UNESCO WHS - Villages on Kashiragashima Island Postcard

UNESCO WHS Serie - Title: Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region - 長崎と天草地方の潜伏キリシタン関連遺産 Subtitle: Villages on Kashiragashima Island - 頭ヶ島の集落 Description: Located in the north-western part of Kyushu island, this serial property consists of ten villages, Hara Castle and a cathedral, built between the 17th and 19th centuries. They reflect the era of prohibition of the Christian faith, as well as the revitalisation of Christian communities after the official lifting of pro-hibition in 1873. These sites bear unique testimony to a cultural tradition nurtured by hidden Christians in the Nagasaki region who secretly transmitted their faith during the period of prohibition from the 17th to the 19th century. In the 19th century, some of the Hidden Christians from Sotome settled in Kashiragashima Island, which had been used for sick people and therefore avoided by other communities. The Hidden Christian migrants secretly maintained their religious communities while living under the guidance of a Buddhist man to camouflage their inner faith. UNESCO Information: Name: Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region - 長崎と天草地方の潜伏キリシタン関連遺産 Site: Villages on Kashiragashima Island - 頭ヶ島の集落 Country: Japan Location: Kashiragashima Island, Shinkamigotō, Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu Region Inscription: 2018 Category: Cultural (iii) Unesco Ref: 1495-009 Special Feature: The card has a QR-Code on the backside to navigate for more Informationas about the side