Oso Church
| A masterful red-brick sanctuary in Shinkamigoto, designed by Yosuke Tetsukawa and celebrated for its sophisticated masonry and multi-tiered architectural depth. |
| Oso Catholic Church stands as a testament to the endurance and growing prosperity of the Christian community in the northern Goto Islands. The congregation is comprised largely of descendants of Hidden Christians who migrated from the Sotome region to seek a life free from direct oversight. The current edifice, completed in 1916, was designed and constructed by the renowned master builder Yosuke Tetsukawa. Proving the community’s commitment to preservation, the original wooden church that stood here was not demolished but carefully dismantled and relocated to Doinoura on Wakamatsu Island. The church is an architectural marvel of the late Meiji and early Taisho eras, designated as an Important Cultural Property by Nagasaki Prefecture. The exterior is famous for its intricate brickwork, where Tetsukawa utilized bricks of varying colors and intentional “unevenness” to create decorative patterns and depth along the facade. The structure features a complex, multi-tiered roofline that adds a sense of grandeur to its silhouette. Inside, the church follows a classic three-aisle basilica plan, topped with a meticulously crafted wooden rib-vaulted ceiling that provides exceptional acoustics and a sense of soaring space. |
