The Goto Tourism and Historical Materials Museum was built to commemorate the 35 years of Fukue City's founding (now part of Goto City since 2004). Construction works started in 1987, and the Museum opened on the 12th November 1989, within the precincts of former Ishida Castle. The museum introduces Goto's cultural heritage, history and touristic development.

Takahama Beach boasts some of the whitest sand and clearest water in Japan. It is not only one of the best-known beaches on the Goto Islands, but also listed as one of Japan’s Top 100 Beaches, and Top 88 Swimming Beaches! This beautiful beach is popular with locals and tourists alike, attracting holidaymakers from all over the country.

The west-facing beach overlooks the Sagano Island and has a wide sandbar that provides a calm shallow swimming area. Silver sand sparkles through the clear water, and the surrounding greenery completes the perfect coastal escape.

For a view of the beach in its entirety, head to “Gyoran Kannon Observatory” (a three-minute drive from the beach) where you can catch a glimpse of the brilliant shades of blue as they change and deepen throughout the day.

Mimiraku-no-shima Peninsula was the final port stop of the ships carrying envoys to Tang China across the East China Sea. The characters “辞本涯” (Jihongai) are inscribed on the monument here, meaning “departing the furthest edge of Japan.”

Miiraku has the longest history of Christian belief in Goto. The hidden Christians who fled persecution in Omura domain in 1797 secretly continued their faith here. A gothic-style wooden church was completed in 1880, and rebuilt as the current church in 1971.
The bright colors of the modern mosaic wall art were created with shells and ceramics, and the stained glass inside the church is beautifully made, right up to the details, with exquisite use of color and color schemes. The stained glass on the right as you enter the church shows the story of Christ, from birth to resurrection, while the stained glass on the left depicts the history of the Catholics in Goto.

This facility features an exhibit about Goto's role in the Japanese missions to Tang China. There is a souvenir shop and a restaurant that offers many dishes with local ingredients. 

Come and enjoy Gyogasaki Park’s flower fields all year round!

The park’s beautiful flower fields change with every season: canola fields and hydrangeas in spring, sunflowers during the summer, beautiful cosmos in autumn. 

On sunny days, the contrast between the flowers the sea and the sky is simply breath-taking.

The park also has a campsite and a nearby beach, which makes it the ideal location for summer outdoor activities.

The history of Mizunoura Christians is said to have started when five men from Sotome (located north of Nagasaki City) moved there together with their families in 1797 as part of the Goto and Omura feudal domains policies. 

A first church was built in 1880 but didn’t last long and deteriorated quickly. The church was rebuilt into its current appearance in 1938 by famed architect Yosuke Tetsukawa. 

The lilywhite wooden church, a masterful mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Japanese architecture, is the biggest wooden church in Goto, and the contrast between its white spire and the blue of the seas seems to come right out of a postcard.

The hill behind the church features a statue of St John Soan de Goto and remains of a prison from the ban on Christianity era. 

Soon after the ban on Christianity was lifted by the Meiji government, two French missionaries, fathers Fraineau and Marmand, were sent to Goto in order to take part to the revival of the local Christian community.  Father Marmand established a first wooden church in Goto, in 1879.

Dozaki Church was rebuilt in red bricks in 1908 under the guidance of Father Pélu, a missionary who succeeded Marmand and Fraineau. Some of the materials were brought all the way from Italy. The inside of the church is made of wood, with typical stained glass and ribbed vault ceiling. 

Today, various documents and objects showing us the history of the Christians’ persecution are displayed in Dozaki.

The building has been registered as prefectural tangible heritage in 1974.

The construction of Ishida Castle was decided by the 30th lord of Goto. Construction works started in 1849 and were completed in 1863 after 15 years, with more than 50 000 workers taking part to its completion, making it the last castle built in Japan and at that time the only one with three sides directly facing the sea. 

Today, a cultural centre, a high school, the Goto Tourism and Historical Materials Museum, as well as the city's public library are located within the former castle's walls.

Enjoy Goto Beef, top quality wagyu beef reared on Goto.
 

Within the terminal, you will find transport company offices, souvenir shops, restaurants, a tourist information center, convenience stores, etc., and you can spot Mt. Onidake from the second-floor observatory. When you arrive, the first thing you should do is pick up helpful pamphlets from the tourist information center.

There are also coin lockers within the terminal. 
 

You’ll find an information center, rental car desk, store, and coin lockers. Don't worry if you didn't get a map at Fukue Port Terminal—you can pick one up here!

This center houses displays of historically valuable materials, including full size models of Egami Church’s pillars and decoration, “orasho” prayers and “higuri” church calendar books kept by believers, Maria-Kannon statues, and abalone shells used as religious tools. It also introduces photos, maps, and other information about recommended tourist spots on Naru Island.

*Multilingual WiFi audio guides are available, enabling you to enjoy an audio guide free of charge on your smartphone.

Enjoy a typical Nagasaki menu, including champon and sara udon.

 

Churches were built one-after-another in different parts of Goto once the prohibition of Christianity was lifted. Naru Church was constructed on its present site in 1926, but was dismantled by its attendees because it could not withstand the typhoons. The current church was consecrated in 1961.

Saikai National Park boasts stunning scenery made up of its many islands and the sea. It covers over 400 islands of various sizes, stretching from the Kujuku Islands of Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture to Ikitsuki Island, Hirado Island, and the Goto Archipelago. This facility serves as a visitor center within the National Park, and a hub for the geopark area of the Goto Islands, introducing information through video, dioramas, and panels. It also holds nature observation gatherings, courses on handicrafts that make use of natural materials, and more.
*The display panels also provide information in English.

