What to know
Hirado (平戸) is an island in northwestern Nagasaki Prefecture. Though off the beaten path today, it was a hub of international trade in centuries past, being one of Japan's closest points to the Asian mainland. Notably, it housed the Dutch East India Company's trading post during the early Edo Period, before operations moved to Dejima in Nagasaki.
Early Western traders brought Christian missionaries, and the faith gained a foothold in Hirado and across Nagasaki Prefecture. As its influence grew, the Tokugawa Shogunate expelled missionaries and banned Christianity for over two centuries. Some Hirado Christians secretly practiced their faith until the ban was lifted in the Meiji Period.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- Closed
- Admission
- English name
- Hirado City
- Original name
- Hirado
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.