A Three-Aisled Timber Church of 1908
The Sedome Catholic Church Sanctuary (瀬留カトリック教会聖堂, Sedome Katorikku Kyōkai Seidō) is a timber church built in 1908 at Sedome, Tatsugo Town, Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 18, 2008 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 221 square metres, altered in 1949 and 1987; registration number 46-0073, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kagoshima.
Why It Was Registered
The church was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, although the front has been much altered, the interior keeps much of its original character.
According to Tatsugo Town, the present church was dedicated in May 1908. It was closed during an anti-Catholic campaign in 1934, and in 1937 it was confiscated and used as a youth school.
What to Look For
The building is 20 metres by 11 metres. The north end has a hipped roof and the south end a hip-and-gable roof, with a gabled porch projecting to the south, and the walls are clad in clapboard (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Inside, the church has three aisles, with a raised nave and flat ceilings over the nave and side aisles (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Behind the altered front, the original interior space survives well.
Visiting
Sedome Catholic Church is a working church, and no information on visiting hours or interior access has been published. Please do not disturb Mass or prayer.
The history of the mission and the priest's house are covered on the group page Sedome Catholic Church.
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Q&A
- When was the Sedome Catholic Church built?
- In 1908, with alterations in 1949 and 1987 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is 瀬留 read?
- Sedome (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is the interior like?
- Three aisles, with a raised nave and flat ceilings over the nave and side aisles (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the church?
- 20 metres by 11 metres, with a building area of 221 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the church registered?
- On April 18, 2008, the same day as the priest's house.
Basic Information
| Name | Sedome Catholic Church Sanctuary (瀬留カトリック教会聖堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 271-1 Nakagohara, Sedome, Tatsugo Town, Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/04/18 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber building, tiled roof, building area 221 square metres |
| Owner | Catholic Diocese of Kagoshima |
| Public Access | Working church (no visiting information) |
References
- Sedome Catholic Church Sanctuary (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007156
- Sedome Catholic Church (Tatsugo Town, Japanese)
- https://www.town.tatsugo.lg.jp/kikakukanko/shisetsu/miru/10.html
- Sedome Catholic Church (Kagoshima cultural properties encyclopedia, Japanese)
- https://k-bunkazai-school.com/cultural/f-q-60071/
Last verified: 2026.10.14
