Oura Cathedral

Nagasaki prefecture, located in the western part of the Kyushu region has the oldest Christian building in Japan called Oura Cathedral.

The Oura Cathedral is in the Gothic style of Europe’s Middle Ages built in 1865 during the opening of Japan at the end of the Edo period to provide a place of worship for residents from overseas.

It is located on a hill facing Nagasaki Bay and is the place where missionaries visiting Japan and latent Japanese Christians met after the opening of Japan.

It was named a National Treasure in 1933 but was damaged by the dropping of the atomic bomb in the Pacific War. After restoration, it once again became a National Treasure in 1953 as the oldest church in Japan.

In 2018, it was included as one of the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region and was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage. It receives many visitors every year.

The JMSDF Sasebo History Museum is located in Sasebo City, Nagasaki. This establishment inherits the legacy of the Japanese Navy. This seven-story building has historic items that introduce and display the missions and activities of the JMSDF and historical sources of the Imperial Japanese Navy from the Pacific War. Also, its top floor has an observation lobby where visitors can look out over Sasebo City as well as a movie hall.