- Kashiragashima is an island located east of the island of Nakadorijima, in the north of the Goto archipelago. The church itself is found in the village of Shirahama.
- At the end of the 18th century, hidden Christians from Sotome in the Omura domain migrated to Kashiragashima and founded a village.
- They formed the village by clearing land on mountain slopes as well as the limited amount of flat land.
- Following the discovery in 1865 of hidden Christians at Oura Cathedral, Kashiragashima’s hidden Christians too went there in secret to meet with the priest.
- In 1867, a priest from Oura Cathedral named Father クザン visited Kashiragashima and undertook missionary work.
- After the removal on the ban on Christianity, the people of Kashiragashima founded the island’s first church on the site of their leader’s residence.
- In 1919, the stone building you see today was constructed near the location of this first church.
- The structure, with its tower at the front and single layer gable roof, is built mostly out of the local Kashiragashima sandstone.
Website of the Churches and Christian Historical and Cultural Heritage of Nagasaki
Registered asset
Kashiragashima Church
Articles related to this asset
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Goto Islands
Goto stone as a way of life
Nagasaki is an area with a strong culture of quarrying as a means of livelihood. The high-quality Goto stone that was used to build Kashiragashima church is used elsewhere for paving slabs and walls.
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Goto Islands
The reason behind Kashiragashima’s stone church.
A lengthy process of quarrying and construction, carried out not only by masons but by local Christians themselves, too.
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Goto Islands
A pastel interior full of floral decorations
Kashiragashima church has a surprising “gap” between its exterior and interior; a place of prayer full of flowers.
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Goto Islands
Live flowers raised by the local parishioners
In the joy of presenting one’s lovingly grown flowers to God, one can see the important regard in which Kashiragashima church is held.
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Goto Islands
The pioneer behind Kashiragashima’s growth and development
A man named Maeda Gidayu was responsible for the migration of Tainoura’s Christians to Kashiragashima, as well as for the founding Kashiragashima village
