Japanese culture and history entry - Japanese Christianity
Japanese culture and history entry - Japanese Christianity
June 26th, 21:05
みなさん、こんにちは!日本出身のレオントイです。 Hello,everyone! I'm leontoi from Japan!
This entry's main purpose is to teach Japanese culture and history. The Pretty Cure series is made in Japan, so I think knowing Japanese culture and history may be useful. I want to write about Japanese culture and history in an easy-to-understand way, so I'll provide explanations on technical terms. I'd also like you to write your opinions, questions, and impressions. Please write what whatever you want to write! Don't hesitate to provide feedback. Today's theme is "Japanese Christianity".
1.Christian priest came to Japan (1549)
The year that were introduced Christianity to Japan was 1549.
↑Francisco Xavier (1506-1552)
In Summer of 1549, Priest Francisco Xavier(Catholic missionary) came to Japan. He had propagated Catholicism in west Japan,until 1551 from 1549. Finally,The hundreds of Japanese people became Catholic by Xavier's missionary.
In present Japan,surely,Japanese students have learned Xavier in history class. For Japanese people,Maybe,Xavier is most famous Christian churchman in history. Originally,Xavier had propagated Catholic in Goa and Malacca by request from portuguese king until 1549 from 1542. Goa(Indian city) and Malacca(Malaysian city) were colonies of Portugal . In December 1547, Xavier met a strange asian man in Malacca. Xavier thought that "Is He a malay?...no...He is Chinese?...But...". He was Japanese. His name was Yajiro. He was pirate who came from Kagoshima. He said that "Few years ago,I had killed one man. After that, I stowed away on a Portuguese merchantman that was moored in Kagoshima. I'm staying in Malacca during few years after I stowed away. But,I am suffering by my guilty from long ago. ...Priest Xavier. Today,I came here for I confess my sin to Deus and you,Father Xavier ." One years after,In Goa,Yajiro became the Japanese first Christian. His baptismal name was Paulo de Santa Fé. He learned theology and portuguese and latin,in Goa.
Xavier and other priests asked him that "Can we do missionary work in Japan?" "What is Japanese political system?" "What is the religion that Japanese people believe in?" Why they were interested in Japan was Yajiro. Yajiro was intelligent. He could speak Japanese and Malay and Portuguese,and he could write Literary Chinese(Kanbun). Kanbun was common language in East Asia. Because Pronunciation of the kanji are different depending on the language, They had communicated their will each other by means of writing. And when Yajiro talked with one priest, Yajiro said that "In Japan,many people can read and write. I was in lower social class in Japan. But I can read and write, in mother language.".
Xavier said that "To my knowledge,Japanese people are most excellent pagans."
.Even now,In Japan,there is sense of value that the "Simplicity is Virtue". Xavier evaluated that "Japanese people respect their honor" and "Japanese people never consider that poverty is shame".
2.Sakoku In 1603,Edo Shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu,the first Shogun. Shogunate was national government by Samurai. Edo Shogunate controlled all Japanese feudal lords and their territories(Feudal lord's territory were called "Han"). Shogunate's monarchs had been called "Shogun". Shoguns in Edo Shogunate were hereditary government post of Tokugawa family. Imperial Court had given the post of Shogun to new head of Tokugawa head family. At first,Edo Shogunate permitted belief in Christianity tacitly. However in 1613,Belief in Christianity, and missionary work of Christianity were banned. The reasons why they banned Christianity...there are many reasons about it. At first,Christians had persecuted Shinto and Buddhism. Shinto and Japanese Buddhism are very tolerant polytheism. In Japan,Buddhism and Shinto have coexisted each other as ever. In Shinto,Jesus Christ and Father God of Christianity are able to treat same as Shinto's gods. However Christians had denied Japanese traditional religions,because Christianity is monotheism. Second ,Netherlands(Protestant nation) hated Catholic church. In 1613,Holland and Portugal were trading country for Japan. At that time,Holland had fought at war with Spain(Catholic nation). Dutch merchants promised with Edo Shogunate that "Holland won't do missionary work in Japan.". Edo Shogunate decided they would do trade with only Holland, in European nation. In fact,dutch people didn't do missionary work. Thirdly,At this era,European nations colonies had spread. European people had conquered to Asian,African,American. Edo Shogunate(1603-1868) and the Toyotomi government(Japanese government by Samurai(it wasn't Shogunate):1590-1603) thought that Christianity was One of the means of the invasion of European nations. So,Toyotomi government banned Christianity. Edo Shogunate too. 3.from 1873 onward
↑Boshin War (Blue is Edo Shogunate Army. Red is New government Army) In 1868,Boshin War occurred. Edo Shogunate surrendered to New Government. In 1873,Japanese new government permitted everything about Christianity. After 1873, Many forein missionaries and Christian priests have gone to Japan for missionary work. At present,many foreigner Christian priests live in Japan.
