The Hidden Christians Who Settled on Kashiragashima
The Hidden Christians who settled at Shirahama on the northern coast of the island made adept use of stone terrace-building techniques to bring the hillsides, stretching from the shore to the mountains, under cultivation. They chiefly grew potatoes. As time went by, the settlers spread out across the island to Tajiri on the south coast and Hamadomari on the west coast, building little villages and farming the land. While pretending to be parishioners of the Buddhist temple on nearby Nakadōri Island, the Hidden Christians persevered with their own faith, under their community leaders.
CAPTIONS & CREDIT
Shirahama in 1967
Nagasaki University Shirahama Archeological Dig Team