Candidates for a world heritage
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Kuroshima Church
Kuroshima is an island located southeast of Hirado, off the coast of Sasebo. Many peopl...
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Kasuga Village
A village along the west coast of Hirado, facing out towards Ikitsuki island. Hirado wa...
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Mt. Yasumandake
A sacred mountain located on the west coast of Hirado, 536 metres above sea level.
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Nakae no shima
An unpopulated island located 2km off the northwest coast of Hirado. The island is 400m...
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Shitsu church
In September 1865, following the Discovery of the Hidden Christians at Nagasaki's ...
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The sardine net workshop of Former Shitsu Aid Centre (Father de Rotz Memorial Hall)
In 1885, this building was constructed opposite the Former Shitsu Aid centre. It is a w...
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Former Shitsu Aid Centre
Former Shitsu Aid Centre opened in 2013 after 5 years of conservation and repair work.<...
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Oura Cathedral
Oura Cathedral is dedicated to the 26 martyrs of Japan, and was also the stage for an e...
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Former Latin Seminary
Although it is popularly known as the Former Latin Seminary, the school's official...
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Former House of Archbishop
In 1915, the original presbytery (from before Oura Cathedral's construction) was r...
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Ono church
Built for 26 Christian households living in the vicinity of Ono, as a peripatetic churc...
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Former Gorin Church
Former Gorin church is located on Hisaka island in the Goto islands. The island is shap...
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Egami church
A wooden church with a multi-layered roof, designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke and completed i...
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Site of Hara Castle
Located in Nagasaki prefecture in the southern part of the Shimabara peninsula.
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Former Nokubi Church
Designed and constructed by Tetsukawa Yosuke. Finished in 1908.
The church has a... -
Remains of Nokubi village
Nokubi village was located in the centre of Nozaki island, and today the remains of for...
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Remains of Funamori village
Located on the southern tip of Nozaki island, Funamori village consists of the remains ...
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Kashiragashima Church
Kashiragashima is an island located east of the island of Nakadorijima, in the north of...
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Sakitsusuwa shrine
A shrine built in a small fishing village on Shimoshima island in Amakusa (which is par...
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Sakitsu church
A church built in a small fishing village on Shimoshima island in Amakusa (which is par...
Recommended spot
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Site of the Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan
In 1597, 26 men and boys including foreign missionaries were martyred in Nagasaki. Thes...
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Tabira Church
Beginning in 1886, Father Raguet and Father de Rotz had some Christians from places suc...
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Houki Church
In 1885, a temporary church was constructed in the Kyousaki area of Hirado (near the Ho...
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Dozaki church
A church built in the Okuura district of Fukue island. During the Edo period, Hidden Ch...
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Site of Hinoe Castle
Hinoe castle is one of the castles to appear in Christian missionary records from Japan...
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Christian Tombstone
An early Japanese Christian tombstone, semi-cylindrical in shape. In 1959, it was desig...
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Aosagaura Church
The first church was built in around 1879.
The present brick church was designed... -
Oso Church
The people who live in this area today are the descendants of Hidden Christians who mig...
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A church of 400,000 bricks
It is said that 400,000 bricks were used to construct Kuroshima church. Some of these w...
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A unique pulpit
Father Marmand decorated Kuroshima church’s pulpit with ornamentations which he himself...
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A “Crossroad” for the Hidden Christians
Those Hidden Christians who migrated to Kuroshima during the Edo period came in search ...
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A meeting of East and West
Kuroshima church is built in a beautiful Romanesque style. Many of the items within the...
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First Mass
When the first mass was celebrated on Kuroshima, Christianity was still officially bann...
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A romance which blossomed in the shade of Kuroshima Church
Kuroshima Church took two years to complete. Among the carpenters who took part in the ...
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A church containing porcelain tiles from Arita
Local materials were used in Kuroshima church’s construction
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Island of prayer
On Kuroshima, there is a special adjective meaning “pious” or “devout”. All of the isla...
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Financial obstacles during the church’s construction
Father Marmand gave his all to construct Kuroshima church. However, spiralling financia...
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A hand-painted wooden ceiling
One striking feature of Kuroshima church is its magnificent rib vault ceiling. Interest...
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Mountain of faith
Following the ban on Christianity in Japan, Mt. Yasumandake came to acquire deep signif...
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A village unchanged by time
Kasuga village remains in much the same state as it was in the sixteenth century. Its n...
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An early Japanese Christian graveyard
“Maruoyama” is a hill where an early Japanese Christian graveyard was excavated. It sit...
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Preserving Kakure Kirishitan history for posterity
A rosary hidden within a “kamidana”, an old man’s mysterious way of praying…
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Nakae no shima
Nakae no shima is a tiny, uninhabited island where Christians were once martyred. It ca...
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Walls which have the air of southern Europe
After arriving in Sotome, Father de Rotz came up with a new way of building walls. Thes...
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A priest warmly loved by his flock
Father de Rotz, who gave himself wholeheartedly to relief work in Sotome, is still refe...
