While Oura Church in Nagasaki Prefecture has roots in the 1860s, the final version of the cathedral that we can see today was completed in 1879. Along with the accompanying Christian Museum, Oura Church is both a functioning institution with regular services as well as a memorial to the persecution of Christians in feudal Japan.
History of the Church
Photo by: PIXTA/ skipinof The church’s official name is the Basilica of the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan
Three centuries after the first Portuguese missionaries introduced Christianity to Japan, French priests arrived in Nagasaki in the middle of the 1800s with the goal of building a church dedicated to a group of martyred Christians. Soon after Christianity had come to Japan in the 1500s, its practice was banned and believers were persecuted. Among them were a group of 26 Catholics who were crucified in Nagasaki on the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s most important feudal lords during the Warring States period.
Oura Church, also known by its official name, Basilica of the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan, was built in honor of those who were killed. Since its construction, it has received several honors, including being the first Western-style building to be designated as a National Treasure by the Japanese government in 1933 and becoming a World Heritage Site in 2018.
Architecture
Photo by: PIXTA/ kazukiatuko A fusion of European and Japanese architecture styles.
On the approach to Oura Church, you’ll immediately notice its white exterior punctuating the surrounding greenery. As an example of Gothic style architecture, Oura Church features tall arched stained glass windows imported from France and high vaulted ceilings intended to flood congregations in light. Getting closer to the church, you’ll see a statue of the Virgin Mary which was also gifted by France.
Although the design of Oura Church appears European at first glance, like several of the Western-style buildings in nearby Glover Garden, it actually incorporates a number of Japanese influences into the structure. The roof, for example, uses sangawara pantiles, a wavy squarish tile invented in the Edo period and still used today on many Japanese homes. Also, while a European Gothic cathedral’s support beams would typically be constructed out of stone, Oura’s are made of wood.
Christian Museum
Photo by: PIXTA/ tomcat Learn about the history of Christianity in Japan.
If you’re looking to learn more about the history of Christianity in Japan, pop into the nearby Christian Museum. Although most of the panels are only available in Japanese, there are over a hundred objects related to the introduction, prohibition and freedom to practice Christianity in the country.
