Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region

The brick building enhances the peaceful scene of the rural area.

The history of the Tabira district began with the work of two foreign missionaries. In 1886, the French missionary Emile Raguet, in charge of Kuroshima Church at the time, purchased one hectare (2.5 acres) of wilderness at his own expense and urged three families in need to settle there. The same year, Marc-Marie de Rotz of Shitsu Church bought one hectare and sent four families to cultivate the pristine land. Gradually the number of the settlers increased and reached 80 families by the early Taisho era (1910s).

In 1914, the Japanese priest Nakata Tokichi arrived in the parish. To replace the humble prayer house, he made tremendous efforts to raise funds for a formal church. Tetsukawa Yosuke designed the brick building, and the parishioners cooperated in the construction project, gathering a large number of seashells and burning them into lime powder. The site of the processing ground still remains in front of the church. Construction was finally completed under Tetsukawa’s supervision in 1918. The brick church was the architect’s last in a long series of ecclesiastical works.

Tabira Church has a distinctive feature, namely a large three-story central tower protruding from the front. The third story is comprised of an octagonal domed belfry with a cross on top. Along with Imamura Church in Fukuoka, it is called one of architect Tetsukawa Yosuke’s greatest masterpieces. The beautiful building facing Hirado Strait offers artists and photographers a motif typical of the Tabira district. The church has been designated an important cultural asset by the Japanese government.