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Sotome's Kakure Kirishitan
n Sotome today, there still remain "Hidden Christians" (known in Japanese as ...
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Father de Rotz's numerous activities
When Father de Rotz was appointed to Sotome, he was shocked by how poor its inhabitants...
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Shitsu church, the symbol of Sotome
After arriving in Sotome, Father de Rotz worked particularly hard to help women lead se...
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A variety of local produce
Father de Rotz, together with the local people, grew wheat which was used to make a var...
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A 130-year-old organ
The old organ on the 2nd floor of Former Shitsu Aid centre was sent away for from Franc...
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A church dedicated to the 26 martyrs of Japan
When Oura Cathedral was constructed, it sent the Hidden Christians a secret message…
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Financial difficulties during the church’s construction
Father Petitjean made great efforts to raise the funds needed for the church’s construc...
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A church which tells of the dawn of western-style architecture in Japan
At the time of its foundation, Oura Cathedral was a small church with three aisles. It ...
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A dedication ceremony without Japanese people
Although foreigners were delighted that Oura Cathedral had been constructed, because th...
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A church built while Christianity was still banned
Even though Japan had been opened, Christianity still hadn't been officially recog...
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“Where is the statue of Santa Maria”?
The French priests who came to Japan spent their days wondering whether all the Japanes...
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A miracle which fulfilled the prophecies of Bastian
The Hidden Christians handed down with staunch fidelity prophecies which they had recei...
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Father Petitjean is buried within Oura Cathedral
The man who spent his life working to bring about the resurrection of the Christian fai...
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Gifts sent to Oura Cathedral from France
Oura Cathedral was called a "Furansu dera" (a “French temple”). Inside are a ...
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Stained glass which tells a story
Oura Cathedral has a mixture of three sets of stained glass. These each help to tell of...
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A church hidden within the mountains
In contrast to the nearby Shitsu church, Ono church was built in a quiet and secluded l...
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Mass only once a year
Ono church is a peripatetic church of Shitsu church. Both churches were built by Father...
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A unique church
Ono church’s structure resembles that of an ordinary house. Other notable architectural...
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The 26 martyrs of Japan
In 1597, twenty six men and boys, including foreign missionaries, were crucified togeth...
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An event which inspired Christians everywhere
Today, churches dedicated to the 26 martyrs can be found in several different countries...
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The shrine and monument commemorating the 26 martyrs
On the 100th anniversary of the canonization of the 26 martyrs, a church and a monument...
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Christians in search of a new life
As the Sotome region’s Catholics increased in number, some chose, under the guidance of...
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A church built with the help of local Christians
A red-coloured adhesive, made with shells from the surrounding area, was used in the ch...
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Two beautiful sets of stained glass
Stained glass from Germany and Italy helps to illuminate the church’s interior
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Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, O Lord…
Next to the church is a graveyard, where earlier generations of Tabira’s Christians are...
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Memories of church life
Tabira church was at the very heart of peoples’ lives. Some would walk for hours in ord...
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A church on a hill looking out to sea
An award awaits those who make the climb
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A unique design feature
On either side of the church, stained glass windows open out onto a colonial veranda
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A new home for Houki’s Christians
The Christians who lived in Houki during the Meiji era were very devout, and they playe...
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A church which arrived by sea
Former Gorin church was originally located in a different part of Hisaka island
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Memories of island life
In 1985, a new church was constructed in Gorin, and Former Gorin church became disused.
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A church dedicated to St. Joseph
It seems that St. Joseph’s earnest and sincere life resonated with local Christians
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A silent cemetery overlooking the sea
A cemetery which tells of the Christian belief in the resurrection of the body
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An island of wild camellias
Camellia flowers have, in the past, been used by Japanese Christians to represent the V...
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Persecution of Christians on Goto
In the Meiji period, Christians on Goto were persecuted for their faith. Hisaka island ...
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A simple wooden church
Former Gorin church’s architectural style is, in certain ways, very distinctly Japanese
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Faith amid changing circumstances
Although Naru island is gradually becoming depopulated, Christians who live there are s...
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A church with some interesting design features
Egami church has some interesting design features. In 2018, it will celebrate its 100th...
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A Buddhist architect with a good understanding of Christianity
You can see the influence of Tetsukawa Yosuke everywhere in Egami church, including in ...
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A pastel-coloured church
In 2001, Egami church was painted a distinctive white and pastel-coloured light blue. L...
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The faith of local fishermen
Many fishermen on Naru keep holy objects within their boats
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The first Christmas Mass
During the Edo period, many Hidden Christians from Sotome crossed the ocean and settled...
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A redbrick church situated on a cape
Dozaki church is beautifully situated on a cape, and in former times a conch shell was ...
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A child welfare institution on Goto
Children whose parents could not afford to raise them were cared for and brought up by ...
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A Christian feudal lord
During the Warring States period, feudal lords in Japan were competing against one anot...
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The wealth of the Arima clan
Ceramics from places like China and Southeast Asia have been excavated from the remains...
