- Culture
- Nagasaki
Arima Christian Heritage Museum
Arima Christian Heritage Museum is a facility that tells the story of the Hara Castle Ruins, one of the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2018. The museum's exhibits present, in an accessible way, the course of Christianity in Japan, from the first introduction and flourishing of Western culture to the oppression and eventual decline of Christianity. They include videos that present historical facts and artifacts that have been discovered and excavated.
The museum is divided into Exhibition Rooms 1 and 2. The former includes exhibits of gold-leafed roof tiles, sheet music for Gregorian chants, models of the nanbansen, the Spanish and Portuguese trading ships that started coming to Japan before the Edo Period, and printing machines. All of these items represent the introduction and flourishing of Christianity in the region. There is also a movie theater that screens the guidance video Christian CultureThat Flourished in Minamishimabara.
Exhibition Room 2 features artifacts such as crucifixes and rosary beads that were uncovered from the Shimabara Rebellion, telling the tale of the harsh oppression of Christianity. The museum acts as the home base for tours of Minamishimabara's Christian sites to encourage understanding of the city's heritage. Museum staff are happy to provide explanations of the exhibits upon request.
Location
| Name | Arima Christian Heritage Museum |
|---|---|
| Web Sites | (In Japanese) https://himawari-kankou.jp/learn/000505.php |
| Address | 1395 Minami Arima-cho Otsu, Minamishimabara-shi, Nagasaki |
| Business Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Inquiries | TEL:0957-65-6333 (Minamishimabara City Tourist Association) |
| Admission | Adults: 300 yen/ Senior high school students: 200 yen/ Junior high and elementary school students: 150 yen (Group discounts available) |
| Scheduled holidays | Thursdays, year-end/New Year holidays (Dec. 29 - Jan. 3) |
