A guide to Goto’s church tours.

マリア

Their history dates back to the Edo period.When the believers of Christianity of the time were persecuted by the Tokugawa Shogunate, they came to Goto seeking a place of salvation.After surviving the dangerous boat journey, they concealed their worship by moving to remote islands, and built villages with their fellow believers.
Their history survives today in tangible form, and in order to convey the history of the hidden Christians to the world, Nagasaki Prefecture is seeking their registration as a world heritage site under the same “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki and Amakusa Region.”The unique culture formed and cultivated by the culture of Goto’s hidden Christians is worth seeing.

The Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki and Amakusa Region seeking world heritage status are comprised of 12 properties both in Goto and throughout Nagasaki Prefecture.Four of the constituent locations are in Goto, making it the focus of greatest interest.

Christian-related Sites in Goto

Name of each place here

01 Hara Castle Ruins
02 Villages and Sacred Sites of Hirado (Kasuga Village and Yasumandake)
03 Villages and Sacred Sites of Hirado (Nakaenoshima Island)
04 Sakitsu Village in Amakusa
05 Shitsu Village in Sotome
06 Ono Village in Sotome
07 Villages on Kuroshima Island
08 Village Ruins on Nozakijima Island
09 Villages on Kashiragashima Island
10 Villages on Hisakajima Island
11 Egami Village on Narushima Island (Egami Church and Environs)
12 Oura Church

Former Nokubi Church: The Former Nokubi Church stands atop a low hill near the center of Nozakijima Island.The brick church building was erected over a period of years by a poor community of just 17 families of worshipers.

Kashiragashima Church: A wooden church was built in 1887, and the current stone church was completed in 1919.Stones quarried from the nearby islands were carried by boat and set by the worshipers themselves.

Former Gorin Church Building: Hamawaki Church was moved and rebuilt as Gorin Church in 1931.Some years later, plans were made to tear down the timeworn old church and build a new one, but thanks to calls to preserve this important cultural property, it survives in its original state today.

Egami Church: Egami Church was built on a hill cleared and leveled by the worshipers.Though small in size, it is well-known in Japan as a classic example of a wooden church.

Goto’s 50-plus Christian churches
In addition to the facilities and buildingss which make up the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki and Amakusa Region, there are more than 50 churches in Goto which still portray the atmosphere of those times.

五岛50多个天主教教堂

Goto's 50-plus Chiristian churches

01 Former Nokubi Church
02 Komeyama Church
03 Chuchi Church
04 Akabae Church
05 Ebukuro Church
06 Kozera Church
07 Omizu Church
08 Sone Church
09 Hiyamizu Church
10 Aosagaura Church
11 Maruo Church
12 Kashiragashima Church
13 Aokata Church
14 Oso Church
15 Atotsugi Church
16 Tainoura Church
17 Inoura Church
18 Yakezaki Church
19 Matenoura Church
20 Sanohara Church
21 Funakakushi Church
22 Nakanoura Church
23 Wakamatsu Oura Church
24 Hamakushi Church
25 Takaitabi Church
26 Fukumi Church
27 Kiri Church
28 Obira Church
29 Arifuki Church
30 Doinoura Church
31 Naru Church
32 Egami Church
33 Gorin Church
34 Former Gorin Church
35 Royanosako Martyr Memorial Church
36 Gorin Church
37 Handomari Church
38 Miyahara Church
39 Dozaki Church
40 Uragashira Church
41 Mizunoura Church
42 Uchiori Church
43 Kusuhara Church
44 Miiraku Church
45 Saganoshima Church
46 Kaitsu Church
47 Fukue Church
48 Shigeshiki Church
49 Tamanoura Church
50 Imochiura Church

Deco

Departure Point / Fukoka-Hakata Port
Tour Cost / 49,800-52,800 JPY
Tour Length / 4 days, 2 nights
Sightseeing Locations / Nagasaki/Goto

Recommended Points

Pilgrimage guides at the sites dotting the Goto islands and water taxis help to make getting around go smoothly.

●Course Departing Kamigoto

Goto Udon no Sato (7:30) = Aokata Bus Center (7:45) == Wakamatsu Port (8:30) ~ Christian Cave (No landing) ~ Narushima Island (9:20) = Egami Church (9:45) = Narushima Island (10:35) ~ Hisakajima Island - Former Gorin Church (10:50) ~ Fukue Port (11:45)

Tour Conditions

Minimum Participants: 2 persons; Tour Conductor: None; On-site Staff: None

Number of Meals: Breakfast: 2 days, Lunch: 0, Dinner: 2 days

Notes: Length: 4 days, 2 nights
Details: Minimum Participants: 2 persons, Tour Conductor: None, On-site Staff: None, Breakfast: 2 days, Dinner: 2 days Other: Tour is on sale until 7 days before the departure date. *If closed on the above date, the tour is on sale until the preceding business day.

Hakata Port [23:45] → Stay on Ferry

No meals
Goto/Fukue Port [08:15] → Free Time → (Christian Cruise Experience) → Hotel

Accommodations: Hotel Marinepia

Meals: Dinner
Hotel → Nakadorishima Sightseeing (Kashiragashima Church) → Aokata Port [12:10] → Ojika Port [Arrive 13:00/Depart 14:30] → Hamayu → Nozakijima Island (Nokubi Church) [Arrive 15:05/Depart 17:05] → Charter Boat → Ojika Port [Arrive 17:35/Depart 19:55] → Uku Port [Arrive 20:35] → Hotel [Arrive 20:45]

Meals: Breakfast - Dinner
Hotel → Ukushima Island Sightseeing → Uku Port [Depart 13:55] → Hakata Port [Arrive 17:50]

Local specialty! Whale curry

Tour concludes after arrival at Hakata Port