Myths, Missions, and Mistrust: The Fate of Christianity in 16th and 17th Century Japan

Incident Overview: On a hot September day in $1622$ , the port of Nagasaki witnessed the thorough elimination of Christian presence through a ritualized and brutal execution.
The Execution: The event, described as a "great holocaust," involved the following details:
- $30$ Japanese Christians were beheaded.
- $25$ individuals, including $9$ foreign priests, were roasted to death.
- Foreign martyrs identified included the Jesuit Carlo Spinola, the Dominican Luis Flores, and the Spanish Augustinian Pedro de Zuniga (son of a former viceroy of Mexico).
Disposal of Remains: Officials aimed to eliminate every "pestiferous" trace of the religion:
- Bodies, religious images, and rosaries were cast into a great pit.
- The mass was set on fire and burned for $2$ days.
- Ashes and blood-soaked earth were collected into straw sacks and scattered at the open sea.
Purification Rituals: Fishermen and boatmen involved were ordered to strip and bathe, and wash their gear and boats. This bizarre level of cleaning was intended to ensure no "dust or any vestige" of the religion remained, effectively treating Christianity as a spiritual contagion.

Socio-Political Environment: The $15\text{th}$ and $16\text{th}$ centuries in Europe were marked by political stabilization, the Reformation and Counter-Reformations, and exponential technological growth following the Black Death.
The Inquisitorial Model: Influenced by the reconquest of Granada in $1492$ , the Spanish crown utilized an inquisitorial rather than a missionary model. Populations were forced to choose between exile, conversion, or imprisonment.
Mesoamerican Influence: The "cultural baggage" carried to Japan was shaped by the conquest of the Aztecs in New Spain (Mexico).
- Missionaries viewed indigenous beliefs as "demonic parodies."
- By June of $1531$ , religious and civil authorities in Mexico had destroyed more than $500$ temples and $20,000$ idols.
- This "wipe the slate clean" strategy established a precedent for the aggressive destruction of native religious sites in Japan.

Initial Arrival: Portuguese adventurers first reached Japanese territory in $1543$ aboard a Chinese vessel.
Technological Impact: The Japanese were immediately impressed by harquebuses (matchlock rifles) and superior military technology.
The Concept of Marebito: Foreigners were initially interpreted through the folk tradition of the marebito—a stranger/deity in human guise (like a peddler or itinerant priest) who could be benevolent or destructive. This classification allowed the Japanese to cope with the "Otherness" of the Portuguese while remaining wary of their disruptive potential.
Global Interests: The Portuguese were driven by the search for gold in "Zipangu" (Japan), the legendary kingdom of Prester John, and the control of spice routes to outflank Islamic powers.

Launch of the Mission: Father Francis Xavier and a group of Japanese converts from Macao landed in southern Kyushu in $1549$ .
Strategic Targeting: Xavier initially targeted the elites and the Imperial Court in central Japan. Rebuffed by the court, the mission shifted focus to the stable southern regions, where international trade was concentrated.
The Economic Link: The survival of the Church relied on profits from the "Black Ships" (trade vessels).
- Jesuits acted as intermediaries, often leaning on captain-majors to land only in ports where the daimyo (local lord) was friendly to Christianity.
- In the Amakusa chain, a lord required the wholesale conversion of his subjects, leading to the baptism of " $10,000$ to $12,000$ souls" in quick order.
Population Growth: By $1606$ , conservative estimates placed the number of converts at $150,000$ , with liberal estimates reaching $450,000$ .

The Rise of Nobunaga: Oda Nobunaga occupied the strategic center of Japan (Kyoto) and sought to neutralize the political power of militant Buddhist sects.
Relationship with Father Luis Frois: In $1569$ , Nobunaga permitted Father Luis Frois to stay in the capital. Nobunaga appreciated the Jesuit's disciplined, military bearing and, more importantly, his anti-Buddhist stance.
The Destruction of Mt. Hiei: On September $29$ , $1571$ (the Feast of the Archangel Michael), Nobunaga massacred $1,500$ monks and half the inhabitants of a nearby village at the Tendai monastery on Mt. Hiei.
Missionary Aggression: Emboldened by Nobunaga's favor, Jesuits incited converts to burn Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, particularly around Nagasaki, echoing Spanish practices in Mexico.

Semantic Errors: Early evangelism relied on Yajiro (a pirate-turned-translator) who used Buddhist vocabulary to explain Christian concepts.
- For the first $2$ years, Christianity was seen as a Buddhist sect worshipping Dainichi (the ultimate reality identical with the cosmos).
- Once realized, Jesuits declared Dainichi and other sects an "invention of the devil."
Negative Perceptions: Opponents labeled Christianity jakkyo no shiso (a diabolical religion/black magic). Rumors spread that priests ate children, used human blood (red wine) for poison, and possessed the power to wither plants by touch.
Internal Rigidities: Francisco Cabral (Japan mission leader $1570$ - $1581$ ) refused to ordain Japanese Jesuits, fearing it would cause the society's collapse. His successor, Alexandro Valignano, initially practiced accommodation (language study, adapting to dress/diet) but eventually grew to view the Japanese as "the most dissembling and insincere people."

Gaspar Coelho’s Blunder: In $1586$ , the Jesuit superior Coelho made two fatal strategic errors during a meeting with Hideyoshi:
1. Promised Portuguese naval aid for Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea.
2. Promised to secure the collaboration of Christian daimyo in military campaigns.
1587 Expulsion Edict: These promises signaled to Hideyoshi that the Jesuits were a subversive military/political alliance. He issued an edict accusing them of acting as gold/silver brokers, trafficking in silk, and inspiring raids on Japanese religious sanctuaries.
The 1597 Executions: After the "San Felipe" incident (where a Spanish captain suggested friars were a prelude to conquest), Hideyoshi ordered the crucifixion of $26$ individuals in Nagasaki (including $6$ Franciscans and $3$ Japanese Jesuits).