Oura Church Church

Oura Church, often called the Basilica of the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs, is a Catholic church in Nagasaki built in 1864 and regarded as one of Japan’s oldest standing Western-style churches. It is closely associated with the history of Christianity in Nagasaki and the 19th-century reopening of Japan to foreign missionaries.

The building displays Gothic revival elements adapted to a Japanese setting and contains dedications to the 26 Christian martyrs executed in 1597. Visitors come to see the church interior, its historic fittings, and the site traditionally linked to the encounter with hidden Christian communities.

Constructed by French Catholic missionaries in 1864, the church became internationally known in 1865 when local hidden Christians made themselves known to the clergy there. Oura Church has been protected as an important cultural property and forms part of the Sites of Christian History in Nagasaki.

The church stands in central Nagasaki, on a hillside near the port area, within the older foreign quarter and close to other historic sites in the city.

• Date and significance: Consecrated in 1864 and associated with the 1865 discovery of “hidden Christians” in Nagasaki, an event that highlighted the survival of clandestine Catholic communities in Japan.

Oura Church (Ōura Tenshudai / Oura Cathedral) is in central Nagasaki near the historic harbor area and Glover Garden. From JR Nagasaki Station it is roughly a 15-20 minute walk (or a short taxi ride uphill); the Nagasaki Electric Tram network also serves the city with nearby stops - check the local tram map for the best alighting point and expect a short walk from the tram stop to the church. The site is pedestrian-accessible but involves some uphill walking from the station/port.

• Go early in the morning, especially on days cruise ships are in Nagasaki - Oura Church is closest to the port area and gets busiest mid‑morning and midday.
• Combine your visit with nearby sites (Glover Garden and Dejima) on the same walking route - they're within easy walking distance, which makes a more complete half‑day visit of central Nagasaki.
• Allow time to appreciate the exterior and the surrounding streetscape - many visitors spend only a few minutes inside, so arriving early gives a quieter chance to photograph and absorb the church's exterior details.