Christianity in Japan - A Full History

Christianity in Japan from its beginnings in 1549 until today.
0:00 Chapter I - Introduction
7:30 Chapter II - The Kirishitan Century 1549 - 1644
26:23 Chapter III - Kakure Kirishitan 1644 - 1873
38:11 Chapter IV - Regaining a Seat at the Table
44:07 Chapter V - The Cross under the Rising Sun
56:25 Chapter VI - Christianity in Post War Japan
01:06:01 Chapter VII - Christianity Today
Sources:
Boxer Charles Ralph - The Christian Century in Japan
Ebisawa Arimichi - Christianity in Japan: A Bibliography of Japanese and Chinese Sources
Fujita Neil - Japan’s Encounter with Christianity: The Catholic Mission in Pre-Modern Japan
Gonoi Takashi - 日本キリスト教史
Higashibaba Ikuo - Christianity in Early Modern Japan: Kirishitan Belief and Practice
Furuno Kiyoto - 隠れキリシタン
Kataoka Yakichi - 隠れキリシタン
Urakawa Wasaburo - キリシタンの復活
Fujio Ikado and James R. McGovern - A Bibliography of Christianity in Japan: Protestantism in English sources
Moore, Ray - Culture and Religion in Japanese-American Relations: Essays on Uchimura Kanzo
Mark Mullins - Handbook of Christianity in Japan
Hardacre Helen - Shinto and the State
Ion Hamish - The Cross and the Rising Sun: Volume 2: The British Protestant Missionary Movement in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan
Oe John Mitsuro - Church and State in Japan
Music:
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
Tags: Japan, Japanese Christians, Japanese History, Christian History, Christians in Japan, Christianity in Japan, Missionary Work Japan, Missionaries in Japan, Francis Xavier, Jesuit Order, Society of Jesus, Kirishitan, Kakure Kirishitan, Protestantism in Japan, Protestant Missionary in Japan, Catholicism, Catholicism in Japan

[@Fangargo]

Interesting video! I'm Brazilian, I have Japanese ancestry and I'm Catholic

[@londonbowcat1]

10:29 had to destroy self

[@simondeep]

Nice. I always thought that fascinating, that Brazil has the highest Japanese pop outside the homeland. Still waiting to see videos on brazilian ninjitsu, like how brazilian jujitsu was revolutionized. Then again, with ninjas, i guess we’d never find them in the first place xD

[@sppdin]

Amazing video! I learned so much about Christianity in Japan. I always wondered why Christian missionaries weren't as successful in JP as they were in other parts of the world. Quite shocked actually to learn that persecution was a thing for Christians on the other side of the world. Such a non-subject these days, such a hidden part of History. Thanks again! Very well put 👏👏👏 God bless!

[@merial7]

Persecution of chistians still happens, arab countries and in the communist regime of russia(in the past) churches were almost extinguish.

[@sirraphael854]

It's such a shame this is not seen by more people, I appreciate all the work you put into this video

[@donalfoley2412]

I am an Irish Catholic. Much less earnest than I should be. Almost apostate if truth be known. But your account inspires me and reminds me of what my forefathers and foremothers went through to stay true to the faith that the apostles gave us, despite all the efforts of the ‘established’ church that Elizabeth knocked together for political reasons. Thank you.

[@donalfoley2412]

At least I can tell my Presbyterian friends that I am as anti-Erastian as they. I respect you but disagree on fundamentals. Your people suffered for your principles too.

[@aa-eh9uf]

​@@donalfoley2412i would recommend returning/strengthening your relationship with Christ, friend, He is the only truth in the world and only way to God. I recommend sources on youtube such as Expedition Bible, Answers in Genesis, Jason Lisle, Dr. James Tour, pastor robert breaker, pastor RC Sproul, to name a few. most likely you just lack understanding and foundation, like many christians and people raised christians do and did. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV tells us to study the word of God as well, to show ourselves approved, and 1 Peter 3:15 KJV that we must always be able to explain our faith to others. also, whenever reading the bible or referencing a verse, be sure to read the many surrounding verses and the passages before and after it, in order to get the complete picture, since verses can be taken out of context if you don't, and also verses and chapter numbers were added into the bible around 464 years ago. anyway, I'll leave you to it and pray for you. God bless you and your friends and family.

