Unzen jigoku Martyrdom from 1626

When Matsukura Shigemasa became the new federal lord of Shimabara in 1616,

many people were Christians. Initially, he acquiesced in Christianity, because

he needed people’s cooperation to build Shimabara Castle.

However, this situation was known to Tokugawa Shogunate, and he strongly

commanded Christians in Shimabara to convert.

From 1627, Christians who did not convert were persecuted using the boiling water

of Unzen jigoku.

Many Christians were taken to this Unzen jigoku and martyred.

Unzen Church is dedicated to Father Antonio Ishida, a martyr of Unzen Hell, and

martyrdom festival is held every May.

Unzen jigoku is a tourist spot in Unzen.

Jigoku, means Hell, is the number one attraction of Unzen with a peculiar smell of sulfur

emitted from the springs, and boiled hot water and white smoke rising from the ground

over a wide area. This is a striking reminder that Unzen Volcano is still very much alive.

Shimabara Rebellion in 1637

It was founded by Arima Takazumi in 1496 and was a flat castle with a fortress naturally created

both by the cliff facing Ariake Sea and the tide coming in. This Castle was abandoned since

Matsudaira Shigemasa, the load of Shimabara, built Shimabara Castle after the rupture of Arima

family ties. 

St. Lorenzo Luiz martyred in Nagasaki in 1637

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, was martyred in Nishizaka, Nagasaki in 1637.

The statue of St. Lorenzo was donated to Nakamachi Church, which is associated with

St. Lorenzo, by Cardinal Hamei Singh (who was active in the Philippine Civil Revolution),

who was canonized in 1987 and visited Japan in 1990.

Hokohara martyrdom place in Omura in 1657

This is a place related to the Kori-kuzure incident in Omura in 1657 in which

a large number of hidden Christians were arrested.

As many as 608 Christians were arrested, making it a rare and major incident

in the history of Christian oppression.

411 Christians were beheaded, and 131 of them were martyred at Hokohara

martyrdom place.

As a result of this incident, the Omura domain began implementing even stricter

policies prohibiting Christianity.

The believers have erected the monument to commemorate the martyrdom

at this location.

Religious freedom allowed in Nagasaki in 1858

In 1858, Tokugawa shogunate concluded treaties of amity and commerce with

United States, the Netherlands, Russia, Great Britain, France, and Japan,

and allowed religious freedom in the foreign residence area in Nagasaki ;

Dejima, Higashi-yamate district and Minami-yamate district.

The Protestant Church began first missionary work, and the Catholic Church began

missionary work again.

Oura Cathedral, built in 1865

The Cathdral was built in 1865 by the French priest Bernard Petitjean of Fier

who had been dispatched by the Foreign Missionary Church of Paris to dedicate

prayers to the 26 saints martyred on Nishizaka hill.

For this reason, the church faces Nishizaka hill. It was designated as a National

Treasure in 1933 for its value as Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral.

For this reason, the church faces Nishizaka hill. It was designated as a National

Treasure in 1933 for its value as Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral.

Meiji Restoration in 1868

In 1868, Meiji Restoration, the most important event in Japanese history,

which heralded a new era of modernization in Japan.

This revolution restored the imperial rule to Japan after more than 250years

of Tokugawa Shogunate.

Ban on Christianity was abolished in 1873

In 1873, the Meiji government abolished the ban on Christianity.

Believers who had been in hiding returned to Catholicism, and churches in various villages

were built with a variety of designs that combined Japanese and Western techniques.

Although many Hidden Christians returned to Catholicism, there are still people in the

Nagasaki region who did not return to Catholicism and still preserve and pass on the

unique religious rituals of the Hidden era, and they are called “Hidden Christians.”

St. Andrew’s Seminary at Dejima, opened in 1877

After the ban on Christianity lifted in 1873, Burnside who was the British Church

Missionary  created a cram school at his home to teach the English Bible.

In 1877, the school was moved to the Dejima English-Japanese School building

at Dejima, and St. Andrew’s Seminary was opened.

It was then used as the Seminary until 1886.

Shitsu Church, in Sotome, constructed in 1882

Built in 1882 by Father de Rotz, this low-ceiling church features a brick exterior, wood interior

and stone entranceway.  The roof itself is low in order to limit damage done by strong winds.

The church’s bell was brought here from France by a priest and rings out beautifully every

morning.  The location is famous as the place where the movie “Gege” was filmed.