Amakusa Islands — Hidden Christian Heritage & Dolphins

**Sakitsu village walk:** The church is striking for its location in a traditional fishing village — wooden houses, narrow alleys, and the Gothic church tower rising incongruously. Walk the waterfront 1km path from the church to the Suwa Shrine (the shrine where fumie-stepping occurred) to understand the spatial relationship between persecution and faith. **Dolphin timing:** Morning tours (9:00, 10:30) have the highest sighting rates. The dolphins are wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins that feed in the channel year-round. Bring waterproof phone case for photos. **Amakusa pottery:** The islands produce Amakusa porcelain using local clay (the same clay shipped to Arita for 400 years). The Maruo Pottery (丸尾焼) studio offers 2-hour throwing workshops (¥3,000) — the white clay is exceptionally smooth to work.