The proposed pilgrimage following in the footsteps of the Hidden Christians of the Nagasaki region is an initiative of great religious, cultural, and historical significance. It would be a pilgrimage entirely different from the Buddhist Pilgrimage of the 88 Temples of Shikoku.
The "Hidden Christians Pilgrimage" would be, above all, a journey of remembrance, silence, and faithfulness. It could connect Ōura Cathedral—the historical …

starting point—with the villages of Sotome, the former underground Christian communities, the sites of martyrdom, the small churches rebuilt after the restoration of religious freedom, and the islands where Christian communities survived for centuries. Stops along the pilgrimage could include Ōura Cathedral, Shitsu Church, Ōno Church, Kashiragashima Church, Dōzaki Church, Egami Church, and Nokubi Church.
Many of these places are part of the "Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region," inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It is entirely realistic to envision this as a walking pilgrimage, although in a form quite different from the Shikoku pilgrimage, since it would necessarily include numerous ferry crossings. The area involved encompasses the Nagasaki Peninsula, the Sotome coast, and the Gotō Islands.
One could imagine a pilgrimage of 250 to 400 kilometers, combining walking, small boats, and sea crossings. Such an itinerary would evoke the historic movements of the island communities. In this way, the spirit of the pilgrimage would remain fully consistent with the historical experience of the Hidden Christians. They did not build great cathedrals. Their faith was handed down in family homes, along coastal paths, within fishing villages, among the mountains, and across the small islands.
The Nagasaki pilgrimage could therefore emphasize simplicity, slow travel on foot, crossings by sea, the daily visit to a church or historic village, the reading of historical testimonies, and generous periods of silence and reflection.
Following the UNESCO World Heritage inscription, several tourist routes linking these sites have been created. However, they are intended primarily for travel by car or public transportation. Once the itinerary and its stages have been defined, it would be possible to prepare a Pilgrim's Guide, with clearly established stages and dedicated moments for rest, reflection, testimony, and silence. The result could be a three- to four-week pilgrimage—a true "Christian Henro of Nagasaki." (F.d’A)