Japanese Christianity has a unique history of continuing faith while coexisting with Japanese  Religion Shinto and General society.   Churches and Cathedrals   Nagasaki Port was opened and the first Portuguese ship arrived in 1571. And development of the town of cape was started as Christian town in 1571 and many Churches were constructed in Nagasaki. However, due to the Tokugawa Shogunate’s Ban on Christianity in 1614, most of the  church buildings were destroyed. Since ban on the Christianity was lifted in 1873, new Christian history in Japan has begun and many Churches and Cathedrals have been constructed.   Christian Pilgrimage sites   Then Christianity was spread in Nagasaki region. However, unparalleled hidden Cristian history was started from when Toyotomi Hideyoshi Shogunate proclaimed Christian ban in 1587. During ban on Christianity, people secretly continued to faith while surviving in the midst of the conventional society and Japanese religions.  And many Christians were also martyred during this period. Here we introduce the history of the ban on Christianity, including the places of martyrdom and museums.     Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan   26 Christians arrested in Kyoto who were consisted of 20 Japanese, 4 Spaniards, 1 Mexican, and 1 Portuguese. They walked from Kyoto to Nagasaki in January and February 1597.  How great were the physical and mental suffering of those 26 men who were forced to march all the way from Kyoto to Nagasaki during these cold winter days, and they all ascended to heaven at Nishizaka Hill …

Japanese Christianity…の続きを読む