A Red-Roofed Church Near Matsumoto Castle
The Matsumoto Holy Cross Church (Nippon Sei Ko Kai) (日本聖公会松本聖十字教会) is a timber church of 1910 in Kaichi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber church with a tiled roof and a building area of 168 square metres, moved and altered in 1957; registration number 20-569.
A Church Northwest of Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Holy Cross Church of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (the Anglican Church in Japan) is a timber church facing south, northwest of Matsumoto Castle (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its steep gabled roof is laid with red tiles, and a bell tower stands at the southeast corner.
The interior has three aisles, and the roof is carried on scissor trusses (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape: Gothic in its pointed arches along the nave and in the windows, it adds touches of its own, such as carved beam ends in the roof over the altar.
What to Look For
Look for the steep red-tiled roof and bell tower, the pointed-arch windows, and the carved beam ends above the altar (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is an active church of the Chubu Diocese of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, and no official information on visiting was found.
Q&A
- When was Matsumoto Holy Cross Church built?
- In 1910; it was moved and altered in 1957 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is Matsumoto Holy Cross Church?
- In Kaichi, Matsumoto, northwest of Matsumoto Castle.
- What is special about Matsumoto Holy Cross Church?
- A Gothic-based timber church with a steep red-tiled roof and bell tower.
- Can I visit Matsumoto Holy Cross Church?
- No official visiting information was found.
- When was the Matsumoto Holy Cross Church (Nippon Sei Ko Kai) registered?
- On February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Matsumoto Holy Cross Church (Nippon Sei Ko Kai) (日本聖公会松本聖十字教会) |
|---|---|
| Location | 200-1 Kaichi 1-chome, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/02/26 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof, 168 m² |
| Owner | Chubu Diocese, Nippon Sei Ko Kai |
| Public Access | Active church (no visiting information) |
References
- Matsumoto Holy Cross Church (Nippon Sei Ko Kai) (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013730
Last verified: 2026.10.16