo Shusaku’s novel Silence. Sotome is blessed with a   unique history and culture of Christianity Drive to Nagasaki  Own dinner at the restaurant in Nagasaki Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 6  Amakusa

     

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Shimabara Drive to Minami-shimabara Harajo Castle ruins   The Christian pilgrimage site, registered on UNESCO’s World   Heritage Site. The battle field of Shimabara Rebellion which was   a peasant uprising agaist bakufu’s persecution of Christians   under the leadership of Amakusa Shiro in 1637 Transfer to Amakusa from Kuchinotsu by a ferry Lunch in Amakusa Visit Amakusa Shiro Memorial Museum  Check in the Hotel Dinner at the Hotel Stay in Amakusa

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Day 7  Amakusa & Kumamoto                                    

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Amakusa  Visiting Christian sites in Amakusa Oe Cathedral   The oldest Catholic Church in Amakusa and was one of the first   churches built right after the ban on Christianity was lifte Sakitsu Village / UNESCO World Heritage   A Gothic-looking church is located on a cove of a fishing village.   In 1934, a Freh priest Augustin Halbout MEP purchased the   premises of the former village headman and built a wooden and   concrete finished church Lunch in Amakusa Drive to Kumamoto using Amakusa Gokyo / Pearl line Sakurano-baba Josaien   Josaien is located in Sakurano-baba, at the foot of Kumamoto   Castle Kumamoto Castle   The Castle is one of the three great castles and one of the 100   best places in Japan to view cherry blossoms. Due to the   Earthquakes in 2016, the Castle have heavy damages and many   of Castle buildings were destroyed. After that the restoration   activities are being performed as fast as possible Check in the Hotel Own dinner at the restaurant in Kumamoto Stay in Kumamoto

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Day 8  Fukuoka 

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Kumamoto  Drive to Fukuoka  Arrive  at Fukuoka and Check in theHotel Free and Easy Stay in Fukuoka

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Day 9 

 

After breakfast, check out of the Hotel in Fukuoka   Drive to Fukuoka airport  Return to Home

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Travelling Map

 

 

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26 Saints Martyrs of Japan Pilgrimage tour

 

26 Saints are the first martyrs in Japan.

The tour follows the pilgrimage routes of 26 saints from Fukuoka to Nishizaka.

And also visit the relating places of 26 Saints.

26 Christians arrested in Kyoto who were consisted of 20 Japanese, 4 Spaniards,

1 Mexican, and 1 Portuguese.

They walked from Kyoto to Nagasaki in January and February 1597.

How great were the physical and mental suffering of those 26 men who were

forced to march all the way from Kyoto to Nagasaki during these cold

winter days, and they all ascended to heaven at Nishizaka Hill on Februay 05.

 

 

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The customized tour is planned as per the following conditions.

 

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Day 1   Hakata to Sonogi pilgrimage route, Nagasaki

 

Welcome to Fukuoka ! You will be greeted tour guide. The privete vehicle is used for the tour   Pilgrimage route : Hakata Port to Sonogi Port : total 120km Actually, 26 martyrs took 4 days for the following route  ・February 01 : Hakata port → Itoshima → Karatsu →Yamamoto ; 58km                                 stay in Yamamto ・February 02 : Yamamoto → Tokusue ; 5km                                 stay in Tokusue   ・February 03 : Tokusue → Takeo ; 31km                                 stay in Takeo ・February 04 : Takao → Ureshino → Sonogi Port : 26km                                 Sonogi Port to Tokitsu port by a boat, and stay on the boat   Drive to Nagasaki    Check in the Hotel Dinner at the Hotel Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 2   Tokitsu to Nishizaka Pilgrimage route, Nagasaki 

 

Breakfast at the Hotel Drive to Tokitsu Tokitsu Port   The place where 26 Martyrs arrived by the boat on the cold night of February 04,    and dawn on February 05, they got off the ship with a cold body and landed   at Togitsu Port Follow the Pilgrimage route by the use of privete vehicle   12km path to Nishizaka, the place of martyrdom. Passed through the mountain   pass, and through Michinoo, Akasako, and Urakami Visit Nishizaka Hill, 26 Saints Martyred on February 05, in 1597    Visit the 26 Martyrs Museum   Visit Saint Filippo de Jesus Church Visit Nakamachi Church Return to the Hotel Dinner at the Hotel Stay in Nagasaki