4.Present Japanese Christianity
↑St. Mary's Cathedral,Tokyo (Japanese Catholic church) In present,The total number of Japanese Christians are about 2,120,000 people. The percentage of Japanese Christians are About 1.7% in All Japanese. The number of Japanese Protestants are more than Japanese Catholic. However,Protestantism are general term of Western Christianity denominations except for Catholicism. So,as an individual Japanese Christianity denomination,Catholicism is biggest in Japan. The number of Japanese Catholics are about 450,000.
5.Nagasaki Prefecture and Christianity
In Japanese national average, The percentage of Christians population is about 1.7%. However,In Nagasaki Prefecture, The percentage of Only Catholic population is about 4%. At present,Japanese Catholic churches set up three Archdiocese and thirteen dioceses in Japan. Japanese three Archdiocese are As follows: Tokyo Archdiocese...about 96,000 Catholics live. The jurisdiction of Tokyo Archdiocese is Tokyo Metropolitan,and Chiba Prefecture. Osaka Archdiocese...about 54,000 Catholics live. The jurisdiction of Osaka Archdiocese is Osaka Prefecture,Wakayama Prefecture,and Hyogo Prefecture.
Nagasaki Archdiocese...about 64,000 Catholics live. The jurisdiction of Nagasaki Archdiocese is Nagasaki Prefecture.
In 1549,Xavier came to Kagoshima and he did missionary work in Kyushu island. He went to Hirado(Hirado City,Nagasaki Prefecture) and he did missionary work in there. After that,many Catholic missionaries did missionary work in Nagasaki City,Kuchinotsu(Minamishimabara city,Nagasaki prefecture),and Hirado City. After Toyotomi government and Edo Shogunate banned Christianity, there were many Japanese Christian believed in Christianity, in Northern Kyushu. (Of course,They had hided their own faith.) They have called "Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christian)".
In 1637,Shimabara Rebellion occured in Shimabara peninsula. At that time,Matsukura Katsuie had possessed Shimabara peninsula as a feudal lord of Shimabara Han. He had imposed a heavy tax and other burdens on people who live in Shimabara. A few years ago from 1637,Shimabara people was suffering from famine. many people died from famine. However,Katsuie inflicted severe punishment on the people who didn't able to pay tax. And,In Shimabara Han,Persecution to Christians was very terrible than other han. Because,Originally,many Japanese Christians(Catholics) lived in Northern Kyushu by missionary work in 16 century. So,many people were indignant to feudal lords(Matsukura Katsuie) and government official in Shimabara Han. In Shimabara,peasants,merchants,masterless Samurai,Catholics,and many people,had conspired for rebellion. They organized rebel army secretly. In October 1637,They rose in revolt in Shimabara peninsula. Around the same time,Amakusa islands people rose in revolt. Amakusa islands was territory of Karatsu Han. Amakusa people and Shimabara people had conspired. They decided that Amakusa Shiro to be their own leader. Amakusa Shiro was Catholic Boy. He was 16 years old.
↑Amakusa Shiro Shiro was Catholic, But,In Rebel army,many generals and soldiers are non-Christians. So,It wasn't a pure religious war. Rebel army understood that they won't win their enemies(Edo Shogunate army). However,They couldn't turn back. They had prepared to die on the battlefield. So,they didn't fear death.
↑The Banner of the rebel army in Shimabara rebellion After many fierce battle,In 1638, Edo Shogunate Army attacked Hara Castle(rebel army's stronghold) finally. All generals and All soldiers in rebel army were died in battlefield. Amakusa Shiro died in here too. The dead people of rebel army were about 37,000. The casualties of Shogunate army were over 8,000. By the way,After this rebellion, Matsukura Katsuie was Decapitation by Edo Shogunate. Matsukura Katsuie was decapitated by Edo Shogunate. Usually,executions to feudal lords didn't carry out by Decapitation. Mainly,Samurai and feudal lords(feudal lords are samurais) did harakiri. For Samurais,The death by decapitation was dishonorable death way. Maybe,It was the proof that Shogunate and many feudal lords was very enraged to his tyranny in his own territory.
