The 26 Martyrs Museum

 

The 26 Martyrs Museum is dedicated to the 26 Christians who were executed here on

February 5, 1597. They included both foreign missionaries and Japanese laymen. Missionary

activities were prohibited at the time, and Japan’s ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi staged the execution

as a warning. The monument is located in a small park on a hill not far from Nagasaki Station

and offers nice views over the city.   

 

A straight red line runs from the Monument across the park’s plaza in the direction of the Oura

Cathedral on the opposite side of the city. Oura Cathedral is also dedicated to the 26 martyrs.

 

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The museum behind the monument is devoted to the memory of the martyrs and to Christianity in

Japan in general. Its interior is reminiscent of a church with stained-glass windows, making for

atmospheric viewing of the exhibits. On display are artifacts related to Christianity in Japan,

including old documents, statues and jewelry.

 

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General information  

Address	7-8 Nishizaka-cho, Nagasaki-city
Access	5 minuts walk from JR Nagasaki Station

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Dejima

 

Dejima was the fan-shaped artificial island in the bay of Nagasaki where was used

as a trading port during Japan’s National isolation of Edo period.

In 1636, the artificial island, Dejima was constructed to accommodate  Portuguese

who lived in Nagasaki and to prohibit Christian missionary work.

In 1638, trade with Portugal was prohibited and Dejima becaome an uninhabited island.

In 1641, the Dutch trading post in Hirado was moved to Dejima, and then the history of

trade with the Dutch began at Dejima as only the gateway to European in Japan

Many European technologies and cultures were introduced here through Dutch until 1853. 

 

Entrance of Dejima

Fan-shaped artificial island, was built in 1636

Dejima used from 1641 until 1853

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A project to restore Dejima is underway.   In 2000, five buildings including the Deputy Factor’s 

Quarters were completed and opened to the public. 

 

Dejima International Club

Building of residence, cooking room, warehouse

The old Dejima seminary, a Christian theological school

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In the spring of 2006, the finishing touches were put on the Chief Factor’s Residence, the

Japanese Officials’ Office, the Head Clerk’s Quarters, the No. 3 Warehouse and the Sea Gate.

 

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General information 

Glover Garden

 

Glover Garden is located on Minami-Yamate hill in Nagasaki-city, and nine traditional buildings

can be seen at Glover Garden. Among these, the Glover Residence, Orto Residence, and Ringer

Residence were built during the settlement era and are valuable buildings that have continued to

stand on this land for over 150 years.

Glover Garden boasts a great location overlooking Nagasaki Port with Mt. Inasa, a landmark

of Nagasaki-city, in the background.

 

In 1858, the Edo shogunate concluded treaties of amity and commerce with five countries:

the United States, the Netherlands, Russia, England, and France, and foreign merchants

with dreams came together to visit Japan as it entered a new era.  Western-style buildings

covered with Japanese-style roof tiles line the hill overlooking Nagasaki Port, and these are

where the daily lives of foreigners from all over the world lived. “Glover Garden” is located here.

You can feel the history of Nagasaki from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period in this

area, where the residences of foreigners from the settlement era, including the adventuring

merchant Thomas Glover, and the Western-style houses that were scattered throughout

Nagasaki-city are gathered.

 

Glover Residence, World Heritage

Former Mitsubishi second dock house

Overlooking of Nagasaki Port

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Glover Residence

Glover Residence is Japan’s oldest wooden Western-style building and is the UNESCO

World Heritage registered in 2015 as Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution

In 1859 an enterprising Scotsman named Thomas Glover arrive in Nagasaki and immediately

become involved in a variety of businesses. Glover operated a coalmine, founded the first

modern shipyard in Japan, supplied weapons to Satsuma clan in Southern Kyushu and

established Japan’s Kirin beer brewery. The Glover residence, built in 1863, evokes an era when

Western architecture and lifestyle were of great  interest to Japanese. Several other merchant

houses have been relocated to the Glover Garden, which surrounds the house itself, making the

area a pocket of 19^th-cencury Western culture overlooking Nagasaki Bay.

 

Inside of the residence

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Nagasaki harbor view from Glover Garden

Venus Bridge

Mitsubishi Heavy   Industries,  repair dock

Giant Cantilever Crane,  World Heritage

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Golver Residence is generally believed to have been the scene of Puccini’s opera, Madame

Butterfly. Inside the park is the life-size statue of the famous opera singer, Tamaki Miura, who

received international acclaim for her performance as Cho-Cho-san in Madam Butterfly.

 

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Sotome Pilgrimage sites

 

Sotome is located between Nagasaki-city and Saikai-city, and face to East China Sea. 

During the ban on Christianity from 17 century to end of the 19 century, Sotome was

home to communities of  “Hidden Christians”, many of whom emigrated there from

other parts of Nagasaki as the remote region allowed them to practice their religion

in secret.

French missionary Father Marc Marie de Rotz played a large role in reestablishing the

religion in the area. He established Shitsu Church on a hill overlooking the sea.

 

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Shitsu Church

On an elevation commanding a view over the Sea of Goto, Father Marc Marie de Rotz

established a church at his own expense 1882. The building was extended and renovated

again and again. A statue of Mary that he ordered from France is standing in the bell tower.

 

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Former Shitsu Aid Center        

I want to save people in the Sotome from poor life. Former Shitsu Aid Centeris indispensable in

talking about the history and culture of the region.

