Local News

A special tour will be held on the 23rd in Ikitsuki-cho, Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture, later this month to trace the life of Genka Nishi, a Christian martyr who was executed in 1609 with his wife and son. In conjunction with the tour, the first official beatification ceremony to be conducted in Japan will be held in Nagasaki City to commemorate the martyrdom of 188 people, including Nishi’s family. In addition to a local museum, the tour will visit a church and the graves of the three Christians. There will also be a special lunch during which whale will be served. Whaling was a primary occupation of the people of Ikitsuki at the time, and whale cuisine came to be associated with local Christians.