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Father Sidotti Landing Memorial

Memorial Entrance Stone

シドッチ神父上陸記念碑入口

　It stands next to the site of the Koshima village hall along the prefectural road that goes around Yakushima. If you turn down this road toward the sea, you will see the "Sidotti Memorial Church" on your right, and the "Father Sidotti Landing Memorial" is further down at the cape.

　It is exactly the beginning of the road to tell the story of Sidotti's landing.

Father Siducci Landing Memorial

 

　It is located on a cape, a few minutes’ walk from the "Sidotti Memorial Church"　and dedicated on March 29, 1980 by YakuTown. Father Contarini, who was at the Minami Miyazaki Church at that time and Kunihiko Saito, an educator living in Kurio, Yakushima, struggled to "record the history of Yakushima," and completed this memorial after a number of difficulties.

　Of the total construction cost of 2.3 million yen, 1.3 million yen was covered by donations from visitors, residence and visiting church officials. A final 1 million yen was provided by Yaku Town as a project for the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of the town system. The monument is a South African granite with a height of 2.6 m, a width of 80 cm and a thickness of 45 cm.

神父シドッチ上陸記念碑

Sidotti Landing Memorial Festival

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　Since the first landing memorial festival was held in 1983, it has been held every year jointly by Yakushima Town and Koshima Village for nearly 40 years. It was originally held on October 11, the day Sidotti landed, but it was moved to the national holiday of November 23. Pilgrims and travelers from all over Japan, as well as locals who remember Sidotti and Father Contarini, gather here. (2019 is the visit of the Pope to Japan, 2020 and 2021 were forced to be canceled to prevent the spread of COVID-19)

　A ceremony was held in front of the landing monument after greetings from the Catholic Kagoshima bishop, town mayor, and board of education. Until around 2010, the venue was later moved to the Koshima Community Center, where lively social gatherings were held with the women's association's home-cooked meals.

第1回シドッチ上陸記念祭
1983 1st Sidotti Landing Memorial Festival
Father Contarini gave a lecture in front of the participants Photographed by Norizou Higeta
2017年シドッチ上陸記念祭
Current Sidotti Landing Memorial Festival (Photo is from 2017 when the remains were confirmed)
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