Christian Cave

The Christian Cave is remembered as a hidden refuge where Catholic believers sought shelter during the period of Christian persecution from the late Edo era through the early Meiji period.

Located about 10 minutes by water taxi from Wakamatsu Port, the cave measures approximately 50 meters deep and 5 meters in both height and width. Its entrance is difficult to spot from the shoreline, and the interior features a dome-like structure shaped like a cross. Hidden from outside view, it provided an ideal sanctuary for worshippers escaping persecution.

In 1868, the crackdown on Christians known as the “Gotō Kuzure” began, during which nearly 200 Christians on Hisaka Island were imprisoned in cramped cells and subjected to torture. Believers throughout the Wakamatsu area also faced severe oppression. Among them, Yonosuke Yamashita, Kyuhachi Yamashita, and Sennosuke Shimomoto from the Satonoura district hid inside this remote cave, accessible only by boat, in an effort to evade capture. However, one morning, smoke from their cooking fire was spotted by a passing fishing boat offshore. The authorities were alerted, and the fugitives were eventually discovered and arrested.

In 1967, a 4-meter cross and a 3.6-meter statue of Christ were erected at the entrance of the cave. Since then, the site has served as a lasting memorial honoring the suffering and steadfast faith of those who endured persecution. Each November, approximately 100 worshippers, primarily parishioners from Doinoura Church, come ashore to celebrate Mass and offer prayers.

Near the cave is another notable natural formation known as “Harinomendo”, a hollow carved by rough ocean waves. It has drawn attention for its striking resemblance to a silhouette of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus.