Hirado St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church

Historic Site

Prefecture

Nagasaki

Type

Historic Site

N/A

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About This Destination

A pale green Gothic church built in 1931 on a hill above Hirado's old town, known as the Xavier Memorial Church after Francis Xavier, who came to Hirado in 1550. From the stone lane below, its spire rises behind the roofs of Buddhist temples.

Walk up the stone-paved lane from Hirado's harbor front and you get the view that ends up on every Hirado poster: the roofs of Komyoji and Zuiunji temples in front, and above them the green spire and cross of this church. The church itself is a pale green reinforced-concrete Gothic building from 1931, with a single octagonal tower on the left that gives it a lopsided look. The parish first built a church in 1913 and moved to this hilltop in 1931. In 1971 a statue of Xavier went up beside it to mark his visit to Hirado in 1550. The church is dedicated to St. Michael, but it has been known as the Xavier Memorial Church ever since. It is a working parish church, not a museum. Photography inside is not allowed, and on Sundays the doors open to visitors only after Mass, at 10:00. If you have a car, Kasuga village, a UNESCO World Heritage component of the Hidden Christian Sites with its terraced rice fields, is about 35 minutes' drive from the Hirado Bridge.

Location

Prefecture: Nagasaki

Address: Hirado, Nagasaki, Japan

Nearest Station: Tabira-Hiradoguchi Station

Best time to visit: Year-round; spring and autumn are easiest for the uphill walk from the harbor

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I stand for the view of the church above the temples?

Walk up the stone-paved slope that climbs from the harbor-front street toward the church. Partway up, the roofs of Komyoji and Zuiunji temples line up below the church spire.

Can I go inside and take photos?

Entry is free and the interior is open to visitors from 8:00 (10:00 on Sundays, after Mass) until late afternoon, but photography inside is not allowed. Visitors may be turned away during Mass, weddings and funerals, so keep quiet and dress modestly.

Is the church a UNESCO World Heritage site?

No. The nearby UNESCO component is Kasuga village and Mount Yasumandake, part of the 2018 Hidden Christian Sites listing, about 35 minutes by car from the Hirado Bridge.