Nagasaki, Japan
Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument
Six friars, three Jesuits and seventeen Japanese laymen were crucified on Nishizaka Hill in 1597 — and the church went underground for 250 years.
Biblical significance
After the crucifixions, Japanese Christianity was driven into total secrecy. The Kakure Kirishitan preserved prayers and baptism through seven generations without priests, disguising Marian devotion as Buddhist statuary. In 1865 a group approached a French priest at Ōura Church and revealed themselves — one of the most extraordinary moments in Christian history. The monument and museum stand at the execution site.
Scripture
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Best time to go
Spring, for the cherry blossom over the hill.
Visitor notes
Museum ticketed, monument free. Ōura Church, a national treasure, is a short tram ride away.
Coordinates
32.7550, 129.8730
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