Far west of the Japanese mainland, the Goto Islands trail out into the East China Sea in a scatter of volcanic hills, cliffs and quiet harbours, and on them stand some of the most moving small churches in Asia. The Hidden Christian Sites of the Nagasaki Region belong to the same World Heritage listing as Oura Cathedral, but this corner of it feels very different. Here the faith was kept alive in remote farming and fishing villages, to which Christian families moved in the late eighteenth century, partly because the authorities of the Goto domain wanted settlers to open up poor land.
When the ban on Christianity finally ended in 1873, the villagers began building churches, often with their own hands and their own money. Many were put up in wood or brick by local carpenters in the decades that followed, which is why they have the look of village halls that happen to have stained glass. The result is a series of modest, beautiful buildings, set above small harbours or at the end of narrow lanes, and the sight of a white church above a green hillside and a blue sea is one of the lasting pictures of the islands.
Fukue Island is the largest of the group, and the town of Fukue, with about twenty-seven thousand people, is the place for petrol, food and lodging. The island is reached by ferry or plane from Nagasaki or Fukuoka, and a bike would need a ferry crossing planned in advance. The roads on the island are narrow, winding and quiet, passing through camellia woods, rice terraces and small fishing hamlets, with sudden views of cliffs and surf. Camellia oil has long been a local product, and the flowers bloom in winter and early spring. The weather can be rough, with strong winds and sudden rain off the sea, so always carry waterproofs.
Many of the churches are still active parishes, and visitors are asked to be quiet, respectful and sometimes to follow dress or photo guidelines, so check beforehand. Spring and autumn offer the most settled conditions. In summer the heat is strong and typhoons can shut ferries for days. The beaches here are among the clearest in Japan, and the Takahama sands on Fukue make a good afternoon after a morning on the church trail.