Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region: Kasuga Village, A Great Place to Visit in August 2024

📍Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region With clear skies and pleasant weather, Japan's climate is truly remarkable. For the last stop of the day, I decided to visit a more remote area and explore one of the World Heritage sites here. The Hidden Christians of the Nagasaki region refer to those who converted to Christianity during the Sengoku period. After enduring extremely harsh persecution, they secretly maintained their faith. Cut off from Western churches, they even developed their own unique beliefs. They remained hidden throughout the Edo period until they were rediscovered by Western missionaries at the end of the Edo period. This World Heritage listing includes 12 sites in total. In Hirado, there is Naka-no-Jima Island, which can only be viewed from a distance, and Kasuga Village, which I visited. It's best to drive to this place, but since I don't have that skill, I had to rely on the sparse bus service and then walk through the Kasuga Tunnel, which was completed and opened to traffic five years ago. When you arrive, be sure to visit the Kasuga Village Information Center. Besides introducing the history of the village and the Hidden Christians, the most important feature is the enthusiastic old man who provides passionate and free oral introductions. However, Japanese language skills are required. You can also enjoy some tea there 🍵