Mount Onidake's lava flowed into the sea on a ten kilometres distance to form this beautiful lava coastline, surrounded by a lush subtropical vegetation. From the observation deck you can enjoy a great view of Mount Onidake and the surrounding islands.

At the “Abunze Visitor Centre” located nearby you can learn about the local flora and fauna.

One of Goto’s great appeals is its seafood, which you can enjoy in all four seasons.

Take the high-speed boat “Seagull” to Hisaka Island from Fukue Port.
You will need to book lunch on Hisaka Island. If you don’t book, don't forget to bring lunch with you! It’s also easier if you bring drinks with you too.
Give yourself peace of mind by picking up a map and pamphlet about Hisaka Island at the tourist information center in the terminal.

To protect their faith, hidden Christians came to Hisaka Island from the Sotome area of Nagasaki and formed villages, keeping and passing down their beliefs in secret while Christianity was prohibited. This museum was created to teach their reality to the next generations.

In 1868, the Meiji government, which continued the religious prohibition policy establish during the Edo period,captured and cruelly tortured religious believers on Hisaka Island. 200 people were forced into a tiny jail the size of 12 tatami mats. 42 people lost their lives as a result of the intense torture that they had to endure. Inside the Royanosako Martry Memorial Church,you'll notice that the carpet on the floor is color-coded in order to show the size of the prison and remind us of the suffering that occured at this location.

Local residents made an observation deck where you can see an extensive view of the blue ocean, mountains, and village.

Introduction to the sightseeing spots and natural scenery of Hisaka Island. Facility with a restaurant, rest area, souvenir shop, etc.
Lunch must be reserved in advance(within 3 days of visit).Rates are from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen and are set at 500-yen increments.

Visitors can enjoy Japanese dishes made using island ingredients in the center.

Originally built in 1881, the former Hamawaki Church was dismantled in 1931 and reconstructed in the Gorin district of Hisaka Island.  

Left deteriorated and on the verge of destruction, the edifice was saved by the help provided by the local Buddhist community. Property of the church was transferred over to Goto City, in order to preserve it as a significant cultural property. 

Gorin district is remote and can’t be accessed directly by car from central Hisaka. 

The church is a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the “Villages on Hisaka Island” belonging to the “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region.

You must book in advance to attend a tour

This church was constructed because of the aging of the Former Gorin Church Hall. There are no roads for cars to access the area where it stands, so visitors get out of their vehicles and walk the mountain path.

This was the first church made from concrete in Goto.

This specialty island dish looks great on social media. Enjoy its appearance and its taste.

Myojoin Temple was the worshipping place chosen by the feudal lords of the Goto clan for many generations. The current main building was completed by the 28th Lord of Goto, Goto Moriyuki, in 1778.

The oldest wooden temple in Goto City was the worshipping place chosen by the feudal lords of the Goto clan for many generations. The current main building was completed by the 28th Lord of Goto, Goto Moriyuki, in 1778. Myojoin Temple is also the main temple for the Shingon Sect of Buddhism in Goto. The paintings on the ceiling of the main building are believed to have been painted by a disciple of the famed painter Kano Eitoku.  Myojoin Temple, in which the famous monk Kukai is said to have stayed on his way back from China, contains many buddhist artefacts and statues dating back from Kamakura and Muromachi (mid-12th to mid-16th century) eras.

Mt. Onidake, a symbol of Goto, is a 315-meter cinder-cone volcano, which last erupted approximately 18,000 years ago. The volcano, which is covered in grass now, is well-known as a venue for an annual kite flying event, and as a leisure and hiking spot.

Daihoji was founded in 701, 1st year of Daiho Era at the request of empress emeritus Jito.

A century later, in 806, the famous monk Kukai taught the principles of Shingon Buddhism for the first time on his way back from China. Many cultural treasures are kept in the temple among which some nehan-zu paintings from  Muromachi era (1336-1573), a bronze bell and a monkey sculpture by famous Edo era artist and carpenter Hidari Jingoro.

This eatery focuses on local production for local consumption, and is well-known among the producers who provide its ingredients. Its specialty is dishes with eel, but its fried lobster is also one of its attractions.  

The Osezaki Lighthouse is set against a dramatic backdrop of wave-worn cliffs as steep as 150 meters. Although the current lighthouse was built in 1971, the original structure was designed by an Englishman and erected in 1879. A part of it has been turned into a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Maritime Science in Tokyo.

The nearby observatory is a popular spot for both visitors and locals to enjoy the sunset view. For adventurers, you can also walk to the lighthouse. Getting to the lighthouse requires a 2.4km hike (round-trip of about an hour), but intermittent green tunnels created by camellia trees lining both sides of the paved trail make it a pleasant trek. Once at the lighthouse platform, the sight of the stoic white structure combined with the cliffs and surrounding ocean makes it a spectacular and an unforgettable view.

The story of Imochiura starts when hidden Christians from Omura domain moved to Imochiura to work in salt factories. 

Upon hearing in 1891 that a replica of the Lourdes grotto was being built in  Vatican City, father Pélu who was tasked with reviving the Catholic faith in Goto at the time,  gathered enough beautifully shaped rocks with the help of local believers to build the first Lourdes grotto in Japan in 1899.

Drinking this miraculous water is said to be a cure for many illnesses and the grotto rapidly acquired a holy-ground status among Japanese believers.