[@aa-eh9uf]

i recommend you return/strengthen your relationship with Christ, friend, He is the only truth and the only way to God. youtube sources i recommend are Expedition Bible, Answers in Genesis, Jason Lisle, Dr James Tour, Daily Dose of Wisdom, pastor Mike Winger, pastor Robert Breaker, pastor RC Sproul, to name a few. you probably just lack sufficient understanding and foundation to your faith, like many christians and people who were raised christian do and did. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV tells us we ought to study the Word of God to show ourselves approved, and 1 Peter 3:15 KJV tells us to be able to explain our faith to others, so God wants you to be educated in your faith, but remember, salvation doesn't come from head knowledge; it's the heart, it's complete and total trust, belief, faith in Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ alone and what He did for us on the cross, being the propitiation of our sins. Believing on Jesus alone is what saves you. (refer to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV). anyway, I'll leave you to it, and I'll pray for you. God bless you and your family.

[@rathalos4783]

Hi! I am a catholic and currently studying a japanese language & civilisation master degree, your video is extremely appreciated! God bless!

[@terrytzaneros8007]

Superb effort! I can't express deeply enough my appreciation for this consummate treatment on the Faith in Japan.

[@naruck15]

This deserves way more views

[@user-kz1dr7ow7w]

Aeesome video. Thsnk u so much...❤

[@mrmistery102]

man thats so brilliant! I DO apreciate ur Great work! i love that u added so many intresting pictures!

[@fr.michaelknipe4839]

Very informative. Excellent 👍🏼

[@amyb1928]

That was really amazing. Thank you. God bless

[@htoowahshee5971]

Thank you for creating this video

[@maxmoyer]

Incredible Video!!!

[@drlarryjohnson7880]

Thank you. Very informative and answered many of my questions.

[@jiphtach]

What a great video! Thank you.

[@folofus4815]

Awesome video

[@dc_latername9064]

If you are Japanese or in an area that is very heavy with nonbelievers, then hear me out. I decided i would pray every single day at least once, for an amazing testimony to share with people. In my heart, i believed i would have kept praying for the rest of my life, if i had too. So after 8 months or so, God gave an AMAZING testimony that is very real... Then, that event strengthened my faith to the point that i started getting amazing prayers answered very often because i quit doubting... and was alinged with the Bibles instructions. Then, i started copying and pasting my testimony all over these KZbin comment sections and sharing it with people id meet... Im telling you, it adds up and sharing your testimony gets easy to do... Especially if its online. THIS way of reaching the masses is so effective and easy...

[@GabrielleSaladin]

🙏🏼

[@Makikiku]

As a Japanese pls keep your beliefs to yourselves we had enough of foreign missionaries here that trying their hardest to convert us japanese while failing to do so ! We love to preserve our own culture and beliefs your kind of ppl are the reason why most foreigners here are given a bad rep ! Learn to respect other beliefs and culture just as we respect your choices in whatever books you believe in !

[@jwanger]

I found this video because of the tv show Shogun, and this is so informative, I learned so much!

[@grassgrassgrassgrass]

Thank you so much for this video! A rarity!

[@ellabischoff1818]

Excellent video! Im currently Learning about Christianity in Japan and your video gave me good insights on the subject !

[@johnparven6187]

I'm doing a research paper on the Jesuits in Japan. This video helped a lot. Thank You so much!

[@simondeep]

Late comment, what’s your opinion in the missionaries’ approach to the ancestor traditions? While the way it was at the time was probably incompatible, the catholics and greeks and anglicans do have the concept of Saints and the Holy departed. Maybe a bit more patience was needed-but maybe I’m not taking the political circumstances into account

[@silverltc2729]

Wow! Incredible work.

