As strange as it might seem today, Christianity was highly disregarded, even forbidden in the past history of Japan, despite the fact that it played a key role in the development and evolution of the country, starting with the 16th century. The Tokyo National Museum in Japan is hosting an exhibition dedicated specifically to the introduction and slow evolution of this new, Western belief in Japanese tradition society, presenting mainly the missionary activities in Japan, starting even before the Edo period, until the Meiji period. Several works of art and artifacts have been selected for the show, including some unique pieces : a book written in Italian and telling the story of the voyage taken by four Japanese delegates to Rome ; several statues of Maria Kannon, a mixture of Mother Mary and Kannon, which allowed Christians to practice their beliefs secretly ; rosaries, crosses and other worship objects confiscated by the authorities.
The history of Christianity in Japan starts with the arrival of the first Portuguese missionaries, in the summer of 1549. With the support of Oda Nobunaga, the shogun who managed to first unify Japan, the new belief gradually gained more and more popularity. This golden age of Christianity in Japan was soon to change, as Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598) ordered all Christian missionaries to leave Japan, just after four young Japanese Christians went to Rome, to see the Pope Gregory XIII. Luckily for Christians, this time of interdiction was short lived, as Hideyoshi died before he had the chance of destroying the young religion. It's succesors will continue this policy of interdiction, yet the Christian Japanese tried to resist and practiced their religion in secrecy. A great number of them were discovered and executed, a great number by crucifixion, yet the seeds of the new religion remained.
The persecutions continued. In 1708 an Italian missionary, Giovanni Sidotti Batlista was arrested and brought to Edo for interrogation, and the ban on Christianity further strenghtened. Those who denounced Christians were rewarded with large amounts of money. It was only after the downfall of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1867 and the quick modernisation of Japan that the ban on Christianity was lifted.
2007-09-03
