Translating Catholic heritage through local environment: materiality of Japan’s world heritage / Yamada Toru

Published in the International Journal of Asian Christianity: Vol. 8 (2025): Iss. 2 :
Special Issue: Asian Catholic Materials and Space

Abstract:
For years, Nagasaki officials discussed and negotiated with residents from local communities in each municipality in order to prepare their nomination proposal for unesco’s World Heritage list. The core heritage narrative of the “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region” proposal took shape around Catholic church buildings and heritage materials. In this article, the author argues that as the World Heritage narrative emphasizes the historic materiality of these heritage buildings, Catholic materiality has been somewhat secularized as the nomination progressed. In order to avoid stirring up controversy, Nagasaki’s public officials delicately used the heritage churches as the material intermediaries to moderate the uneasy relationships among the locals as well as to connect it with the interests of the national actors.