Maria Statue: Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture

The Maria Statue Nagasaki is located in Kaminoshima right on the waters edge and facing the open seas.  Perched atop a hill at the entrance to Nagasaki Port the statue was  constructed in 1897 and its main purpose was to welcome foreign ships to what was once a predominately a Christian town.

This had a double edged purpose so as to make the foreign guests feel comfortable in doing business in an area of Japan that was rife with Christians as apposed to other areas of Japan where Christianity was the exception and not the rule.  It is for this reason that Nagasaki became one of the 4 major trading ports throughout Japan and thrived as a friendly and approachable place to outside guests to visit and feel like that a connection even if it was just a spiritual one.

Below the Kaminoshima Church stands the statue of Our Lady on the Cape aka the Maria Statue Nagasaki.  The area and the colour of the waters were beautiful on this  day and the statue with its perfectly white outline perfectly contracted to the brilliant blue seas.  I was in awe of the location, the striking beauty of the statue and the general feeling of well being and peacefulness that was provide to me on this amazing day.

I would thoroughly recommend this area to anyone who would like to learn more about the Christian History of Japan and in particular Nagasaki.  Even if the weather is not as good as one this day of my visit I am sure you won't be disappointed!

Please check out the Maria Statue in Nagasaki below on the map:

 

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

From afar

Close up

In all her glory

Offerings to Maria

An inspiration to all!

Powerful image from all angles

Please click on the video to see more of the Maria Statue in Nagasaki:

Unzen Christian Memorial: Unzen, Nagasaki Prefecture

The Unzen Christian Memorial is a very special place indeed.  It is hard to believe that such a special, unique and picturesque place was actually a murdering ground for the prosecution and killing of Christians all those years ago in feudal Japan.

During the depression of Jigoku (1627-1632) many Christians were killed.  Though it is impossible now to indicate the exact place in which many Christians suffered martyrdom, two monumental stones were placed in the Jigoku (Hell Ponds) to honor the Martyrs.  One is called "Seika Moyu no Hi," (monument of sacred flame) which was built in 1939.  The Japanese poem written by Chosuke Ikuta is inscribed and reads "Your exalted spirits and sacred red blood have never faded away and are still vividly seen through the red mountain covered by azalea flowers."

The other monument is of the Christian Cross and was raised by Archbishop of Nagasaki in 1961.  On the surface of its setting stone, 6 martyrs' names are inscribed to keep the plight of these people many years ago alive and in the memory of all Christians of today and yesteryear.  It is a place that one can lost in the magnificent scenery not to mention the history of the area and at the same time you can learn about the Christians of Japan and the persecution that they had to endure in order to follow their faith.

Check out the Unzen Christian Memorial here below:

 

Please click on the pictures below to enlarge:

                                   The names and dates of the Christians who were boiled to death

Please check out the video of the Unzen Christian Memorial here:

                                                        Many Nagasaki Christian were martyred here!

                                                 This is where it all happened!

                                                        The memorial stands to remember the Christians of the time

Miguel Chijiwa Statue : Chijiwa, Nagasaki Prefecture

Miguel Chijiwa`s Statue is displayed in Chijiwa Town, Nagasaki.  He was born in 1569? and died January 23, 1633.  He was a member of the Japanese delegation to European Christendom which is also known as the Tensho Embassy.  


The idea of sending a Japanese embassy to Europe was originally conceived by the Jesuit Valignano and sponsored by the three Christian Daimyo's.  Mancio Itō was chosen to act as a spokesman for the group.  On February 20, 1582, Mancio Itō left Nagasaki in company with three other noblemen:

• Miguel Chijiwa


• Julião Nakaura


• Martinho Hara

The ambassadors arrived back in Japan on July 21, 1590. On their eight-year-long voyage they had been instructed to take notes. These notes provided the basis for "The Mission of the Japanese Legates to the Roman Curia", a Macau-based writing by Jesuit Duarte de Sande published in 1590.

The four were subsequently ordained as the first ever Japanese Jesuit fathers by Alessandro Valignano.

Mancio Itō died in Nagasaki on November 13, 1612.

Martinho Hara was banished from Japan by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1614, and acted in Macau. He died in Macau on October 23, 1629.

Miguel Chijiwa seceded Society of Jesus before 1601 and died in Nagasaki on January 23, 1633. The reason of his secession is uncertain.

Julião Nakaura was caught by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and died a martyr by torture in Nagasaki on November 21, 1633. He was beatified on November 24, 2008.

It is so interesting to have so much Christian history available and right at my doorstep. My neighbouring town, Chijiwa was named after Miguel Chijiwa and his statue is proudly displayed right in front of the Town Hall for all to see and admire.




Christians in the day in Japan


The first Japanese Embassy to Europe, in 1586.
Top, from left to right: Julião Nakaura, Father Mesquita, Mancio Itō.
Bottom, from left to right: Martinho Hara, Miguel Chijiwa.

Check out the Miguel Chijiwa Statue in Nagasaki on a map!

Click on the photos below to enlarge:

Posing

On display at his namesake town of Chijiwa, Nagasaki

A servant of Christianity

Nishiarie Christian Tombs : Nagasaki Prefecture

The Christian Tombs in Nishiarie are part of  the groups of Nagasaki Churches and Christian related Heritage, which aims to join the World Heritage status to promote and educate the world about the long Christian History in Nagasaki.  The gravestone in context is a semicircular column shape which is the most beautiful shape among Christians’ gravestones and indicates that someone of importance within the community at large died here and was buried with dignity.

The epigraph is the oldest Roman epigraph in Japan.  On the back of the gravestone, a cross shape emblem of flower petals was carved by a seal-engraving knife and the front has slightly dented dual edges.  On the higher part, there is a small wedge cross shape, the axial side is fully carved with Roman epigraph and the other axial side is dually edged and a clover cross shape emblem is carved on the flat part. The epigraph is Portuguese style with Roman letters and deciphered as Philisakuemon Diogo born year 1583 (died) 1610 October 16th.

It's very unique to see a Christian cross smack bang in the middle of a Japanese Cemetery which of course comprises of Buddhist emblems.  The cross and resulting gravestone isn't too difficult to find and one realizes that something special in regards to Christian history occurred in these parts of Japan so many years ago.

Definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in Christian History in general and or just to step back in time and lose yourself in the feelings and emotions of the day.

Check out the Nishiarie Christian Tombs on a map!

Click on the photos below to enlarge!

Christian Cross

The Tombstone

Centre Stage

Portuguese Writings

Christian Signage


Come and check out the Nishiarie Christian Tombs Nagasaki here on the video below: