- An early Japanese Christian tombstone, semi-cylindrical in shape. In 1959, it was designated as a National Historic Site.
- The tombstone is made from sandstone. It is characterised by its well-proportioned form, as well as by the epitaph and three kinds of cross patterns which have been beautifully engraved into it.
- The tombstone’s epitaph is the oldest example in Japan of an epitaph transliterated from Japanese into the Roman alphabet using Portuguese orthography. It is rare for both the Christian era date and the name of the Japanese era to be written together.
- The tombstone was discovered underground in 1929.
Website of the Churches and Christian Historical and Cultural Heritage of Nagasaki
Registered asset
Christian Tombstone
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A tombstone in which two cultures meet
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Christian burial methods
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