Catholic Tourist

Parish Church · Japan

Shitsu Village and Church

Sotome, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

Parish ChurchArchaeological SiteHidden Christians collectionCatholic

Why pilgrims come

Discover what makes Shitsu Village and Church a place of pilgrimage

A Hidden Christian village in the Sotome district where Catholic communities returned openly after the prohibition ended. Shitsu Church and the work of Fr. Marc Marie de Rotz embody that renewal.

Travel into Sotome to see how a clandestine Christian community became an open Catholic parish and how faith shaped the village after religious freedom returned.

Catholic contextParish ChurchSotome, Japan
Research trail1 catalog sourceVerification date not listed
Pilgrim planningOfficial schedule availableUse the linked official source for current times
TraditionCatholic

What to notice

Look closely at the place and its story

01

A hidden community

Families in the Sotome area preserved Christian practice during the long prohibition.

02

Return to Catholic life

After the ban was lifted, the community joined the Catholic Church and built an enduring parish life.

03

The work of Fr. de Rotz

Church, welfare and village institutions recall the missionary’s pastoral and practical service.

How to read this page

Sources, tradition, and what is verified

Source trail1 cited catalog source

No verification date is listed, so current visitor details should be confirmed directly.

Editorial standard

This page records the site’s tradition as “Catholic.” That wording describes the nature of the claim and keeps devotional tradition distinct from independently verified history.

Continue nearby

More sacred stops for this journey

Parish ChurchOno Village and ChurchSotome, Japan