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.