JAPAN TRAVEL: Motomachi Roman Catholic Church in Hakodate
Built by Priest Marin in 1877, the Motomachi Roman Catholic Church in the Motomachi District is recognized as the first wooden church.
It was in the year 1549 when Christianity arrived in Japan after the arrival of Saint Francis Xavier at Kyushu Island. Since then, many churches were built, one of which is this church. The Motomachi Roman Catholic Church was previously destroyed in a fire which was then rebuilt in 1924. The church has a gothic architectural style which is now fire-proof. Pope Benedict XV presented the 14 Stations of the Cross on the wall you will see inside.
Make sure you keep your shoes on and your camera kept inside your bag when inside the church. This church is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drop by the church at 12 noon on a Sunday to attend a Mass.
Address: 15-30 Motomachi, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
This also appears in Philippine Primer English Magazine’s January issue.
