Hirado, Port city in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Hirado is a port city in Nagasaki Prefecture in northwestern Kyushu, spread across several islands and parts of the Kitamatsuura Peninsula. The coastline is rough and broken, with narrow bays and small fishing villages nestled against the hills.
Between 1550 and 1641, the harbor was a center for traders from Portugal, England, and the Netherlands before commerce moved to Dejima. Authorities later closed the coast to foreigners and banned Christian practice across the country.
The name comes from the historical trading ties of the Matsura family, who ruled here for centuries and used the harbor for exchanges with foreign lands. Today, traces of this past appear in the streets, such as old warehouses and temples that fishermen visit before heading out to sea.
The tourism center at Sanbashi Terminal offers guided tours and information about buses and ferries between the islands. Roads are often narrow and winding, so a good orientation map is helpful.
Hidden Christian communities survived here for two centuries of prohibition by keeping their faith in secret. Some of their prayer sites still lie in remote valleys, often reachable only by narrow paths.
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