Prosperity and prayer born from ocean routes Hirado and Ikitsuki

Hirado Island, once a stopover on the "Great Ocean Route" linking Hakata and the Chinese port of Ningbo developed as one of Japan's leading trade hubs. Then Chinese and Portuguese ships arrived, ushering in the Christian era. The foreign religion spawned various rumors and suspicions but bolstered the spirit of the faithful.

Diverse artifacts exhibited in historic buildings

Matsura Historical Museum and Hirado Dutch Trading Post

Diverse artifacts exhibited in historic buildings

Matsura Historical Museum and Hirado Dutch Trading Post

Strolling through the streets of Hirado, where the atmosphere of a castle town remains, visitors notice an impressive stone wall on the hillside. Built in 1893, Tsurugamine House, the former private residence of the Matsura family, accommodates the Matsura Historical Museum. The exhibits convey the prosperity of the Matsura family, lords of the Hirado domain and rulers of northern Nagasaki Prefecture including Iki Island. The collection is comprised largely of items gathered by the 34th family head, Matsura Kiyoshi (Seizan), and includes personal belongings cherished by successive heads of the family. A ten-minute walk from the Matsura Historical Museum brings visitors to the Hirado Dutch Trading Post. This white building standing along the waterfront is a replica of the warehouse of the Dutch East India Company factory, originally built in 1639. Both facilities are indispensable to a visit to Hirado.

Exhibits

Matsura Historical Museum

12 Kagamigawa-cho, Hirado City TEL. 0950-22-2236
Hours: 8:30 – 17:30
Closed: Dec 29 – Jan 1
Admission: Adults ¥660, Students ¥330

Hirado Dutch Trading Post

2477 Okubo-cho, Hirado City TEL. 0950-26-0636
Hours: 8:30 – 17:30
Closed: 3rd Tue/Wed/Thu of June each year
Admission: Adults ¥310, Students ¥210

The faith of the hidden Christians and
the history of whaling passed down to the present day

Hirado City Ikitsuki-cho Municipal Museum Shima-no-Yakata

The faith of the hidden Christians and
the history of whaling passed down to the present day

Hirado City Ikitsuki-cho Municipal Museum Shima-no-Yakata

The hidden Christian faith was secretly preserved during the period of persecution and passed down on Ikitsuki, an island blessed with pristine natural beauty. The Hidden Christian Corner inside the museum displays religious artifacts donated by the faithful, such as hanging scrolls, prayer mats, and water jars. The displays are designed to help visitors understand how each item was used, featuring photographs and videos capturing the scenes of ceremonies. Ikitsuki also flourished during the Edo period as a hub for whaling and tuna fixed-net fishing, serving as the base for Japan's largest whaling company, the Masutomi Group. Highlights include a diorama depicting whaling scenes, skeletal specimens of minke and fin whales, and three-dimensional exhibits featuring actual artifacts and models illustrating the evolution of whaling and fixed-net fishing techniques.

Exhibits

Hirado City Ikitsuki-cho Municipal Museum Shima-no-Yakata

4289-1 Minamimen, Ikitsuki-cho, Hirado City TEL. 0950-53-3000
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00 (last entry 16:30)
*Temporary closures for maintenance
Closed: Jan 1 & 2
Admission: Adults ¥520, High school ¥310, Elementary/Junior high ¥210

Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region

Nakaenoshima Island

Component site:
Sacred Places and Villages in Hirado

The hidden Christians of Ikitsuki performed the ritual of omizutori, or the collection of holy water seeping from rocks, on this sacred island off the east coast of Ikitsuki. Landing is prohibited due to the lack of a jetty and the dangerous location.

Kasuga Village and Mt. Yasumandake

Component site:
Sacred Places and Villages in Hirado

Kasuga Village is located on the west coast of Hirado Island, an early site of Christian missionary work in Japan. The hidden Christians living there secretly preserved their faith and continued to practice their traditional customs even after the ban on Christianity was lifted. Mt. Maruo rises in the center of the district, offering a must-see view of terraced rice fields from its summit. Detailed information about the village is available at the Katarina information center.

Kuroshima Church

Component site:
Villages on Kuroshima Island

Kuroshima is located about 12 kilometers off the west coast of Sasebo City. Hidden Christians migrated there and secretly maintained their faith while developing former pastures of the Hirado Domain. After the ban on Christianity was lifted, the faithful returned to the Catholic orthodoxy and built Kuroshima Church based on designs made by the French priest Louis Marman.

Historical Figure

Christianity in Japan
began with this man

Francisco Xavier

1506–1552

One of the founders of the Jesuit order, Francisco Xavier arrived in Kagoshima in 1549 after his mission to India, hoping to spread the faith further eastward. He planted the first seeds of Christianity in Japan. His stay lasted only about two years, but Christianity took root and spread, primarily in Kagoshima, Hirado, Yamaguchi, Sakai, Bungo and the other areas he visited during his missionary work.

Transmissions to the Present Day

The flying fish of Hirado come with
the arrival of northern breezes

The flying fish season peaks from September to October. In Hirado, the breezes during this season are called "flying fish winds." Narrow-nosed flying fish and Japanese flying fish, born on the seabed from Kyushu to the Japan Sea off Honshu, migrate southward with the northern breezes. Skewered flying fish are roasted evenly over charcoal until golden brown and used to make a refined dashi stock. This clear, golden-hued broth pairs well with various dishes like New Year's zōni soup, chawanmushi steamed egg custard, udon noodles, and simmered dishes.
Photograph courtesy of Hayashi Suisan Co. (Hirado City)

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Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region
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