[@DanielvanderKlooster-gv8mj]

The Chinese delegation was not located at Dutch Deshima, but at a distance in the same Nagasaki harbour. The Dutch Museum on this weird little artificial island is now a beautifully restored part of Japanese history! From The Netherlands with ❤.

[@aaddebruijn3355]

Great lecture, thank you.

[@realizingfiction5935]

Amazing video! You should make more videos about Christian history in other places.

[@masochismusvids]

Really nice video keep up the good work 👍🏻

[@EasySeikai]

Thank you!

[@Yesica1993]

Still working my way through this. But this was so interesting, thank you.

[@beatsbyjiro8291]

This video will get popular now because of the show Shogun, really an overlooked part of history - also shows how Christianity as a conquering force is unable to penetrate against an equally strong culture.

[@matteosollecito2448]

You did a good job.

[@heatice77]

One of the best video’s I’ve seen on KZbin, thank you so much for sharing it. The last quote was both funny and sad honestly. I will keep it positive but as a Christian what a virtually complete failure of both Catholics and Protestants who turned our faith into a political and economic message in the past instead of a spiritual one. So many came and went and they could not understand the basics of the faith to explain to the people of Japan the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST. It’s heart breaking, there is no hope in Shinto, there is no hope in Buddhism, and there is no hope in the secular…the wages of sin is death, only JESUS CHRIST solves that problem so truly as they say…the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I really respect the Japanese culture but like all cultures, there is good and bad, there is truth and there are lies, there is purpose and there is folly.

[@eurostar0711]

This video left out Aramaic speaking Assyrian missionaries that were in Japan starting 8th century. Christianity was doing extremely well in Japan for a period of time, some members of Japanese Royal families converted and started speaking in Aramaic. Arimasa Kubo and Sakae Ikeda of Kyoto University have done extensive research on Aramaic speaking Christians who travelled to Asia to spread Christianity, not only in Japan but also before reaching Japan they were in China from 7th century and they reached their peak in 14th century during the Yuan Dynasty

[@alexanderyaroslavich2703]

Um... historical Sources? It's interesting that there is nothing in either Japanese or Chinese records of Assyrian Christian missions to Japan, especially during the Tang dynasty era. It's well known the Nestorian creed was widespread throughout Central Asia and China, but there's absolutely zero evidence of it ever reaching Japan.

[@eurostar0711]

@@alexanderyaroslavich2703 Youll find a lot of sources from Arimasu Kubo's and Sakae Ikeda's research. There have been dozens of Assyrian artifacts found at Japanese temples, like for example an Assyrian helmet was found at Gojikai Temple in Fukuoka and is currently on display at the Gojikai Temple Museum.

[@Makikiku]

@@eurostar0711there’s still not a proof nor a historically accepted truth about your claims tho even if you search google ! Just like the Muslim claims of the emperor Meiji in 1906 converted to Islam or every Japanese convert to Islam just because he has ties with the ottoman empire and used this as a propaganda to bring down the west ! But one thing is for sure our people started to see the threat in a religious delusion even now in 21st century there’s a lot of missionaries here trying their hardest to convert our people while failing to do so ! The ego and self righteousness of these self entitled people is the real problem giving foreigners a bad rep ! if samurai still exist today these missionaries would have a hard time here but lucky for them our government works on secularism while still keeping an eye on religious threats …

[@CoastalReaction]

Fantastic Video. I think you should have included how the Bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 effected Christianity.

[@TUUKUU]

I m japanese. Most of the modern japanese dont believe Christism but respect the ethical idea.

[@nl9490]

How about you? Do you accept Jesus is the only way? John 3:16/14:6…. Hope you’ll respond…❤️

[@Jaggerbush]

What do most young Japanese people believe as a matter of faith/religion?

[@hcho7776]

Read the prophesy of Akita.

[@JohnShepherd117]

@@JaggerbushJapan has a mostly atheist population the largest in the world in fact but the remaining are either Shintoist, Buddhist, and a very small Christian population

[@a-toma-sphere6616]

Seeing the Meiji and WW2 era state of Christianity was new for me, and very informative. It is always far less documented than the prosecution period. I did find it strange there was no mention of the nuclear bombing of the capital of Christianity in Japan though. Great video!

