Dream Tours Japan: Sotome Museum of History and Folklore: Nagasaki Prefecture

Monday, July 1, 2019

Sotome Museum of History and Folklore: Nagasaki Prefecture

This Museum is in Sotome, Nagasaki. The Museum features 2 floors of exhibits that teaches and educates the public on the history of the areas and its claim as the birthplace of Christianity in Nagasaki and ultimately Japan.

The first floor although quite interesting in its own right, is dedicated to the history of Sotome and the development of its society thru cultural events plus its development in farming/ fishing/ mining and other techniques over the years.

The main reason for me to come to this Museum today lies on the 2nd Floor of the building. It is dedicated to the Christian History of Sotome and specifically during the 16th and 17th Century. Sotome was home to a community of Hidden Christians and including ones that moved from various spots allover Japan to join a group of like minded people to practise their religion in secret and away from prying eyes.

The 2nd floor contains many artifacts and exhibits a lot of very interesting items that show how desperate the villages were to hold on to their religion during these times of persecution. An example is a recording of prayers that were kept secret by the Hidden Christians of the area to be passed down from generation to generation as to not lose that they held on so dear to preserve.

If you have any interest in the plight of the Nagasaki Christians and would like to do a Christian Pilgrimage of the area then our Nagasaki Private Tours can take you to all the sights of the Sotome area and other Christian associated site within the Nagasaki Prefecture. Please inquiry of what kind of service we can provide for you and your party.

Please check below to see where you can find the Sotome Museum of History and Folklore on a map:

Please click the photos below to enlarge: