Kujukuri Church

A Church of 1887 Linked to Hepburn

The Kujukuri Church (九十九里教会) is a timber church of 1887 in Matsuomachi Matsuo, Sanmu City, Chiba Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 23, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a single-storey timber church with a tiled roof and a building area of 100 square metres; registration number 12-0028.

A Church Linked to Hepburn

The Kujukuri Church is a plain Christian meeting house of timber with a tiled gable roof and weatherboarded walls (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency notes that it is known for its links with Hepburn, and Sanmu City says the missionary James Curtis Hepburn, who devised the Hepburn system of romanising Japanese, is said to have been involved in its founding.

Why It Was Registered

The Agency notes that the plastered eaves and the hip-and-gable entrance porch at the front set it apart from the timber Gothic churches of later years; it was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.

What to Look For

Look for the plastered eaves and the hip-and-gable entrance porch at the front (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Visiting

It is owned by the Kujukuri Church of the United Church of Christ in Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on services or visits was found.