Sacred Places, Pilgrimage, and Tourism - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 174

with religious values. If registered and unregistered churches are treated differently,
does this affect the value of the church? Being registered as a World Heritage site
invokes additional problems.

4.3 Promotion of Tourism in Remote Islands Through

Religious Tourism

4.3.1 Goto Islands as Future World Heritage Sites

The Goto Islands are a series of islands in the westernmost part of Kyushu, between
50 and 100 km off the western coast of the Nishisonogi Peninsula of Nagasaki
(Fig. 4.21 ). The main islands of Fukue, Hisaka, Naru, Wakamatsu, and Nakado are
called the fi ve islands (Goto), but the chain actually comprises 18 inhabited islands
and over 120 uninhabited islands. The islands can be divided into the Shimo-Goto,
centered on Fukue Island in the southwest, and Kami-Goto, centered on Nakado
Island in the northeast. The islands are formed from volcanic and sedimentary
strata, contain many drowned valleys along the coasts, are mountainous, and the
terrain is complex. The fudo is moderate with an annual average temperature of
16.8 °C (Fukue Island), because of the effect of the Tsushima Current running
through the East China Sea. However, several typhoons hit the islands every year,
and annual precipitation is 2,310 mm.
Whaling has been popular on the Goto Islands since the early modern era; fi shing
was the main livelihood over long periods. The surrounding seas contain good fi sh-
ing grounds. Modern fi shing includes the thriving cultured tuna fi shing industry and
coastal fi shing for mackerel, Japanese horse mackerel, and squid. However, many
younger members of fi shing families have left the industry and the fi shing economy
has declined in recent years. Low fertility soil and steep terrain do not suit agriculture,
and there are no other prominent industries on the islands. Many young people also
move from the islands after graduating from high school, leaving the area struggling
with under-population, a declining birth rate, and an aging population.
The location at the perimeter of Japan, at the westernmost edge of Kyushu, gives
the Goto islands great historical signifi cance. The islands were at the forefront of
exchanges between China and Japan; embassies were sent to Tang China, including
Kukai, and people travelled across the perilous seaway to the Chinese continent
from Fukue Island. The Goto Islands also served as a hiding ground for Christians
in the early modern era. Christianity was fi rst introduced to the Goto islands in 1566
when two monks, Almeida and Lorenzo, were invited to treat the illness of the land-
lord Sumisada Uku (Kataoka 1970 ). By 1570, Christianity started to gain popularity
and churches were established in Fukue, Okuura, Mukata (all on Fukue Island), and
other towns. By 1570, 2,000 Christians were reported from the islands, but
Christianity was repressed after that date. Christians were martyred from 1620 and
Christianity began to decline.