地域観光資源の 多言語解説文データベース

Despite Forced Conversion to Buddhism, Many Hidden Christians Maintain Their Faith

The Shimabara Rebellion was a shock to the shogunate. In 1639, it adopted a policy of isolation, completely banning Portuguese ships from Japanese ports. The Protestant Dutch, who were hostile to the Catholics, replaced the Portuguese as Japan’s trading partners, though they were made to relocate their trading post from Hirado to Dejima, a man-made island in Nagasaki, in 1641.

Between 1617 and 1644, 75 missionaries and more than 1,000 Japanese Catholics were executed. Repression was intensifying all the time, with the shogunate working to uncover believers by forcing them to trample on religious pictures, medals, and other articles of devotion (a practice known as efumi or ebumi). Another method of control was forcing them to convert to Buddhism and registering their names in religious census books, so temples would have to manage them. Despite this, many continued to believe in secret.

With the ban being enforced ever more strictly, 10 missionaries who had slipped into Japan were captured in 1642 and 1643. When Konishi Mansho—supposedly the last Catholic priest in the country—was martyred in 1644, the contact between missionaries and the Japanese people that Xavier had initiated finally came to an end. Thanks, however, to the Hidden Christians secretly continuing with their faith, the flame he had lit was never completely extinguished, and the European influence lingered on.

CHRONOLOGY

1543 Introduction of firearms from Portugal. First contact of Japanese and Western cultures.

1549 Francis Xavier lands in Kagoshima.

1550 First Portuguese ship arrives in Hirado, launching the nanban trade. Christianity comes to the Nagasaki region.

1563 Ōmura Sumitada is baptized at Yokoseura.

1571 Port of Nagasaki opens.

1579 Alessandro Valignano comes to Japan.

1580 Nagasaki is ceded to the Jesuits.

1580 Arima Harunobu is baptized in Hinoe Castle.

1580 Seminary is established in Arima.

1582 The Tenshō embassy leaves Nagasaki.

1584 The Tenshō embassy has an audience with the King of Spain.

1584 Arima Harunobu donates Urakami to the Jesuits.

1585 Tenshō embassy has audiences with two popes.

1587 Edict to expel Christian fathers is issued.

1597 Twenty-six Catholics, including six foreign missionaries, are martyred.

1603 The Tokugawa shogunate takes power.

1614 The Tokugawa shogunate issues edict banning Christianity.

1637 The Shimabara Rebellion breaks out.

1644 The last missionary in Japan is martyred, leaving the country without any priests.

縱然被迫改信佛教，仍有多數潛伏吉利支丹維持信仰

島原-天草起義震驚了幕府，遂於1639年全面禁止葡萄牙船隻停靠日本，並實施鎖國策略。平戶的荷蘭商館也被遷至長崎的人工島「出島」，不過由於與天主教對立，荷蘭的新教徒隨即取代了葡萄牙人，成為日本的新貿易夥伴。

1617年至1644年期間，共有75名傳教士與超過1000名日本吉利支丹被處死。幕府的打壓日益嚴苛，甚至要求人們踐踏聖畫及勳章等聖器（此一儀式稱為「踏繪」），藉以清查吉利支丹。除此之外，信徒亦被強迫改信佛教，記錄在「宗門改帳（宗教調查簿）」之中，由寺院管理。即便如此，仍有許多基督徒秘密堅守基督教信仰。

在嚴峻的禁教環境中，1642年及1643年秘密入國的10名傳教士遭捕。隨著留在日本的最後一名傳教士小西曼西奧於1644年殉教，由沙勿略起頭的傳教士與日本人交流活動就此告終。然而透過秘密傳承信仰的潛伏吉利支丹，沙勿略傳入的宗教之火並未熄滅，相反歐洲的影響力卻持續遺留於此。

（插圖：庄司好孝）

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即使被迫改信佛教，仍有多数潜伏吉利支丹维持信仰

岛原-天草起义使幕府大为震惊。1639年，幕府全面禁止葡萄牙船舶停靠日本，并实施锁国政策。平户的荷兰商馆也被迁至长崎的人工岛“出岛”，不过由于与天主教对立，荷兰的新教徒随即取代葡萄牙人，成为日本的新贸易对象。

1617年至1644年期间，共有75名传教士及超过1000名日本吉利支丹被处决。幕府的镇压日益严苛，甚至要求人们“踏绘”，即践踏神圣画像及勋章等基督教圣器，借此肃清吉利支丹。除此之外，信徒亦被强迫改信佛教，并记录在“宗门改帐”（宗教调查簿）之中，由寺院管理。即使如此，仍有许多基督徒秘密坚守基督教信仰。

在严峻的禁教环境下，1642年及1643年秘密潜入日本的10名传教士被捕。1644年，随着滞留于日本的最后一名传教士小西曼西奥殉教，由沙勿略开启的传教士与日本人交流活动就此中断。然而，在潜伏吉利支丹的秘密传承下，沙勿略点燃的宗教之火未曾熄灭，欧洲的影响力也持续遗留于此。

（插图：庄司好孝）

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