In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians : A Story of Suppression, Secrecy and Survival by John Dougill (Kodansha)

The first Christian missionaries came to Japan in the 16th century, around 1549, and for nearly sixty years managed to convert over 300,000 Japanese. However, in 1612, by order of the Shogun, Christianity was banned throughout the country. If people were caught practicing this new religion, they were arrested and tortured. This sent the Japanese Christians into hiding. They called themselves Kakure Kirishitan.

For over two hundred years during Japan’s isolationist period, these hidden Christians continued to practice what they were taught even though they had no Bible and had no preachers to lead them. John Dougill wanted to know why did illiterate peasants continue to practice a form of Catholicism that was handed down to them from their parents, grandparents, and forefathers given the risk of death and persecution by the government. 

In Search of Japan’s Hidden Christians is the result of Dougill’s research. The book is part history, part travelogue as Dougill travels to the cities and regions where it all began, starting in Tanegashima and making his way to Kagoshima where the first Jesuit missionary, Francisco Xavier, brought the Bible to the Japanese. The journey would continue to Yamaguchi Prefecture, Nagasaki and the Goto Islands. 

Omura Sumitada was the first daimyo to convert to the new religion and was also the first to be baptized.  In 1580, he ceded Nagasaki to the Jesuits.  As the church was becoming more powerful, the Shogun realized the potential threat and in 1587, decreed that all missionaries were to leave the country. The Tokugawa Shogunate bans Christianity in 1612. Those who were caught still practicing the religion were arrested and tortured. However, many of the Kirishitans refused to renounce their faith.

The crucifixion of twenty-six Kirishitans was intended as a warning to others as to what would happen to them. “The impact of the crucifixions was not as the authorities had intended. Rather than intimidating the populace, the bravery of the martyrs’ deaths served to enhance the appeal of Christianity, as word spread that here was a faith worth dying for.” 

The government then changed their tactics and began to use the fumi-e. This was a picture which had the likeness of Jesus or Mary on it. Suspected Christians were to step on the image to prove they were not members of the banned religion. This was an effective method to get many Christians to apostatize.

Dougill ends his journey at the Dozaki Church located in the Goto Islands, the final refuge for the Christians who escaped execution, although they had to continue to practice in secret. On the island, there are still descendents of the Kakure Kirishitan who refuse to rejoin the Catholic Church, practicing their form of catholicism that was handed down from generation to generation. 

After Dougill completes his journey he comes to the conclusion that the “Hidden Christians were neither hidden nor as Christian as their name suggests. The faith had undergone many changes during the long years of persecution, as a result of which it had diverged so far from the original that it was often unrecognizable.” 

How strong is your faith? Would you be willing to die for your religion? Would you willingly go to your death as a martyr or would you publicly renounce the faith but practice it in private as many of the Kakure Kirishitans did? Although I am not an advocate of organized religion, I wonder how I would feel if I practiced a religion taught by my ancestors only to have someone tell me that I’ve been doing wrong all these years? What would you do? ~Ernie Hoyt