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Day 3   Nagasaki Pilgrimage sites  

 

After breakfast, check out the Hotel   Visit Oura Cathedral lunch at Dejima Warf Visit Urakami Cathedral Visit Peace Park    Atomic Bomb Museum   Ground Zero and remained Urakami Cathedral column    Peace Statue   Drive to Fukuoka Check in the Hotel in Fukuoka

History of Japanese Christianity

 

Christian history in Japan was started when St. Francis Xavier came to Japan as a first Christian

missionary in 1549. Then Christianity was spread in Nagasaki region. However, unparalleled

hidden Cristian history was started from when Toyotomi Hideyoshi Shogunate proclaimed Christian

ban in 1587. During ban on Christianity, people secretly continued to faith while surviving in the

midst of the conventional society and Japanese religions.

Since ban on the Christianity was lifted in 1873, new Christian history in Japan has begun.

 

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1549  St. Francis Xavier came Kagoshima Japan as a first Christian missionary and

           commenced the Christian history in Japan

1550  St. Francis Xavier came Hirado as a Christian missionary

1551  Catholic Hirado Church was constructed as first church in Japan

1557   Introduction of Catholicism to Ikitsuki, Kasuga in Hirado

1563  Omura Sumitada, feudral lord of Nagasaki who was first lord convert to Christianity

1569  Todos os Santos Church was constructed as first in Nagasaki by Gaspal Villera

1571  Nagasaki Port was opend to Portugal by feudral lord Omura Sumitada

1580   Arima Harunobu, lord of Arima convert to Christianity and the Seminario was

          established in Kuchinotsu as first in Japan

1582  Arima Harunobu teamed up with Kyushu Christian lords Otomo Sorin and ura Sumitada

          to dispatch the Tensho Mission to the Pope in Rome

1587  Shogunate, Toyotomi Hideyoshi proclaimed Christian ban

1590  The Tensho Mission retured to Nagasaki

1597  The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan, were a group of Catholics who were

          executed by crucifixion on February 5 at Nagasaki. Their martyrdom is especially

          significant in the history of the Catholic Church in Japan.

 

1603 Tokugawa Shogunate was established and the natioal isolation policy was applied

1614 The Tokugawa Shogunate prohibited Christianity throughout Japan

1622 five Christians were martyred at Nakae no Shima in Hirado

1624 three Christians were martyred at Nakae no Shima in Hirado

1627 twenty seven Christians were martyred at Unzen Jigoku

1637 Shimabara Rebellion : a peasant uprising against bakufu’s persecution of Christians

         under the leadership of Amakusa Shiro

1637 Lorenzo Luiz from Philippines martyred at Nashizaka hill in Nagasaki

1641 Dejima, the small artificial island was opened as Dutch trading port in Nagasaki 

1644  Last Christian missionary in Japan is martyred

 

1853     Mathew C Perry came to Uraga; the Commodore of the US navy, who played a

             significant role in Japanese history, succeeded in opening Japan to foreign countries

1854    Treaty between the USA and Japan : ending the isolation policy and opening the country

1858    Treaty of Amity and Commerce between USA, Netherlands, Russia, England, France and

            Japan ; allow religious freedom in foreign residential areas

1862     The 26 Japanese Martyrs at Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaki were canonized by Pope Pius IX.

1865     Oura Cathedral was built as the basilica of Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan 

1868     Meiji Restoration, the most important event in Japanese history, which heralded a new era

             of modernization in Japan. This revolution restored the imperial rule to Japan after more

             than 250years of Tokugawa Shogunate

1873     Ban on the Christianity was lifted

1882     Shitsu Church in Sotome construction started by Father de Rotz’s design

1909     Shitsu Church was completed 

1914     Urakami Cathedral construction was completed, it was the largest Catholic church in East Asia

              at that time

1912     Yamada Church in Hirado was constructed

1917     Tabira Church in Hirado was constructed

1920     Kurosaki Church was completed by Father de Rotz’s design

1931     St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church in Hirado was constructed at the present location

1945     Atomic bomb dropped in Nagasaki on Aug. 9

　　　　The most part of Nagasaki was destroyed, and a tremendous number of lives were lost.  

              and Urakami Cathedral was completely destroyed.