 

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Endo Shusaku Literary Museum         

The setting of Endo Shusaku’s novel Silence. Sotome is blessed with a unique history and

culture of Christianity. In particular, the area in which the Endo Shusaku Literary Museum

stands is known as the site of a Christian village, one of Endo’s most notable work, Silence.

 

General information  

Address	Shitsu, Nagasaki-city
Access	50 minutes by a vehicle from JR Nagasaki Station

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Tram in Nagasaki

 

The Nagasaki Electric Tramway provides a convenient and affordable way to travel around

the main attractions of Nagasaki-city.

 

No matter how far you travel, the adult fare for a single journey is always 130 yen.

A one-day pass offering unlimited rides for 500 yen is also available for purchase at major

information centers, hotels, and through a smartphone app (but not on board the trams).

 

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Announcements and signs both on trams and at the stops are available in English, making

it easy to find which tram you need to take and where to get off.

 

Tram Route

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Nagasaki Wharf

 

Elegant international & domestic tourist harbour. Made up of around 20 unique shops and

restaurants lined up at the water front, offering various choices such Japanese, Western,

and Italian cuisine, to beauty salons, outdoor shops and more.

 

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It is quite the popular spot for people who want to relax while viewing the sea beyond as they

dine outdoors.

 

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Nagasaki Harbour

Located in the center of East Asia and is surrounded by the beautiful green mountains.

The city has flourished due to foreign trade through the port.  Now the port is home to Mitsubishi

Heavy Industries, which has one of Japan’s largest shipbuilding facilities.

 

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Not only ships but also many industrial goods such as wind and thermal generators are

manufactured and exported from Nagasaki. Recently, the port was changed by the appearance of

a beautiful park and Venus Bridge or the long cable-stay bridge. The port facilities will be further

improved as a major gateway with a long tradition of international exchange and together with a

geographically advantageous location.

 

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General information  

Address	1-1 Dejima-machi, Nagasaki-city
Access	a short walk from Dejima Tram Station a short walk from Tsuki-machi Tram Station 15 minutes walk from JR Nagasaki Station

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Peace Statue

 

World Peace from Nagasaki. The Peace Statue was completed in 1955, ten years after the

atomic bombing. The 9.7 meter high statue sitting on a 4 meter tall pedestal, made by renown

sculptor Kitamura Seibo who born in Minami-Shimabara-city, Nagasaki-prefecture in 1884.

 

The bronze Peace Statue has one left arm extending horizontally and other right arm pointing

to the sky. The left arm stretching to the horizon symbolizes world peace, and the other right 

pointing skyward indicates the threat of atomic destruction (the harm of nuclear power). 

The closed eyes show the prayer for the peaceful repose of the victims of the Atomic Bomb.

 

Visiting from all over Japan and the World

Wishing for eternal world peace from Nagasaki

Kitamura Seibo, the Statue was completed at the age of 71

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Peace Memorial Ceremony is held in front of the statue on August 9 every year and

the Mayor of Nagasaki makes the “Nagasaki peace declaration” for the whole world.

Commitment to World Peace from all over the World

 

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General information  

Address	Heiwakoen, Matsuyama-machi, Nagasaki-city
Access	5 minutes walk from Heiwa-koen-shita Tram Station

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China town

 

China town at shinchi is one of the big three china town in Japan. There are about

50 Chinese restaurants and many Chinese sundries shops in there.

 

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Nagasaki Lantern Festival 

An annual festival in Nagasaki held on Chinese new year.  The festival has been started to

celebrate a new year by Chinese who lived in Nagasaki, and it became the Nagasaki’s festival

since 1994. More than 10 thousand lanterns are decorated at China town during the festival.

 

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General information

 

Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan

 

Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaki is the place of Martyrdom of 26 Japanese Saints. The 26 Martyrs of

Japan were a group of Catholics who were executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597.

The Twenty-six Christians, including six foreign missionaries and three young boys, were arrested

in Kyoto and Osaka on the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the National ruler, for preaching Christianity.

They were marched 800 km through the snow to Nagasaki and crucified in front of large crowd on

Nishizaka hill on Feb. 5, 1597.

 

Their martyrdom is especially significant in the history of the Catholic Church in Japan. In 1950, Pope

Pius XII designated this place as an official pilgrimage site for Catholics. Pope John Paul II visited

here in 1981, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta commonly known as Mother Teresa visited in 1982. 

Paulo Miki and 25 others were crucified for their belief in God on order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. 

The martyrs including four Spaniards, one from Goa, India, one Mexican and 20 Japanese

demonstrated their spiritual unity despite differences in races, ages and professions.  

 

Nishizaka hill, the site of Martyrdom in 1597

The martyrs said that  ” All people, bless God ! ”

The 26 Japanese martyrs have  been canonized in 1862

 

Oura Cathedral

 

The Cathedral is one of the significant Christian Pilgrimage site in Japan.  Established 1865,

this church is officially known as “Oura Cathedral, the Church of 26 Martyrs.” It was built by

the French priest Bernard Petitjean of Fier who had been dispatched by the Foreign

Missionary Church of Paris to dedicate prayers to the 26 saints martyred on Nishizaka hill.

For this reason, the church faces Nishizaka hill. It was designated as a National Treasure in

1933 for its value as Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral.

 

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“On March 17, 1865, a group of peasants from Urakami came to the church and professed

their faith to Father Petitjean, thus revealing that Christianity had survived through the 

centuries of persecution. The white marble statue of the Holy Mother at the entrance was built

in commemoration of the dramatic discovery of the “Hidden Christians.

 

 

 

 

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