[@TwinRiver100]

27:03 (Shimabara Rebellion) I think I've heard this battle a few times when hearing about the history of Japan closing itself off to the west for a long while in documentaries. But i think i recall hearing the name Shimbara reffered to as The Battle of Shimbara in the Samurai Showdown movie from the 1990s, with this character Amaksa Shiro Tokisata being the leader of said rebellion until they released something called Ankoshin Ambroshia right before he/she died. (pardon my horrible spelling) (i think in the original movie and game the character was a guy, but in the English dub of the movie the character was voiced by a woman. I think it was probably due to some confusion from the dubbing company with the way character was drawn and maybe not getting notes or something) Was that character from that movie/OVA/video game inspired by this event?

[@huntrrams]

This was a very good context and history for fictional books I’m reading by Shusaku Endo

[@shinnahbola7524]

Thank you so much! The detailed Working of The Most High Lord God Plan of Redemption throughout history in just one nation Japan Awesome studying, thank you sincerely !

[@emanuelsadu263]

No mention of Father Nucolai and his mission....

[@tehFSMonster]

nothing about orthodox

[@raywest7222]

You only mention Protestants and catholics. You dont mention orthodox saints Nicolas of japan & Paul Takuma.

[@maukachauka8793]

mostly likely because "orthodox" church is failed ever since the islamic invasions

[@HellenicLegend7]

@@maukachauka8793What do you mean failed? We persevered Islam and communism with millions martyred. On the other hand you made converts through the sword and money. Power is what characterized both papism and Protestantism. Not very Christ-like.

[@maukachauka8793]

​@@HellenicLegend7You can make up whatever lying excuse, but Rome converted millions and had great saints, such as the martyrs of Nagasaki. Your church didn't persevere through anything, it failed, it evangelized nobody for a thousand years, and now it's gay (look at greece). The time for world wide evangelizing has passed. It's now the end times. The Militant Catholic Church on earth is dying, and so is the world. If you can't historically assess the failure of the orthodox church you are just dishonest

[@johnnycanadiana1897]

I used to work for fashion designer Michiko Koshino. She had her own Christian church in North London. If you worked for her you had to get baptized at the church. Very interesting experience

[@tanzidalnoman3860]

FX's Shogun brought me to this.

[@iamnotwelcome]

Thank you so much. I was always looking for a detailed video about christian history in Japan like this. I really enjoyed it. Lets also always think about that the true God is not calling for following a religion, but to personaly experience his truth and to search and ask for him. Did you ever pray and asked God for giving you a message and showing you his truth? Please do this prayer with all your heart and ask for the truth. Its really worth to pray at least once in your life, and ask God for who Jesus Christ really is. Thank you so much, and thank you for the video!

[@cpintdoifunit]

These videos fail to mention why Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned Christianity. They destroyed temples, murdered, and tried to plunder territories, they were also involved in the slave trade. As a Japanese, I am proud of Toyotomi Hideyoshi

[@Lemlem7682]

Yes, as un African, I can tell you they did kill and slave trade and looted Africans pretending to be Christian, but they were not Christian, but they pretended to be Christian. when they not but those people are never been Christian they were just Pretender a thief because real Christian don't do evil but they do good and they follow Christ teaching the Lord said you know them by their fruits he said good Three berries good fruit and bad three berries bad fruit. And the Lord Jesus said to be careful those who were sheep clothes, but they are 🐺 inside. Jesus is the only savior because we humans need savior for our ourself in our from our Sin and without the Lord Jesus we I lost..

[@The.Virgin.Mary.ElSourian]

聖家族のエジプトへの旅 - 聖マリア・シリア修道院 - ナトロン峡谷スケティス砂漠の - 聖マリア・シリア修道院 kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4vTiGWsbNepi8k

[@user-hr8dx9qw4n]

LETS HOPE THAT CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM NEVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO DESTROY THAT BEAUTIFUL UNIQUE SHINTOISTIC AND BUDDHISTIC CULTURE IN JAPAN.