　　　　About 73,000 died instantly, and up to 60,000 were injured.

 

1950     Pope Pius XII designated the Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaaki of Martyrdom of 26 Japanese

             Saints as an official Pilgrimage site for Catholics

1959     Urakami Cathedral replacement was built

1981     Pope John Paul II visited in Nagasaki

1982     Saint Teresa of Calcutta commonly known as Mother Teresa visited in Nagasaki

1987    Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was canonized by the same pope in the Vatican city on 18 October,

            making him the first Filipino Saint

2000    Ebdo Shusaku ( novelist of Silence ) Literary Museum is opened in Sotome

2018    Hidden Christian site is registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage

 

2019     Pope Francis visited Nagasaki on Nov.24 and and calls for a ‘world without Nuclear

             Weapons’ at the Ground Zero.

 

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Christian Pilgrimage sites in Nagasaki Region

                                                                                                                                            HOME  

 

Hidden Christian site is registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage. Japanese Christianity has

a long history of continuing faith while coexisting with Japanese traditional religion Shinto and

General society. Japan’s unique practice of the Christian faith continued even during the ban

on Christianity. Hidden Christian Site in Nagasaki,  Shimabara , Hirado and Amakusa Regions

bear unique testimony to the tradition of people and their communities who secretly transmitted

their faith in Christianity while surviving in the midst of the conventional society and its religions

during the time of prohibition.

 

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Nagasaki  & Sotome

 

 

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Oura Cathedral  / UNESCO World Heritage

Basilica of Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan. Built in 1865 under the supervision of the French

priest Bernard Petitjean. It was designated as a National Treasure in 1933 for its value as Japan’s

oldest Gothic-style Cathedral.

 

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Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan     

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 Sotome area Hidden Christian Site  / UNESCO World Heritage 

Sotome is located between Nagasaki-city and Saikai-city, and face to East China Sea. 

During the ban on Christianity from 17 century to end of the 19 century, Sotome was

home to communities of  “Hidden Christians”, many of whom emigrated there from

other parts of Nagasaki as the remote region allowed them to practice their religion

in secret. French missionary Father Marc Marie de Rotz played a large role in 

reestablishing the religion in the area. He established Shitsu Church on a hill

overlooking the sea.

 

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Urakami Cathedral

Originally constructed in 1895 as a brick Romanesque building, after a long-standing ban on

Christianity was lifted. When completed in 1914, it was the largest Catholic church in East Asia.

The atomic bomb dropped on August 9, 1945 explored in Urakami, only 500m from the cathedral,

which was completely destroyed. What remained of the cathedral is now on display in the 

Atomic Bomb Museum.

 

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Shimabara  &  Unzen / Nagasaki-prefecture

 

 

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Harajo Castle Ruins / UNESCO World Heritage

The Battle field of Shimabara Rebellion which was a peasant uprising agaist bakufu’s persecution

of Christians under the leadership of Amakusa Shiro in 1637.  Christian farmers rose in a riot due

to their grievance about the oppression by Matsukura Shigemasa. The Shogunate regarded this

riot as Christian rebellion and sent its punitive force, therefore locked themselves in the castle and

with their leader Amakusa Shiro Tokisada fought against the Shogunate. On February 27, 1638,

he died in battle. The following day, the castle fell. 37,000 Christians including women and children

died a violent death.

 

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Unzen jigoku

Jigoku, means Hell, is the number one attraction of Unzen with a peculiar smell of sulfur emitted

from the springs, and with white smoke rising from the ground over a wide area.

Unfortunately, this was once put into reality nearly 350 years ago during the time of religious

persecution in Japan.  30 Japanese Christians, failing to renounce their faith met  their death

here in the scalding spring of Jigoku.

 

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Hirado  / Nagasaki-prefecture

 

 

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Christianity in Hirado

When the religion was banned in the early Edo Period, and the Christians were forced to give up their

religion, a few believers, known as the “Hidden Christians”, continued to practice their religion in secret

for over two centuries. Some did so in the remote villages of Hirado Island.

In the late 1800s, the ban on Christianity was lifted, and many of the Hidden Christians rejoined the

Catholic Church and built new churches with the assistance of foreign priests. A few also refrained from

rejoining because their religious practices evolved quite a bit over the centuries to a degree where they

were not compatible with Catholicism anymore.

