World Heritage Pilgrimage Route of Nagasaki and the Amakusa region
The World Heritage Site, the “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki and Amakusa region” is a cultural heritage that tells of the unique religious tradition of hidden Christians who secretly passed on their faith under the ban on Christianity for more than two centuries, from the 17th to the 19th century. Since the first mission in 1550 in this region in Hirado in 1550, many people believed during the ban on Christianity that it would be lifted and continued to secretly practice their faith.
468 years have passed since 1550, when Christianity was first introduced to the Nagasaki region, and in 2018, the pilgrimage route was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
There are also many important places in Nagasaki and the Amakusa region to mention when discussing the history of Christianity and the establishment of the World Heritage Site, such as related cultural assets. The World Heritage Pilgrimage Route of Nagasaki and the Amakusa region is a route connecting the World Heritage sites that has a total of 35 sections which consist of 12 components, and related heritage sites, and is divided into five areas that tell the history of each region.
As a way to hope for a bright future, during the COVID-19 pandemic, go on a “pilgrimage trip” to visit these related sites while enjoying the beautiful natural landscape as a place to heal and reflect on yourself in a relaxed atmosphere.
| Total length | Approximately 468 km on foot (439.7 km in Nagasaki Prefecture, 28.3 km in Kumamoto Prefecture) Total of 35 sections in the pilgrimage route (length of sections 5 km to 22.8 km) |
|---|---|
| Starting point/ending point | Hirado City (Hirado Port Exchange Plaza) to Nagasaki City (Oura Cathedral) |
| Route | The route is comprised of the Kyushu Nature Trail (Ministry of the Environment), public roads, etc., and to accommodate people who wish to walk along all the routes or visit the sites multiple times, the starting and ending points of each pilgrimage route are connected to public transportation such as ferries and buses, so visitors are free to walk from anywhere regardless of the order of the pilgrimage route. |
Complete map of the “World Heritage Pilgrimage Route of Nagasaki and the Amakusa region”
■Thirty-five pilgrimage routes of the World Heritage Pilgrimage Route of Nagasaki and the Amakusa region
| Themes of the Five Areas | Pilgrimage Route No. | Route Length (km) |
Municipalities | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Route to visit the secret sanctuaries | Route 1 | 21.0 | Hirado City | From the center of Hirado City (Start) to Ikitsuki (*1) |
| Route 2 | 11.5 | Hirado City | From Ikitsuki to Neshiko | |
| Route 3 | 14.0 | Hirado City | From Neshiko to Tsuyoshi | |
| II. Route to paving the way for migration to a new world | Route 4 | 11.2 | Sasebo City | In Kuroshima Island * Including a route (2.5 km) to Maetsuyoshi Fishing Port of Hirado Island. |
| Route 5 | 10.6 | Ojika Town | In Nozaki Island | |
| Route 6 | 19.3 | Shinkamigoto Town | From Tsuwazaki to Sone | |
| Route 7 | 14.7 | Shinkamigoto Town | From Sone to Urakuwa and then to Arikawa | |
| Route 8 | 11.0 | Shinkamigoto Town | From Arikawa to Kashiragashima Island (*1) and then to Aokata | |
| Route 9 | 22.8 | Shinkamigoto Town | From Aokata to Wakamatsu | |
| Route 10 | 16.9 | Goto City | In Naru Island | |
| Route 11 | 18.0 | Goto City | In Hisaka Island (*2) | |
| Route 12 | 14.4 | Goto City | In Fukue Island (From Dozaki Church to Okuura Port and then to Fukue) | |
| III. Route of prophecy that provided hope | Route 13 | 5.0 | Nagasaki City | From the site of the old prefectural office building to Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture and then to Peace Park |
| Route 14 | 11.5 | Nagasaki City | From Peace Park to Aguri Hill | |
| Route 15 | 10.0 | Nagasaki City | From Aguri Hill to Mie | |
| Route 16 | 17.4 | Nagasaki City | From Mie to Kounoura | |
| IV. Route of the baptised feudal lords (Kirishitan Daimyo) and boys' mission to Europe (Shonen Shisetsu) | Route 17 | 18.3 | Nagasaki City and Saikai City | From Kounoura to Otawa (*1) |
