- A wooden church with a multi-layered roof, designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke and completed in 1918. It has three aisles and a rib vault ceiling. The nave walls are arcade and mock triforium.
- During the Edo period, four families migrated to Egami from the Nishisonogi peninsula. Once the ban on Christianity in Japan had been lifted, it developed into a Catholic village.
- The church has certain distinctive characteristics because it was built taking into account the surrounding area’s level of humidity and also the fact that this area has many typhoons.
- The church was completed at a time when the main local industry, fishing, was prospering. It is the kind of church which you cannot see elsewhere.
- This church is a representative example of a church showing the development from a time when private houses were used as churches (in the period just after the Hidden Christians were discovered) to the time when wooden churches using traditional Japanese architectural techniques began to start being built.
- The way in which the altar has been designed shows that Tetsukawa Yosuke possessed a good understanding of Christianity (despite being a Buddhist himself).
- Now there is only one Christian household left in Egami, but Christians throughout Naru island still continue to pray there and keep the flame of faith alive.
Website of the Churches and Christian Historical and Cultural Heritage of Nagasaki
Registered asset
Egami church
Articles related to this asset
-
Goto Islands
Faith amid changing circumstances
Although Naru island is gradually becoming depopulated, Christians who live there are still managing to keep the flame of faith alive
-
Goto Islands
A church with some interesting design features
Egami church has some interesting design features. In 2018, it will celebrate its 100th year anniversary
-
Goto Islands
A Buddhist architect with a good understanding of Christianity
You can see the influence of Tetsukawa Yosuke everywhere in Egami church, including in the way he designed the altar
-
Goto Islands
A pastel-coloured church
In 2001, Egami church was painted a distinctive white and pastel-coloured light blue. Local Christians themselves got involved with the repair work which was needed.
-
Goto Islands
The faith of local fishermen
Many fishermen on Naru keep holy objects within their boats
-
Goto Islands
A church dedicated to St. Joseph
It seems that St. Joseph’s earnest and sincere life resonated with local Christians
-
Goto Islands
Understanding Changes in Church Architecture
Tetsukawa Yosuke, a key figure in many instances of religious architecture, took on the challenges of building new kinds of churches while overcoming various obstacles involved in the process.
