SEARCH RESULTS Architecture and Landscape Search Criteria: 114 Hits 49 - 60
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49
Karematsu Shrine
Karematsu Shrine is dedicated to Jiwan, Bastian’s religious leader. He passed away from hunger and cold while hiding in a valley and observing religious practices. The local people buried him and worshipped his tomb as a sacred place. Each November, locals hold the Karematsu Shrine Festival, when ecumenical prayer services are held as well as a mass conducted by a Catholic priest. This is one of only three shrines in Japan dedicated to holy figures associated with Christianity. -
50
Christians’ Cave at Wakamatsu Island
To evade the persecution of the Goto Kuzure, Christians hid themselves in a 50m-deep cave only accessible by boat. They were discovered when a passing boat saw smoke from their cooking fire, arrested and tortured. Later, this place came to be known as Christians’ Cave, and a 3m statue of Christ was erected at the cave entrance in 1967. Around All Souls’ Day (November 2), the Christians of the nearby parish hold a memorial service here and console the spirits of the ancestors by cooking a meal. Even now, this holy site can only be visited by boat. -
51
Memorial Church and Monument to Martyrdom at the Site of Royanosako Jail
In 1868, more than 200 Christians were imprisoned here in a space of less than 20m2. Crammed into this space, they were ordered to recant their beliefs. 39 prisoners including women and children lost their lives during the eight months of imprisonment. The jail was called Royanosako (the jail pit). On the site, there is a monument engraved with the names of the martyrs. -
52
Former Gorin Church
The Former Gorin Church building has an interesting history. Hamawaki Church, built in 1881, was the second oldest wooden church in Nagasaki Prefecture, after Oura Cathedral. In 1931, a new, larger church was to be built at Hamawaki, and the old church was dismantled and then reconstructed as a church for the Gorin district. The church, which has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, is a rare combination of Japanese- and Western-style construction, with the outer appearance of a traditional Japanese house. -
53
Yamada Church
In the Edo Era (1600-1868), the Ikitsuki Christians hid in secluded spots on the island. In 1878, Fr. Pélu arrived and took charge of missionary activities in the areas around Hirado and Ikitsuki. The hidden Christians were baptized and rejoined the Roman Catholic Church. Tetsukawa Yosuke designed and constructed the church in 1912. -
54
Remains of Hinoe Castle
During the 14th century the family ruling the Shimabara Peninsula constructed a castle named ‘Hinoe-jo’. Harunobu, the 14th lord (1597 – 1612) was a Christian daimyo and refurbished his castle into a large-scale structure with gardens, a tea arbor and many rooms. Stone walls remain around the site of the front gate. A recent survey has revealed that the construction materials including the stone steps were acquired from tombstones in Buddhist graveyards which Harunobu had demolished. This indicated the religious situation in those days, when Christianity was flourishing. In 1982, the location of the castle was designated a National Historical Site. -
55
Nyoko-do and Dr. Takashi Nagai Memorial Museum
Nyoko-do (“‘As Thyself’ Hall”) is the small house of Dr. Takashi Nagai, built on the site of a former residence of a ‘chokata’, a leader of hidden Christians. Dr.Nagai, whose wife was a descendant of the chokata, spent his last days here, suffering from leukemia. On his sick bed, he authored numerous books, essays and drawings about Urakami and the lives of his family, hoping to appeal for neighborly love and peace. ‘Nagasaki no Kane’ (‘The Bells of Nagasaki’), about the bomb-damaged bell of Urakami Cathedral, is one of his best-known works. He also left an important report on relief activities for the victims of the atomic bombing, from his point of view as a radiologist. Inside this tiny house of barely two square meters, there is a statue of the Virgin Mary sent from Argentina as a prayer for peace. -
56
Kusuhara Church
Kusuhara was one of the remote areas settled by Sotome Christians around thelate-18th and early-19th centuries. Their descendants underwent ordeals even after the rediscovery of the Christians in Nagasaki. A roundup at Mizunohara expanded into the mountains. The hidden Christians were imprisoned and tortured and their settlements plundered. The site where they were jailed, near to the church, is open to the public. Around 1910, the present church was designed and constructed under the direction of Tetsukawa Yosuke. The building was repaired and improved in 1968. -
57
Kawachi toge Pass
From the top of Kawachi-toge Pass one has a unique panoramic view. To the west are the northern Ninety-Nine Islands, to the north the beginning of the Genkai Sea and further away one can spot Iki Island and Tsushima Island. It is close to Hirado City and is a popular spot for hikers, tourists and locals alike. -
58
Hamanokawa Spring
Tucked away from the town's main thoroughfares, peaceful Hamanokawa spring is the source of the water used by Shimabara locals in their day to day lives. The water flows into four pools, each of which have a different use - such as water for cooking, or laundry. You can even try some of delicious the water from the first pool for yourself! -
59
Shimeiso Spring Garden
Enjoy a cup of green tea with a beautiful view in the Shimeisho Spring Garden 四明荘. Guests can drink tea sitting in a house built over the large pond of rich local spring water, and watch the large, colourful carp swimming through the open sliding doors. This is one of Shimabara’s most peaceful spots, and is a perfect place to take a rest before you continue sightseeing. There’s no charge, although donations are welcome. -
60
Shimabara Yuusuikan
Kanzarashi, small dumplings made of rice flour served soaked in a light syrup with spring water, are a Shimabara specialty. You can eat them at many places in Shimabara, and you can also make them yourself at Shimabara Yuusuikan. Once you have rolled the rice flour into dumplings and cooked them in spring water, you can eat them in a traditional Japanese tatami room overlooking a peaceful garden. Then, you’ll be invited to mark your hometown on a world map with a pin and presented with personalised certificate showing that you are a master of kanzarashi making!