| Route 18 | 15.0 | Saikai City | From Otawa to Yokose and then to Koba | |
| Route 19 | 7.9 | Saikai City | From Koba to Saikaibashi Park | |
| Route 20 | 12.4 | Sasebo City | From Saikaibashi Park to Huis Ten Bosch | |
| Route 21 | 16.1 | Sasebo City, Kawatana Town, and Hasami Town | From Huis Ten Bosch to Hasami (Hirado-kaido Road) | |
| Route 22 | 19.8 | Hasami Town and Kawatani Town | From Hasami to Kawatana | |
| Route 23 | 11.6 | Kawatana Town and Higashisonogi Town | From Kawatana to Chiwata (Hirado-kaido and Nagasaki-kaido Roads) | |
| Route 24 | 14.6 | Higashisonogi Town and Omura City | From Chiwata to Omura (Nagasaki-kaido Road) | |
| Route 25 | 13.7 | Omura City and Isahaya City | From Omura to Isahaya (Nagasaki-kaido Road) | |
| Route 26 | 13.5 | Isahaya City | From Isahaya to Karako | |
| Route 27 | 8.2 | Isahaya City and Unzen City | From Karako to Chijiwa | |
| V. Route of Christian prosperity and the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion | Route 28 | 11.7 | Unzen City | From Chijiwa to Obama then to Unzen Onsen (*1 and 3) |
| Route 29 | 7.6 | Unzen City and Minamishimabara City | From Unzen Onsen to Mt. Takaiwa and then to Ronshobaru | |
| Route 30 | 10.6 | Minamishimabara City | From Ronshobaru to Nishiarie | |
| Route 31 | 10.5 | Minamishimabara City | From Nishiarie to Minamiarima | |
| Route 32 | 10.0 | Minamishimabara City | From Minamiarima to Kuchinotsu | |
| Route 33 | 19.2 | Amakusa City | From Sakitsu Village to Shimoda Onsen (*1) | |
| Route 34 | 9.1 | Amakusa City and Reihoku Town | From Shimoda Onsen to Tomioka Port (*1) | |
| Route 35 | 8.5 | Nagasaki City | From Mogi Port to Oura Cathedral (Goal) |
Total route length 468km
(In Nagasaki Prefecture) 439.7km
(In Kumamoto Prefecture) 28.3km
* Pilgrimage routes in yellow represent the corresponding themes of the five areas and are illustrated in more detail using maps and other materials.
*1: A bus or other transportation is assumed to be used along the way.
*2: A water taxi is assumed to be used from Naru Island to Hisaka Island (Gorin). A ferry service is available between Fukue and Tanoura.
*3: A mountain trail in the Kyushu Nature Trail can be taken as an alternative.
Five areas of the World Heritage Pilgrimage Route
I.Route to visit the secret sanctuaries
Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
http://oratio.jp/pilgrimage/hisokana-seichi (Japanese)
II. Route to paving the way for migration to a new world
Sasebo City, Ojika Town, Shinkamigoto Town, Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture
http://oratio.jp/pilgrimage/shintenchi (Japanese)
III. Route of prophecy that provided hope
Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
http://oratio.jp/pilgrimage/kibo (Japanese)
IV. Route of the baptised feudal lords (Kirishitan Daimyo) and boys' mission to Europe (Shonen Shisetsu)
Nagasaki City, Saikai City, Sasebo City, Kawatana Town, Hasami Town, Higashisonogi Town, Omura City, Isahaya City, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture
http://oratio.jp/pilgrimage/daimyo (Japanese)
V. Route of Christian prosperity and the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion
Unzen City, Minamishimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Amakusa City, Reihoku Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
http://oratio.jp/pilgrimage/ikki (Japanese)
*This time, we will introduce 1 to 2 typical pilgrimage routes with the map for each theme in the five areas.
*In the future, we will create a pamphlet, develop an app, prepare route signs and hold public awareness events to provide guidance for the pilgrimage route and will continue to improve the environment in stages so that people from both inside and outside the prefecture can travel along the pilgrimage route.
*When walking the pilgrimage route, please keep in mind traffic safety and etiquette. Also, there is no parking lot exclusively for visitors at the starting or ending point of each pilgrimage route, so please use public transportation.
