Oura Church

Oura Church tickets: which one to buy

Ōura Church stands on a hillside in the Minami-Yamate district of Nagasaki, Japan, above the harbour and next to the Glover Garden, and a ticket is required for visitors, including the museum of Christian history beside the church. It is the oldest surviving Christian church in Japan and a National Treasure, and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region.

Nagasaki is reached by train from Fukuoka in about two hours, and the church is a short walk from the Ōura Tenshudō-shita tram stop. Visitors often combine the church with the Glover Garden, the former homes of Western merchants, the Dejima island of the Dutch traders, the Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park, and the Chinatown. The church is active, and visitors should be quiet and respectful. A combined walk with the Glover Garden is easy, as the garden's entrance is just above the church.

Visiting Oura Church: what to see

Christianity was banned in Japan in the early seventeenth century, and many Christians were martyred, while others practised their faith in secret for more than two centuries, becoming the Hidden Christians, or Kakure Kirishitan. After Japan opened to foreign trade, French missionaries built this church in 1864 for the foreign residents, dedicated to the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan, who were crucified in Nagasaki in 1597, and the church faces the hill of their martyrdom. In 1865, a group of Japanese villagers came to the church and quietly told the French priest, Bernard Petitjean, that they shared his faith, revealing that Christianity had survived in secret; this event is known as the Discovery of the Hidden Christians.

The church, built in a Gothic style with wooden structure and white walls, has stained glass windows and a statue of the Virgin Mary commemorating the discovery. The museum explains the history of the persecution and the Hidden Christians. The church's interior has a vaulted ceiling and pointed arches, and its wooden pews face the altar. The stained glass windows include some from the nineteenth century and some replaced after the atomic bombing of 1945, which damaged the church. The church was restored after the war, and it was designated a National Treasure in 1953. The museum, housed in the former Latin seminary and archbishop's residence beside the church, displays documents, crosses and objects used by the Hidden Christians, including images of the Virgin disguised as Buddhist figures. The church's steps and gate face the harbour, and the view over the city is beautiful.

Oura Church opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily. Nagasaki has a mild climate, with a rainy season in June and July and hot, humid summers; spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom, and autumn are the most pleasant seasons. The anniversary of the atomic bombing on 9 August brings a peace ceremony. The Nagasaki Lantern Festival in the Chinese New Year period fills the city with lanterns. The Nagasaki Kunchi festival in October brings dances and parades. Allow about forty-five minutes for the church and museum, and walk up to the Glover Garden next door. Mornings are the quietest time, before tour groups arrive at the Glover Garden.