Amakusa Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
island group in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan
About Amakusa
The Amakusa Islands are a small chain of ten islands just off the coast ofKumamoto, south of theShimabaraPeninsula to the north. Swept by strong currents, fishing off the islands is poor and the thin, volcanic soil of the islands can only barely support even barley and sweet potatoes. This is where Portuguese Jesuit missionaries first landed in the 16th century and started converting the local populace to Christianity, with some success until Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned the faith on pain of death in 1614. In response to the brutal persecution that followed, the islands rose up in theShimabara-Amakusa Rebellion(島原天草の乱) of 1637-1638, eventually leading to the death and execution of over 35,000 rebels. After the islands were depopulated by these executions, Amakusa was resettled with convict
Amakusa Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: