Ōura Cathedral

Good place to visit to learn abt the history of Catholicism in Nagasaki. Unfortunately most of the information is in Japanese, but still enough English for a broad sense of the key points. Visit together with the nearby Glover Garden.

The history of Christianity in Japan gives hope for the West now. For 150 years, people lived their faith creatively without any clergy. They welcomed the Western clergy back when oppression was over. So the Japanese faith is deeper and older than this Western-styled church.

It's a beautiful Catholic Church with a profound history. I highly recommend visiting the place if you are in Nagasaki.

A church with a rich history. Established by missionaries of old Nagasaki.

The oldest church in Nagasaki built in 1965 as dedication to 26 martyrs of Japan. A beautiful exterior with very much european style. It has the statue of Our Lady of Japan in front of the church. Wooden dominating interior adds the sacred feeling. It's an old painting of 26 martyrs being crucified in one side of the altar. It survived the atomic bomb blast with very much eveeything in tact except for the window glasses.

The ticket fee is ¥1000, which is absurd. As with most historical churches in Japan, pictures are forbidden in the church interior. That being said, Oura Church is the oldest extant church in Japan. It is quite beautiful. It is dedicated to the 26 Martyrs of Japan, and a museum next to the church gives a brief overview of the tumultuous history of Christianity in Japan. Included with the ticket is a booklet giving a more detailed history of Christianity in Nagasaki. Oura Church is one of the most interesting and beautiful attractions in Nagasaki, but the price is shameful.

Not much to see with comparatively high entry fee. No photos allowed inside church & museum.

Beautiful and calm. Worth a visit!

Oura Church is considered the oldest church in Japan. It is dedicated to the 26 Christian Martyrs that were executed in 1597 on the orders of a samurai and feudal lord who distrusted the priests and those who practiced the Christian faith. It is a built in the style of a large Gothic European basilica. The stained glass windows were imported from France. It was designated a National Treasure in 1933. During WWII, Oura Church was damaged by the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, but was far enough away from the epicenter that it did not collapse. It was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage List to remember those Catholics who were persecuted in Japan. A very unique historical site.

A church in an area that you should definitely visit when sightseeing in Nagasaki. The nearby "Glover Garden" is more rewarding for sightseeing, so you can see the magnificent church without having to enter. Japan's oldest church that has been incorporated into Western architecture to overtake. It has a beautiful appearance.

The Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki have been added to UNESCO's Tentaive List of Worid Heritage sites, as cultural assets which tell a story of missionary history unlike any other in the world; that of the introduction and initial prosperity of Christianity in Nagasaki, followed by brutal persecution causing believers to go into hiding for 250 years, and then the miraculous revival of faith. The value of the "Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki as a Candidate for World Heritage Site registration. First one is Oura Cathedral. Established 1865, this church is officially known as "Oura Catholic Church, The Church of 26 Martyrs." It was built by the French priest Bernard Petitjean of Fier who had been dispatched by the Foreign Missionary Church of Paris to dedicate prayers to the 26 saints martyred on Nishizaka hill. For this reason, the church faces Nishizaka. Representative of Europe in mediaeval times, the church was constructed in the Gothic style and is Japan's oldest existing wooden church. It was designated a National Treasure in 1933. French stained glass was installed in the interior some 100 years ago, but most of this was seriously damaged in the atomic bomb blast. It has since been restored with some pieces of other stained glass from that period. The prayer space collects the beautiful light that infuses the church's interior. Oura Catholic Church became famous worldwide as the church that discovered the "hidden followers" who had survived the religious persecution. Open Hours; 8:00 A.M.-18:00. 7 days a week throughout the year. Admission Free; Adults are 600yen. Direction; it take 4 minutes ' walk from Ouratenshudo-Shita Streetcar Stop.