🕊️ Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum & Monument: A Solo Traveler’s Pilgrimage to Nagasaki’s Christian Legac

#holidayitinerary
### **Why Visit?**
The **Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument** commemorates the 1597 execution of 26 Christians—six foreign missionaries and 20 Japanese converts—ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan’s persecution of Christianity. This UNESCO-tentative site is a profound testament to faith and resilience, marking the beginning of a 250-year period of hidden Christian worship in Japan. The museum’s stained-glass-lit exhibits and hilltop monument offer hauntingly beautiful insights into this dark chapter of history .

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### **Key Highlights**
1. **The Monument**:
- A **bronze statue group** (erected in 1962) depicts the martyrs crucified on Nishizaka Hill, facing Oura Cathedral. A red line in the plaza points toward the cathedral, symbolizing their spiritual connection .
- Designated a **Vatican pilgrimage site** in 1950, visited by Pope John Paul II (1981) and Pope Francis (2019) .

2. **Museum Exhibits**:
- **Hidden Christian artifacts**: "Maria Kannon" statues (disguised as Buddhist icons), the *Our Lady of the Snows* scroll, and letters from St. Francis Xavier .
- **Stained-glass windows** and a church-like interior create a solemn atmosphere .

3. **Historical Context**:
- The martyrs were marched **800 km from Kyoto** to Nagasaki before execution. Their canonization in 1862 revived Nagasaki’s Christian identity .

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### **Practical Tips for Solo Travelers**
1. **Getting There**:
- **From Nagasaki Station**: 10-minute walk uphill or take Tram Line 1/3 to *Yachiyomachi Stop* (5-minute walk) .
- **Taxi**: ~¥1,000 from central Nagasaki .

2. **Hours & Fees**:
- **Open**: 9:00–17:00 (closed Dec 31–Jan 2) .
- **Admission**: ¥500 (adults), ¥300 (students) .

3. **Nearby Sites**:
- **Oura Cathedral**: 20-minute tram ride (Line 5) to the "Discovery of Hidden Christians" site .
- **Peace Park**: 10-minute tram (Line 1/3) to reflect on Nagasaki’s atomic history .

4. **Etiquette**:
- Photography is allowed but maintain reverence.
- Combine with **Glover Garden** (15-minute walk) for colonial-era history .

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### **Hidden Stories**
- The martyrs requested execution on Nishizaka Hill for its resemblance to **Golgotha**, where Jesus was crucified .
- The museum’s replica of the *Our Lady of the Snows* scroll appears in Martin Scorsese’s film *Silence* .

**#nagasakihistory #hiddenchristians #solopilgrimage**
*Pro Tip: Visit at sunset for golden light illuminating the monument’s bronze figures.* 🌅