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Traverse Fukue Island by car and find hidden churches and stunning beaches
Kyushu Tourism Organization
Goto is an archipelago of 140 islands in the East China Sea that is part of Nagasaki Prefecture. Blessed with stunningly blue seas and lush vegetation, these islands are widely known for Kakure Kirishitan (hidden Christians), people that went into hiding in these lands to avoid being persecuted by the shogunates for their beliefs.
Fukue Island is the largest of the five main islands of the archipelago. Its natural attractions include Onidake, a grassy, rounded volcano; the dazzling white sands of Takahama Beach; and the spectacular Osezaki Cliff rising 150 meters out of the East China Sea. The island is also dotted with beautiful churches built by believers who maintained their Christian faith over the centuries. Dozaki Church, built in 1908, is considered the first Western-style building on Goto, and its stunning exterior served as a model for other churches.
How to get there
From Haneda Airport, fly to Fukuoka Airport (1 hour 55 minutes), then transfer to a flight to Goto Tsubaki Airport (40 minutes).
Goto-shi, Nagasaki-ken