It takes 30 minutes by boat from Ojika to reach Nozaki island, which sits just off the coast. Former Nokubi church is located roughly 1 kilometre away from the harbour where the boats dock. You will pass through the ruins of an old village and along a mountain trail overlooking a white sandy beach, and then the redbrick facade of Former Nokubi church will eventually appear.

On top of the facade is a cross, and the beautiful ornamentations on either side bring to mind a western castle. Upon entering the church, you will encounter a rib vault ceiling and solemn stained glass, as well as an elaborate tabernacle. On the back of the altar to the left, the date 1890 and the name of a carpenter from Ojika is written. This altar served as the main altar in the original wooden church. On the front of the church’s side altars there are traces of crosses (as well as other ornamentations) which have become detached. Mysteriously enough, in 2011 these were discovered by chance in Former Shitsu Aid Centre in Shitsu village in Sotome. They had been carefully wrapped in some paper which had the words “Nokubi Church” written onto it. And, surely enough, the crosses inside had the same carpenter’s name written on the back.