The Studio Ghibli anime's Totoro Rock is eye-catching！ Also visit nearby UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan

By Kumiko

This rock mountain is located in Shin-Kamigoto Town, Nagasaki, within Yakagenome Park, which features an observation deck offering views of the ocean and Totoro Rock.

Shin-Kamigoto Town became home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. Attractions such as the Head Island Church (Heado Island Catholic Church, designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 2001) are also highly recommended. Other sites like the Cold Water Church, Chiseiura Church, and the Christian Cave reveal the historical traces of Nagasaki’s Westernization and religious faith.

In 2018, the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region and the Amakusa Region were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include 12 properties across Nagasaki Prefecture and the Amakusa area of Kumamoto Prefecture related to hidden Christians, such as churches and the fishing villages and settlements where they lived in secrecy.

Completed in 1865, Ōura Cathedral is the oldest existing Catholic church in Japan. It was originally built to commemorate the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan. In 1953, Japan designated Ōura Cathedral as a National Treasure, and in 2007 it was included in the nomination list for UNESCO World Heritage status under “Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki.” It officially became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, and is now a renowned historical and cultural attraction in Nagasaki.