Hirado: Hirado Castle and Xavier Memorial Church – A Day Exploring the Coastal Castle Town

A one-day course through Hirado, a castle town floating on the sea at the western edge of Nagasaki Prefecture. Start with Hirado Castle (平戸城) perched on a hill overlooking the Hirado Strait—from the tower, you'll enjoy panoramic views of the vermillion Hirado Bridge, the castle town, and passing ships. At the Hirado Xavier Memorial Church (平戸ザビエル記念教会), with its beautiful pale green spire, you'll encounter the quintessentially Hirado 'View of Temples and Church' where tile roofs and the church merge seamlessly. After exploring the Matsuura Historical Museum (松浦史料博物館), housed in the former residence of the Hirado clan, and learning about daimyo furnishings and nanban trade history, enjoy lunch at the Hirado Seto Market (平戸瀬戸市場) where the seafood bowl is a specialty. End your journey at Kawachi Pass (川内峠), where rolling grassland hills meet vast panoramic views of sea and sky. Experience the story of this coastal castle town where foreign winds once blew—take a leisurely day to walk and discover it all.