Because of its location at the southwestern end of Japan’s main islands, the Nagasaki region was a thriving port for trade with China and other parts of Asia. When European ships began reaching eastward to India and China in the 16th century, they eventually found their way to Japan as well. As Japan at this time was in the middle of what was known as the Sengoku-jidai, or Warring States Period, in which regional lords were engaged in near-continual warfare and shifting fortunes, there was a great interest from many nobles in developing good relations with European powers who could provide advanced weapons and other useful goods. Part of these good relations included welcoming Christian missionaries who introduced their faith throughout friendly regions of the country. The message of the missionaries resonated with many in the Nagasaki region, and Christianity began to develop a significant following.

By the start of the 17th century, the Sengoku-jidai came to an end as the last of the feuding nobles was brought under the strict rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo (modern-day Tokyo). After such a long period of turmoil and bloodshed, the Shogunate was primarily interested in maintaining strict order and suppressing any possibility of rebellion. Foreign influence was quickly identified as a source of instability and disobedience, and trade with the trade with the outside world was outlawed. Christianity, as a recently imported faith, was also branded as a disruptive influence as prohibited.

As foreign missionaries were expelled, Japanese priests and followers faced a choice of abandoning their faith or suffering harsh punishments. A significant number chose instead to go underground: living openly as followers of Buddhism or Shinto, but practicing Christianity in secret. These followers later became known as Kakure Kirishitan, or Hidden Christians.

The Kakure Kirishitan, needing to keep their activities secret from government officials or informants, adopted a number of unique practices. As it was impossible to meet together in large groups to hold church services, individuals and families would conduct their own services, performing the roles of the priest on their own. Some families build secret rooms within their homes, with Christian altars, bibles, and other materials concealed behind hidden doors. Inventive devices were also crafted, such as Shinto or Buddhist-style altars that contained secret compartments, or statues and other artwork that contained hidden meanings disguised as traditional designs and depictions of Japanese figures. In this way, these followers secretly carried on the traditions of their faith, passing their beliefs and practices from generation to generation, for over two hundred years.

The isolation of the Tokugawa Shogunate lasted until the 1850s when Commodore Matthew Perry, commanding a squadron of American warships, forced the Shogunate to begin trade and diplomatic relations with the west. By the 1860s, while missionary proselytizing was still forbidden, clergymen from Europe were allowed to enter and build churches.

Shortly after the Oura Catholic Church was built in Nagasaki, a member of the Kakure Kirishitan approached the church’s French priest, Bernard Petitjean, asking if he was really sent by the Pope in Rome. Petitjean soon discovered that there were many others, after meeting with them was amazed to see that they had carried on the ritual traditions in isolation for nearly 250 years.


After the Meiji Restoration in 1868 brought an end to the Tokugawa Shogunate, the last of the old legal restrictions on religious worship were dropped. It was revealed that the Kakure Kirishitan numbered in the tens of thousands, most of whom rejoined the Catholic Church. New churches and cathedrals were constructed throughout the neighboring area, and still today the Nagasaki region retains a significant Christian population.

Recognizing the unique historical significance of the Kakure Kirishitan and their perseverance, the government of Japan applied to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have several of the churches and other historic sites recognized for their cultural importance. In 2018, twelve of these sites in and around Nagasaki were approved as World Heritage Sites and added to UNESCO’s list. These include Oura Cathedral in Nagasaki City, Hirado and Kashiragashima Islands, the villages of Sakitsu, Ono, Egami, and elsewhere, and the remains of Hara Castle, where one of the final rebellions leading to the expulsion of Christian missionaries took place.


Before Pope Francis made his visit to Japan in 2019, his advisor Fr. Antonio Spadaro came and gave talks about the Pope’s philosophy and vision. During a talk at Sophia University in Tokyo, he mentioned the Kakure Kirishitan, saying “[Pope Francis] spoke with admiration of the witness offered by the Japanese Church, which has remained alive despite the persecutions suffered between the 16th and 17th centuries. Meeting the Japanese bishops in 2015, he said ‘when all lay missionaries and priests were expelled from the country, the faith of the Christian community did not cool down. On the contrary, the sparks of faith that the Holy Spirit kindled remained safe thanks to the solicitude of the lay faithful.’”