Even in a small Catholic Church on a remote island in Japan, one can find unique and breath taking art.

After the church we proceeded around the Island to see some of the sacred places for Hidden Christians.

In this small thicket is the one of those sacred spaces.



This is a memorial on the Island to the christians who suffered during hundreds of years of oppression.

This is a sacred space for hidden christians.

There are many small stone and concrete part to the space and some that look to be shinto but the space one that hidden christians traditionally came.





We were lucky enough to meet with Mr. Taniyama. He let us into his home and talked to us late into the night. He was an Ojiyaku and the head of a house hold that had been passing down the hidden christian tradition for hundreds of years. He made the decision to not force his children to carry on the tradition and has become buddhist. He felt it necessary to record his families history and the history of the hidden christians because in his opinion it is impossible for the tradition to carry on.

Mr. Fukumoto also joined us that night. He is also descendant from hidden christians but his father and family decided to rejoin the catholic church. We were able to ask both men about their thoughts on the history and current conditions of christianity in Ikitsuki. This interview was one of the highlights of our studies.

Mr. Taniyama shared books, photographs, newspaper clippings and even and NHK special that he was in that had to do with hidden christians. In the special he was still a practicing hidden christian.



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