A Hidden Holy Place in Akita:The Seitai Hoshikai

You can visit their official website here.　https://www.seitaihoshikai.com/

I was asked to guide a couple and their friend from Mexico from March 31st to April 1st.

They mainly aimed to visit Akita Prefecture to see the Seitai Hoshikai(Institute of the Handmaids of the Holy Eucharist).

The church opens on April 1st and closes from December 1st to March 31st every year.
This is because the church is located on a mountainside where there is a lot of snow in winter, making it difficult to visit.

Seitai Hoshikai is a Catholic religious institute for women founded in 1970.
It is located in an area surrounded by rich nature.

The church was completed in 2002. It is built in traditional temple architecture, in a pure Japanese style.

The garden is called the Maria Garden, and it is also a Japanese-style garden.

On the right side of the church, there is the Station of the Cross, which depicts Christ’s life from His birth to His resurrection.

There are 15 memorial reliefs in the garden.
I will continue by telling you the miracle of Margie Marley.

Access to the Seitai Hoshikai

From Tokyo, take the Akita Shinkansen to Akita Station — the journey takes about 3 hours and 38 minutes.
The Seitai Hoshikai is located about 8 kilometers from Akita Station.

Public transportation in Japan is well-developed in big cities, but not as convenient in rural areas.
To reach the Seitai Hoshikai, take a bus from Akita Station (about one every hour) and ride for 20 minutes.
After getting off, you will need to walk another 20 minutes to reach the site.

If you take a taxi, the ride takes about 13 minutes, and as of 2025, the fare is just under 5,000 yen.
If you go by taxi, be sure to ask the driver to wait for you, as it may be difficult to find another taxi for the return trip.

You can visit their official website here.　https://www.seitaihoshikai.com/