Mar 25, 2014 - 1 min read

Kamigoto 3: Kashiragashima Church

Church on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Kashiragashima Church

The alter of Kashiragashima Church

Interior of Kashiragashima Church

Sign explaining the history of Kashiragashima Church

Paintings on the wall of Kashiragashima Church-1

Paintings on the wall of Kashiragashima Church-2

Paintings on the wall of Kashiragashima Church-3

Inscription explaining how 'Hidden Christians' who escaped from the government's oppression to Goto Islands were found, and how they were officially returned to the Roman Catholic Church

Facade of Kashiragashima Church

Christian cemetery near Kashiragashima Church

Kashiragashima Church as seen from the Christian cemetery

Kashiragashima had been uninhabited until Domingo Mori Matsujiro moved to escape the government's oppression of Christians in 1859. He later established a temporary church with a missionary school for Japanese youth, which was the beginning of the Kashiragashima Church. The construction started in 1910, and was completed in 1919, This church is one of the rare stone churches in Japan. It's one of the Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki, which are now on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. It was also designated as an important national asset in 2001.

Kamigoto Island

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Takako Sakamoto

Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

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