[@JapaneseChristians]

Praise the Lord

[@d46512]

Different meanings of the word religion 50:30

[@willielee5253]

@Paslms 122:6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they will prosper that love you. God bless you on your journey!!!

[@Solrac924]

it's a real shame for Japan & for the world that Catholism was rejected. Protestantism (false Christianity) is to blame. there could have been true prosperity but it was diverted. for the past 300 yrs, they're getting what they deserve.

[@HellenicLegend7]

Your video is incomplete because don’t mention Orthodox Christianity at all (except for their numbers in 1912 at 44:00). Nothing about St. Nicholas of Japan and Paul Takuma, his first convert, a former samurai and Shinto priest who originally went to his home to kill him. Without wealth or political influence (unlike the Catholic and Protestant missionaries) he made many converts to Christ while in a hostile environment.

[@tevilblingbloing]

In japan ,John wick play Jesus, SICK!!!

[@judylindstrom2100]

Buddhism is not polytheistic. It’s not even theistic. Buddha never claimed to be a god and didn’t talk about god.

[@andrewrivera190]

I agree… yet there are some people who practice it who still treat him as a diety.

[@lillia5333]

Buddhism has gods. Not every denomination, but some. It's just that gods aren't very important in this religion. Buddhism includes a wide array of divine beings that are venerated in rituals, like devas, yasuras and yakshas. It also includes gods like the japanese kami. You should not comment on stuff you know nothing about. There is a word for that.

[@judylindstrom2100]

@@lillia5333 Wikipedia: Kami (Japanese: 神, [kaꜜmi]) are the deities, divinities, spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the Shinto religion.

[@judylindstrom2100]

@@lillia5333 Deva Hinduism Deva means "shiny", "exalted", "heavenly being", "divine being", "anything of excellence", and is also one of the Sanskrit terms used to indicate a deity in Hinduism. ka·mi /ˈkämē/ noun a divine being in the Shinto religion.

[@Yesica1993]

59:32 "The first general election under new constitution in 1947 was won by the Socialist Party with the Christian Katayama Tetsu to become Prime Minister." I don't understand that part. Socialists are not Christians. Christians are not Socialists. These two worldviews are in direct opposition.

[@HellenicLegend7]

You must be American. As usual you conflate socialism with communism. In the rest of the world, socialism is distinct from communism (see social-democracy).

[@Zomfoo]

It’s such a pity Catholics were the first Christians to evangelize Japan. 😔

[@rolandovargas4490]

Why

[@lillia5333]

Christian tolerance lol

[@Yesica1993]

57:01 "The Emperor had to publicly denounce his divine status... " Thank You, Lord Jesus! Only Christ is Divine, no mortal man. Such blasphemy cannot be allowed to stand!

[@armchairhiker3635]

The Bible states to whom much is given much is required. And to whom little is given little is required.So we know that those who never heard of Christ such as the ancestors as long as they did not violate their conscience given by God as long as they did not do something horrendous and God judges them righteously they would be able to enter heaven as well. So the statement that the Bible does not offer comfort to the ancestors is false.

[@wordscapes5690]

Our Japanese compatriots were very wise to ban this religion. Their wisdom ensured that Japan maintained its cultural traditions and its religions even to this day, unlike other nations that saw their cultures, their religions, and even their languages irreparably harmed by this pernicious cult.

[@aa-eh9uf]

completely and utterly untrue, show me a cult that lived to today that was birthed within its original religion that hated it (judaism) and on top of THAT, was under the scrutinizing brutal rule of the roman empire, that also tried to snuff it out. show me any other religion that has prophecies shown and proved throughout history. show me another religion where it's eyewitness proof their founder died and rose from the dead. face it now, that Jesus, the God of the bible, is the truth, and the only way.

[@chheinrich8486]

Good point, i just hope this view doesnt extend to the japanse Christians past and present on a Personal Level

[@wordscapes5690]

@@chheinrich8486 To be honest, I have tolerance for modern Christians, just as long as they do not get involved with politics. We do not want their oppressive ideology being imposed on women and minorities in Asia. If they keep their religion in their homes, and away from children and schools, no problem.