↑The Cross for the memorial service for dead in Shimabara Rebelion(in Hara Castle)
After the conclusion of the Shimabara Rebellion As usual,there were many Christians(Kakure Kirishitan) in Japan. Especially,Many of them lived in Kyushu. They Kakure Kirishitan had handed down doctrine to their own descendants secretly. Through the generations and age, Kakure Kirishitans made their unique Christianity from Catholic. It's a new religion or one of new denominations. The main constituent is Catholic,But Shinto elements and Buddhism elements and many Japanese customs elements were added. This Japanese original religion has been called "Kakure Kirishitan". same as their another name. Kakure Kirishitan,as religion,are almost polytheism. They worship Christian Only God,Jesus Christ,Holy Spirit,Virgin Mary,their own ancestor's spirits,and many Gods in Shinto and Buddhism. In 1873,Japanese government permitted Christianity. Some of them changed to Catholics from Kakure Kirishitans. However,Some of them had decided that continue believe in their unique religion. They choosed that continue their unique faith than become Catholics. At present,over 10,000 people believe in Kakure Kirishitan religion.
From Bakumatsu era(1853-1868) Until Meiji era(1868-1912), many churches and Western buildings had been built in Nagasaki. On August 9, 1945, Atomic bomb was dropped by the U.S. military to Nagasaki City. From August 1945 Until Year-End of 1945,About 74,000 people died in Nagasaki. Nagasaki City had been become scorched earth by a nuclear weapon. The Urakami Cathedral is in Nagasaki City. This Cathedral is the largest Catholic church in Japan. In that day,priests and all Catholics who were in Urakami Cathedral died. The Urakami Cathedral was completely destroyed without a trace.
↑ Uragami Cathedral(in Nagasaki City) In a moment,Many lives and traditional beautiful city had been become ruins by one bomb. However,After WWII, people in Nagasaki and Hiroshima had done immeasurable efforts for reconstruction. Reconstruction of their irreplaceable city had been progressed year by year,by people who loved their hometowns. In 1958,The Urakami Cathedral was reconstructed.
↑ In the building of Urakami Cathedral Sorry for gloomy talk. Nagasaki City is the exotic city. In present Nagasaki City,there are many churches. In 2007,Japanese government introduced "Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki" as World Heritage List to UNESCO. In Japan,there are world heritage sites about Shinto and Buddhism. However,there aren't world heritage sites about Christianity.
↑ Oura Church(In Nagasaki City. It's the Japan's oldest Christian church.)
↑In the building of Oura Cathedral
6.Japanese Christmas For the Japanese, the most familiar Christian event is Christmas. I'll tell details about Japanese Christmas next time, Today,I'll write Christmas and Japanese churches. Irrespective of religions,Japanese people celebrate Christmas. For Japanese Children,Christmas is "Santa Claus Day" and "Gift Day", than "Jesus Christ's Birthday". By the Way,Japanese Christmas Culture is based upon American Christmas. Santa Claus is old man who are wearing red court. He live in Arctic Circle. He go to all children's houses around the world from Christmas eve's middle night to Christmas day's early morning, and He put Christmas gifts on children's bedsides. After the children awoke, they would notice the gifts from Santa Claus. In Japan,The Culture of Christmas has spread rapidly in 1920's. During War(WWII),The Culture of Japanese Christmas was out of vogue, except japanese Christians. But,After War,The Culture of Christmas had returned. By the Way,Almost of Japanese Children don't know that Santa Claus's real name is Saint Nicholas. And In Japan,there are not culture of Hanukkah because Japanese Jews are very few. So,I 've never heard "Happy Holiday!", at Christmas day in Japan. At Christmas eve's day and Christmas day,Japanese churches are so busy. In these two day,Many Christians go to Churches. Some of non-Christian people who want to enjoy Christmas, go to Churches.
There is a Evangelical churches to 2 km away from my house. I've not ever visited this church, But I've watched that clergyman of this church has give a invitation of Christmas Party for children every year. Admission was free. Some of Japanese non-christian people who want to enjoy christmas,go to Church. and they attend service in church and they listen Christmas carol by choir.
↑ The Christmas Day in Hakodate City,Japan For Japanese religious(Shinto) outlook, Japanese people acknowledge beings of all gods in all religions. Christian God(Father God,Jesus Christ,Holy Spirits) are gods for Japanese non-Christian people too. Japanese people can enjoy Buddhist events, Shinto events,and Christian events. By the way,Japanese people do marriage in Christian formula.
Christmas became Japanese national event for all people, from a religious activities.