 

Nakae no Shima / UNESCO World Heritage

Located two kilometers off the coast of Hirado Island, Nakae no Shima is a small, uninhabited island

where religious leaders were executed during the persecution of Christians. The island is considered

sacred, and water collected there is used for baptism.

 

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Kasuga Village   / UNESCO World Heritage

This idyllic, remote village was refuge to a small community of Hidden Christians who practiced here

for centuries, far from the prying eyes of the government. After the ban on Christianity was lifted, the

local villagers decided to continue practicing their own unique brand of the religion rather than rejoin

the Catholic Church. As a result, churches were not erected in the village, and the religion remains

outwardly invisible.

 

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Tabira Church

The church was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke, a famous architect of various churches in

Nagasaki-prefecture, and built between December 1915 and October 1917. It is one of the latest

brick churches in the prefecture of Nagasaki. Tetsukawa Yosuke has called this one of his best works.

 

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Amakusa / Kumamoto-prefecture

 

 

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Hidden Christian of Amakusa

Christianity was first brought to Japan in 1549 by a Jesuit priest named Francis Xavier when trading

opened in Kagoshima. Not long after, it spread to neighboring areas such as Nagasaki and Amakusa.

In 1614, the Tokugawa regime felt threatened by the growth of Christianity out of their fear of

colonialism. Persecutions began and the eradication of Christianity started. Missionaries and priests

alike were killed, while those who practiced Christianity were given an option to renounce their faith or

face death. Some chose to convert to Shintoism and Buddhism in order to hide their Christian faith.

Fed up with famine and cruel treatment, peasants from Amakusa organized a rebellion to fight against

the regime. This resulted in the Shimbara Rebellion, which is considered as one of the largest revolts

during the Edo period.

 

Oe Cathedral 

The oldest Catholic Church in Amakusa and was one of the first churches built right after the ban

on Christianity was lifted. The and Romanesque-style architecture and the chalky white structure

was rebuilt in 1933 by a French missionary priest named Father Garnier using his own money and

contributions from local Christians living in the area.

 

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Sakitsu Village   / UNESCO World Heritage

A Gothic-looking church is located on a cove of a fishing village. In 1934, a French priest Augustin

Halbout MEP purchased the premises of the former village headman and built a wooden and

concrete finished church, with Tetsukawa Yosuke’s design and construction. He placed the altar

at the very site where fumie or a test to ensure non-allegiance to Christianity had been conducted.

 

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Amakusa Shiro Memorial Hall

The theme Museum shows History of Christianity in Amakusa and Shimabara Rebellion

which was a peasant uprising against bakufu’s persecution of Christians under the leadership

of Amakusa Shiro in 1637.

 

 

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Nagasaki Pilgrimage one-day tour

 

This is the model plan for making your customized tour.

 

The tour visits Christian Pilgrimage sites in Sotome and Nagasaki

while introducing the following:

How did Japan, whose main religion is Shinto, accept Christianity?

Why did Christianity spread in and around Nagasaki?

Why did Japan ban Christianity even though once accepted it?

How did Christians continue their faith during the ban period?

What kind of oppression and martyrdom took place during the ban on Christianity?

 

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The customized tour is planned as per the following.

 

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Itinerary 

 

8:00 Star the tour at the designated place in Fukuoka Dirive to to Nagasaki, 2 hours Visiting Sotome Pilgrimage site ; region was home to communities   of Hidden Christians    Shitsu Church   On an elevation commanding a view over the Sea of Goto, Father   Marc Marie de Rotz established a church at his own expense 1882 Endo Shusaku Literary Museum   The setting of Endo Shusaku’s novel Silence. Sotome is blessed with a   unique history and culture of Christianity   Lunch at China Town   Exploring Peace Park where the Atomic Bomb dropped in 1945   Visit Atmic Bomb Museum, Ground Zero and Peace Statue   Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan          Nishizaka hill is the most significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.   The 26 Martyrs of Japan were a group of Catholics who were executed   by crucifixion on February 5, 1597. Oura Cathedral     The Cathedral is one of the significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.   Established 1865, this church is officially known as “Oura Cathedral, the   Church of 26 Martyrs.”     Drive to Fukuoka, 2 hours  18:00 Arrive at  Fukuoka, end of the tour

 

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Map of Nagasaki

 

 

 

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