Ikitsuki, Nagasaki

Ikitsuki (生月町, Ikitsuki-chō) was a town on the island of the same name located in Kitamatsuura District, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

On October 1, 2005, Ikitsuki, along with the town of Tabira and the village of Ōshima (all from Kitamatsuura District), was merged into the expanded city of Hirado.

In addition, much of the west side of the island is cliff-face, with only a few spots which are flat enough even for terraced farming.

The dialect of Ikitsuki can be difficult to understand, even for Japanese people who live in nearby towns.

The nearest rail station is in Tabira (now a part of Hirado), which is approximately 40 minutes away by car.

A full whale skeleton is on display in the main atrium, as well as other numerous artifacts from Ikitsuki's history.

"In Japanese Buddhism, Kannon is the Bodhisattva of compassion, and is therefore different from a Buddha as depicted by the famous bronze statues in Nara and Kamakura.

"[2] This church is the last remaining one in Nagasaki Prefecture to have an organized group of Hidden Christians (Kakure Kirishitan) in practice and existence.

Located near Yamada Elementary School, this small church holds much history as one of the first and last outposts of Christian belief and persecution in Japan.

Both towns of are similar size and participate in student exchanges at the junior high school level.

As with many small communities, the schools serve as a social anchor, with most residents of the island having attended Ikitsuki Junior High School.
Ikitsuki Bridge, connecting Ikitsuki to the neighboring island of Hirado
Cliffs on the western side of Ikitsuki, part of Saikai National Park
Ōbae Lighthouse, located at the northern tip of Ikitsuki Island
Yamada Church
Though Ikitsuki is sparsely populated overall, due to mountainous terrain, most residents live in two areas of the island. This is the smaller of the two and near Ikitsuki Bridge, which can be seen in the background.