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"Love your neighbour as yourself"
Love is central in Christianity. Within the Arima domain, the missionaries’ emphasis on...
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Gold-leaf roof tiles
The gold-leaf roof tiles which have been discovered in the ruins of Hinoe castle sugges...
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The Tenshō embassy to Europe
Towards the end of the 16th century, four Japanese boys (who had been equipped with a g...
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Arima’s flourishing Christian culture
The Jesuits put a lot of effort into training young men who could engage in missionary ...
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Tensions with Buddhism
If you wish for peaceful coexistence, many barriers must first be overcome.
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Stone-walled castles
Through the ruins of Hara castle, we can witness the early days of the stone wall forti...
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The Amakusa-Shimabara rebellion
Many Christians fought in the Amakusa-Shimabara rebellion. At Hara castle, an estimated...
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Abandoned castles
The Arima clan, which had governed the Shimabara peninsular for generations, left and m...
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The cause of the rebellion
A great number of Christian artefacts have been uncovered during archaeological excavat...
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Hara castle, completely destroyed
Hara was destroyed out of fear that the dead might rise. People from a different religi...
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The martyrs of Unzen
Many Christians were tortured and killed at Unzen, a place of numerous burning hot springs
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Hara’s revival
Although Hara castle was completely destroyed by the army of the shogunate, the area su...
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Preserving Minami-Shimabara’s history
After the Amakusa-Shimabara rebellion, there was group migration into Arima, with many ...
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A tombstone in which two cultures meet
An early Japanese Christian tombstone which looks like a semi-cylindrical column that h...
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Christian burial methods
Christian burial methods sometimes help to manifest beliefs which lie at the very heart...
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A church like a castle, facing out to sea
A church which sits on high ground on a deserted island. It was the first brick church ...
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Migration from Sotome
Searching for the roots of Nokubi and Funamori
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Tears at the final Mass
In 1971, following a period of depopulation, the last people left living on Nozaki isla...
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A helping hand
It is said that one of the ancestors of Taguchi Tomisaburou (a minshuku owner on Ojika ...
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A trail which connected two Hidden Christian villages
The remains of Nokubi and Funamori villages are linked by a rugged trail, which the isl...
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Memories of Funamori
The last remaining residents in Funamori left the island as a group 5 years earlier tha...
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The beauty of Ojika
The cultural landscape of the Ojika island group has been designated as an Important Cu...
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An island of settlers
During the Edo period, many Christians migrated to Nozaki island in search of a new lif...
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Goto stone as a way of life
Nagasaki is an area with a strong culture of quarrying as a means of livelihood. The hi...
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The reason behind Kashiragashima’s stone church.
A lengthy process of quarrying and construction, carried out not only by masons but by ...
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A pastel interior full of floral decorations
Kashiragashima church has a surprising “gap” between its exterior and interior; a place...
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Live flowers raised by the local parishioners
In the joy of presenting one’s lovingly grown flowers to God, one can see the important...
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The pioneer behind Kashiragashima’s growth and development
A man named Maeda Gidayu was responsible for the migration of Tainoura’s Christians to ...
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A Place of Prayer That Became a Model for Later Brick-Laid Churches
Aosagaura church was built using Goto stones from nearby Kashiragashima, and with brick...
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The Radiance of Stained Glass Colours the Church Interior
The stained glass here is arranged in a way that takes the movement of the sun into con...
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Every Day’s Prayers and Life’s Milestones
From Buddhist believer to follower of Christ. A family who sticks to love and offers pr...
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A Church on a Cliff
Carved into the rock face of the mountainside and secured on its other side with a land...
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The Wonders of Stained Glass
The magic of light filtered through stained glass comes from the composition of element...
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Bells of Prayer Still Ring Today
Even today this church’s bell tells the time and signals prayer sessions.
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Understanding Changes in Church Architecture
Tetsukawa Yosuke, a key figure in many instances of religious architecture, took on the...
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The Church as a Motive for Living
Oso church welcomes the centennial from its consecration in the summer of 2014. This oc...
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A symbol of the Christian faith's resurrection in Amakusa
Father Halbout had a special vision for Sakitsu church, the construction of which he hi...
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Shells and natural stones which were used as devotional objects
An unusual museum which tells of the history of the Christian faith in Sakitsu
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A Japanese fishing village with a European atmosphere
Sakitsu village is an unusual mix of East and West
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The remains of an orphanage that were discovered deep in the mountains
A place where people tilled the land so that children could live, and where people prayed
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A faith inherited from one’s parents
Sakitsu church is the pride and joy of the village’s Christians
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An offering hidden inside a wooden mortar
“Sawagi” is an old, end-of-year Shinto decoration, but in Imatomi village it is given a...
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A gift from God called paaterazeri
The watercress which grows by Imatomi river is good for making both goma-ae and tempura
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A statue of Amaterasu which vaguely resembles the Virgin Mary
Inside a small shrine deep in the mountains, there is a stone statue…
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Preserving Imatomi's culture
"I want to untie the knots of this buried history..."