[@nwadi6408]

Proud of the Japanese. Proud that for the most part they resisted cultural colonization and retained their native practices and religious beliefs.

[@themightyboat]

Proud of the Japanese catholics. They accepted Christ, which is the most important thing

[@justwannagrill8548]

What religion are you

[@yellowmask1796]

🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵Japan persecuted Christianity = never colonized ,became a world power and a powerful millitary, became an economic power house noun world wide. 🇵🇭🇵🇭Philippines only country in East Asia to except Catholicism= 327 year colony of Spain, non of its original culture left, wide spred poverty.

[@Yuurei-Ressha9216]

1) Literally every other country in South East Asia is as poor or about as poor as the Philippines, including the Muslim Indonesia and the Buddhist Thailand. It really has nothing to do with religion and more to do with resource usage and availability. 2) Arguably, the Philippines has more of its original culture intact barring things the clergy clamped down on after it's conversion, which were few and far between, than Japan now. You can actually say the same for a lot of SEA countries as well. Japan lost its feudal honor based culture and replaced it with a heavily mercantile and despite it having economic sway in the 80s, it's rather culturally empty past fads and the like just like a lot of Western nations. The only real exception to this is Okinawa, which even now has an endangered language and culture that is being replaced by the broader Japanese pop culture in the youth. It's pretty sad actually.

[@seanbui2724]

And a fertility crisis 😂 Japan could’ve been so much better if they accepted Christianity

[@yellowmask1796]

@seanbui2724 that has nothing to do with religion its a culture thing, 😑

[@tusaniabigby9715]

​@@yellowmask1796Religion plays a role in people's culture

[@sekimena]

@@seanbui2724 In East Asia, South Korea is the most accepting of Christianity, with a birth rate of 0.72.

[@supernova7395]

Win for Japan

[@dvoyager5879]

It's good that the Japanese leaders protected it's people, their culture and their country as a whole from this Christian pandemic.

[@jarredlucas4000]

Cringe, samurai had male lovers while thier wives and concubines rotted at home caring for their children. Christianity could have made those men of God and japan would be better off today. 👍

[@ChaChaDancin]

Yes, can you imagine what Japan could have become if they had embraced Christianity, given their people freedom, and kept their borders open to engage with the world instead of stagnating in xenophobic ignorance for 250 years? Good? …for Japan’s rivals maybe. Not so much for Japan. Go live there for a few years (I have) and tell me it isn’t a morally bankrupt country. Eradicating Christianity was probably the worst thing to ever happen to Japan.

[@caitchri2426]

@@jarredlucas4000 it is sad that there is still a negative ignorance of Christianity, huh? Yes, there have been blemishes of cruelty and mis-use of power in the Christian history as a whole- but it’s scary that people are so against the spreading of moralistic teachings. The destruction of Christianity’s popularity in western culture is sad, as it is also the slow degradation of moral philosophy and action.

[@Jamhael1]

​@@caitchri2426 a morality founded upon empty platitudes, based on an unreliable promisse of a "maybe" only after death, and sustained upon claims of impossibility and arrogance is not worthy of being followed, and is a waste of time.

[@GottMoxy]

@Jamhael1 the so-called "morality on empty platitudes" is the thing that's kept this world from becoming pure chaos. There is no "maybe" for those who have faith in Jesus Christ. They are saved, as is anyone who accepts His gift, even you.

[@helglon6868]

Great story I learned so much of the Christian culture in Japan

[@BirdieBee79]

My ancestor is Francois Caron: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Caron (a French Huguenot who was aboard a VOC ship). I'm a descendant through this daughter Petronella and her husband who was also half-Japanese/half Dutch. I'm looking for any recommendations about what to read in order to better understand what was going on in Nagasaki and Hirado at the time. They both ended up in Jakarta. Ironically, Francois was a religious refugee whose Huguenot (Protestant) family had previously travelled to the Netherlands in order to avoid death by Catholics back in France. He had a truly interesting life.