Hatsu-moude, 初詣

 

Hatsu-moude is one of Japanese custom that first visit of the year to Shrines

or/and Temples.

Literal meaning of Hatsu is first and moude is pray.

Most Japanese people visit Shrines and/or Temples at the beginning of the year

to pray for happiness for the year.

What they pray are variety such as safety and health of family, business prosperity,

traffic safety, a good harvest in agriculture, a big catch in the fishing industry,

prevention of natural disasters, etc.

Nagasaki was a small Rome

 

Todos os Santos Church, the first church in Nagasaki, was built in 1569.

Federal lord Omura and the Jesuits made an agreement to make Nagasaki

a port for trade with Nanban. (Portugal and Spain) in 1570.

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 the small Church of San Paulo was constructed at the tip of cape.

 

After that following Churches were constructed.

Misericordia Headquarters Church in 1583

Santa Maria Church in 1600

Santa Clara Church in 1603

Santiago Church in 1604

San Juan Petista Church in 1605

San Antonio Church in 1606

San Pedro Church in 1607

San Francisco Church in 1611

San Agustin Church in 1612

For 45 years after the first church was built, Nagasaki developed as a Christian town,

and by 1614, most of the 25,000 people were Christians.

 

It was as if Nagasaki was a small Rome.

 

However, due to the Tokugawa Shogunate’s Ban on Christianity in 1614, most of the

church buildings were destroyed within 15 days from November 3rd.

 

Variety of local cuisines in Aso and Kumamoto

 

Dago-jiru, Takana-meshi and Basashi

 

Dago-jiru Soup cuisine used dumpling (dago) made by rolling flour, and also a lot of ingredients are included such as vegetables and meat.

Takana-meshi (rice) Made by frying Takana (Cruciferous leafy vegetables) chopped in oil and mixing it thoroughly with freshly cooked rice

Basashi Kumamoto’s local dish of thinly sliced horse meat

Michino-eki, 道の駅

 

Michino-eki means Road Station in Japan and provides places for travellers to rest,

they are intended to promote local tourism and trade.

 

There are local shops such as agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, flowers etc. ) ,

seafood, snacks, souvenirs and other goods.

And also, some Michino-eki has reataurants.

26 Saints are the first martyrs in Japan

 

26 Christians arrested in Kyoto who were consisted of 20 Japanese, 4 Spaniards,

1 Mexican, and 1 Portuguese.

They were forced to walk barefoot to Nagasaki for about a month.

On February 5, 1597, all 26 Christians arrived at Nishizaka and were tied to Crosses.

 

Paul Miki said from the Cross

All of you who are here, please listen to me.

I did not com from the Philippines, I am a Japanese by birth, and a brother of the Society

of Jesus.

I have committed no crime, and the only reason why I am put to death is that I have been

teaching the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am very happy to die for such cause, and see my death as great blessing from the Lord.

At this critical time, when you can rest assured that I will not try to deceive you, I want to stress

and make it unmistakably clear that man can find no way to salvation other than the Christian

way. The Christian law commands that we forgive our enemies and who have wronged us.

I must therefore say here that I forgive Taikosama (Hideyoshi).

 

I would rather have all the Japanese become Christians.

(From Luis Frois’s Martyrs Records, 1597)

 

Jan. 4, 2024

 

Eel cuisne, Unagino seiro-mushi, 鰻のせいろ蒸し

 

The eel cuisine created in Yanagawa.

The grilled eel is placed on the rice sprinkled with special sauce and

steamed in a bamboo steamer.

 

Each restaurant has own special sauce.

 

Causes of the Martyrdom of 26 Saints

 

In 1596, the Spanish ship San Felipe, heading from the Philippines to Mexico, washed

ashore on the Tosa-Urato coast due to a typhoon.

Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi confiscated the ship’s vast cargo.

At that time, the navigator said that Spain first send Christian missionaries to increase

the number of believers, and then eventually conquer the country.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi heard this, he was shocked and ordered the capture of

Spanish Franciscan missionaries who were actively carrying out missionary activities

in Kyoto.

 

 

Then, he ordered Ishida Mitsunari to execute Franciscan missionaries and Christians.

This was the beginning of the Martyrdom of 26 Saints in Nagasaki on February 5, 1597.

 

Dec. 31, 2023

 

Gyudon, 牛丼

 

Gyudon is a Japanese dish in which thinly sliced beef and onions are simmered

in sweet and spicy sauce such as soy sauce and placed on top of a bowl of rice.

 

The menu on the photo is Gyudon, shijimi kai (fresh water clam) soup and salad at

the restaurant Sykiya which is Gyudon Chain restaurant.

 

Tonkatsu, 豚カツ

 

Tonkatsu is the pork cutlet, which is a Japanese dish made of thick slices of pork loin

or fillet coated with flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs and fried in cooking oil.

 

The dish on the photo are Tonkatu, fried prawn and fried oyster at Hamakatsu

restaurant.

Hamakatsu is a tonkatsu restaurant chain.

 

Tensho youth mission to Europe

 

In 1582, four youth boarded a ship bound for Europe at Nagasaki Port.

They were dispatched as representatives of Japanese Christian federal lords,

and departed with Alessandro Valignano who was Jesuit missionary who

planned the Youth mission.  

Four youth were Ito Mansho Ito, Chijiwa Miguel, Hara Martino, Nakaura Julian

who were around 13 years old.

 

The purpose of the mission is to show the four people who studied at Arima

Seminario about Europe and to convey the greatness of Europe to the

Japanese people.

By introducing the boy raised by the Jesuits to Europe, the mission was to

highlight the achievements of Japan’s missionary work and gain support from

the Pope and the King of Portugal.

 

Two years and six months after leaving Nagasaki, they finally arrived in Europe.

He first had an audience with Philip II at Rispon, and was subsequently welcomed

in various places.

On March 23, 1585, Japan had an audience with the Pope and made its grand d

ebut on the world stage. After that, they also visited various parts of Italy.

 

When they returned to Nagasaki in 1590, Christianity was being prohibited.

Therefore, their achievements were suppressed due to the ban on Christianity.

It was not until 1858, when religious freedom was recognized, that their activities

were evaluated.

 

Dec. 29, 2023