・This Literary Museum, established in 2000, four years after the death of the Japanese writer Shusaku Endo (1923–1996; born in Tokyo), introduces his literary works and life.
・The Sotome area in which the Literary Museum is located is well known as a settlement where Hidden Christians secretly practiced their faith. Providing a magnificent view of the Sumonada Sea, Sotome is a model of Tomogi Village depicted in Silence, one of Endo’s great masterpieces.

・The novel Silence portrays God and belief through the agony of a Portuguese Jesuit priest, who came to Japan during the era of persecution of Christianity (in the mid-17th century). The Jesuit priest witnessed his Japanese Christian brothers being cruelly tortured, and he was also eventually forced to step on holy images to test his own beliefs.
・The permanent exhibition features a reproduction of the study Endo used until his death and panels introducing the “Life of Shusaku Endo,” from his childhood to his later years, using his portrait photos and his essays (excerpts).
・In the special exhibition room, exhibits are completely changed every two years. Currently displayed (until May 2018) are Endo’s literary works concerning his thought about Hidden Christians, in addition to valuable autographed documents he prepared in writing Silence, including a rough draft and travel and research memos he used for the novel.