Dried octopus, Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, c. 1960. Back-caption: “Amakusa’s main industry is fishing. Among them, dried octopus is one of Amakusa’s specialties.” Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the center of Kyūshū, across from Nagasaki Prefecture, with the mainland separated from the East China Sea by the Amakusa Archipelago. Amakusa covers the majority of two main islands, Kamishima and Shimoshima, and six smaller islands and islets. Wild dolphins can sometimes be seen from boats off Shimoshima’s northwestern coast.

“Amakusa (天草, ‘Heaven’s Grass’) is a series of islands off the west coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan. Although most people today visit Amakusa to enjoy the area’s rustic beauty and marine activities, history buffs interested in this period will find plenty to discover in the area’s numerous museums and churches.

“Owing to its relative proximity to Nagasaki, where Catholic missionaries first arrived in Japan, Amakusa became one of the nation’s main centers of Christianity during a time when the religion was outlawed. Along with the neighboring Shimabara Peninsula, Amakusa became the site of the Christian-led Shimabara rebellion in the 17th century. Following the rebellion, kakure kirishitan, the Christians who had survived, continued to practice their faith in secret, despite severe persecution.”

– Wikipedia