A red brick structure and a tower that stretches to the sky, built in perfect symmetry. How did people who worshipped in secret build such a magnificent church? The person who gave shape to their wish was the architect Yosuke Tetsukawa. In fact, he also planned the Kashiragashima Cathedral.
Yosuke was born here in Kamigotō and raised in a long running family of carpenters. As a child he learned the traditional wooden construction of temples and shrines. However, when he met French missionaries in his 20s, his life was changed forever upon seeing Western church architecture. Learning Western design from them on one hand, and applying his Japanese carpentry on the other, Yosuke took on the challenge of building churches.
Yosuke Tetsukawa himself was not Christian. It’s said he was Buddhist all his life. Nevertheless, he worked to make people’s wishes come true. He built churches and temples–places for people to come together regardless of creed. As a carpenter, he likely viewed it as his job. It’s said that when building churches, he himself trekked to the mountains and selected wood; he also went to the brickmakers and worked hard on-site too. Eventually people began to say, “A church cannot be built without Tetsukawa.” Throughout his career, he built over 50 churches.
Built shortly after he went independent, Aosagaura Church is a masterful example of Yosuke Tetsukawa's brick architecture. Like in Kashiragashima, Hidden Christians also lived in this region. Matsujiro Domingo Mori’s teachings spread to this area; many were persecuted during the Collapse of Gotō. Nevertheless, the faith persisted. Christians suffered a long period of hiding, until the day came when they could freely worship. To commemorate this joyful occasion, the people set out to build a new church.
It took a village to raise the church; people brought bricks from Sasebo and stone from Kashiragashima. They then transported these resources uphill from the port. Each household bore the building costs; even the children helped carry bricks. Planners, builders, haulers, and believers–each one indispensable to raising this church.
Should you have time, be sure to visit Yosuke Tetsukawa’s first church, Hiyamizu Catholic Church, as well as Oso Catholic Church, which he built after Aosagaura. Despite coming from the same architect, each one is different.
Christians lived in hiding during the age of persecution. Yet after the construction of this church, the Christian faith became part of everyday life. Yosuke Tetsukawa did more than build a church–he may have granted the vision itself: of free, everyday worship, without hiding.
