This museum presents the history of Christianity in the region, with a focus on the Shimabara Rebellion, also known as the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion. It reopened after renovations in 2010 as the city-run Amakusa Christian Museum.
The exhibits are divided into four zones: “The History of Christianity in Amakusa,” “The Arrival of European Culture in Amakusa,” “The Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion,” and “The Reconstruction of Amakusa and Christian Faith after the Rebellion.” Around 200 valuable artifacts are on display, including fumi-e tablets used in the persecution of Christians and Maria Kannon statues preserved by Hidden Christians.
Especially noteworthy is the Battle Flag of Amakusa Shiro (Standard with a Colored Image of the Eucharist on Figured Satin), a nationally designated Important Cultural Property that was used during the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion. The flag depicts a chalice and the Eucharistic bread in the center, flanked by two angels, and still bears bloodstains and marks left by arrows and bullets. It is displayed regularly for limited periods. See the website for the exhibition schedule.
Highlights
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Around 200 valuable artifacts are on display, including fumi-e tablets used in the persecution of Christians and Maria Kannon statues preserved by Hidden Christians.
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Check the website for the exhibition schedule of the nationally designated Important Cultural Property, the Battle Flag of Amakusa Shiro (Standard with a Colored Image of the Eucharist on Figured Satin).
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The longest-running museum facility in Amakusa.
