history of christianity in japan
The first time I travelled to Nagasaki I learnt about the history of Christianity in Japan. Some 250,000+ Christian martyrs have been tortured in Japan. The above picture is a memorial in Nagasaki to the first 26 martyrs that were crucified for their faith.
Briefly: Catholic missionaries first came to Japan in the 1549. They saw incredible revival! They first came to Nagasaki and saw the entire city come to Christ (80,000 people).
Christianity first arrived in Japan in 1549, but was banned for some 250 years during the Edo period (1603–1868). They built many churches, schools, hospitals in a short time of freedom. 15% of Japan’s population came to believe in Jesus. They saw TRUE REVIVAL!
In 1587, the powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98) issued an anti-Christian edict, initiating a movement against the religion that was intensified with a further edict by the newly established Edo shogunate in 1612. After this, Japan entered a period of international isolation (no foreigner was allowed to set foot in Japan - not even for trading) for some two and a half centuries - in order to eradicate Christianity.
Missionaries returned to spread the faith once more in the second half of the nineteenth century, after the country was again opened to trade. But persecution of Christians has been a part of the culture of Japan.
Briefly: Catholic missionaries first came to Japan in the 1549. They saw incredible revival! They first came to Nagasaki and saw the entire city come to Christ (80,000 people).
Christianity first arrived in Japan in 1549, but was banned for some 250 years during the Edo period (1603–1868). They built many churches, schools, hospitals in a short time of freedom. 15% of Japan’s population came to believe in Jesus. They saw TRUE REVIVAL!
In 1587, the powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98) issued an anti-Christian edict, initiating a movement against the religion that was intensified with a further edict by the newly established Edo shogunate in 1612. After this, Japan entered a period of international isolation (no foreigner was allowed to set foot in Japan - not even for trading) for some two and a half centuries - in order to eradicate Christianity.
Missionaries returned to spread the faith once more in the second half of the nineteenth century, after the country was again opened to trade. But persecution of Christians has been a part of the culture of Japan.
