St. Francis Xavier, his companion Cosme de Torres, and his interpreter Anjirou arrived in Kyushu in 1549 with the intent of bringing Catholicism to Japan. Here St. Francis is seen preaching to the people.

Other Jesuit missionaries followed behind Xavier in the limited quantities that the local authorities would allow. Xavier traveled Japan for two years attempting ot convert the locals. He brought paintings of the Madonna, Christ, and the angels to show the locals the religion.

Unfortunately Xavier struggled with Japanese and could only preach pre-translated catechisms and snippets of the gospel. Xavier originally used the word “大日” (Dainichi) to say "Lord" in Japanese, which led to confusion by locals of Christianity as a new sect of Buddhism.

For context, Dainichi is the name of a celestial Buddha. He soon replaced the word with "デウス” (Deus) and “神” (Kami). After two years, Xavier left Japan.

Jesuits in Japan continued to expand and gain support from local daimyos (feudal lords). They were met with resistance and conflict from certain daimyos and Buddhist adherents.

In general, Catholicism was tolerated; in 1565, Emperor Ogimachi issued an edict banning Christianity, but it was not enforced. More than 80 daimyos had been baptized by the 1590s; when daimyos converted so did their vassals and subjects.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, emperor of Japan, became increasingly wary of Christianity. Christian Daimyos often consumed horses and oxen, which was disallowed by Buddhism.

In 1587, Emperor Hideyoshi issued a ban on the forced conversion of Japanese and invaded Kyushu. Christianity began to be surpressed and discouraged. Under fear of an armed revolution, on 5 February 1597, 26 Catholics were executed under order of Hideyoshi.

The Martyrs were hanged on crosses, beaten, and speared to death. The martyrs were canonized by the Catholic Church in 1862.

In 1614, the Tokugawa Shogunate issued the first systematic prohibition of Christianity. The shogunate had the goal of the expulsion of all missionaries from Japan and the execution of all Christians.

Citizens were required to register with their local Buddhist temple as proof of loyalty. The persecution marked the end of Christianity as an open religion in Japan, forcing Christians to hide and go underground.

The term “隠れキリシタン” (Kakure Kirishitan) meaning "hidden Christian” is applied to Christians of this era. Christians found ingenious ways to worship and express their faith without exposing themselves.

Christian objects were disguised as Buddhist. This image is of a Buddha with a cross etched on the back, where it would not be seen. Christians used this as a reminder of their faith.

Christians were forced to worship in their homes and in secret meetings. Special symbolism was used to communicate.

Napkins would be folded a certain way to communicate to other believers to say a silent prayer before eating, cups of tea would be spun thrice to represent the Trinity, and prayers would be said in the form of Buddhist Mantras.

The shogunate actively searched for and persecuted Christians. Notices were posted in bridges, governmental centers, and temples warning citizens of Christianity. Those who were found to be Christians were tied, lashed, beat, and tortured.

Those that refused to renounce Christianity were executed. The most common forms of execution was crucifixion and beheading, although drowning and disembowelment was also used. Crucifixion involved spearing or burning at the stake, most commonly the latter.

Between 1614 and 1867, thousands of Japanese Christians, including children, were executed. Throughout Japan, martyrs were crucified in large groups on hills and mounts as a public display. Mothers were executed with their children, burned together at the stake.

Christians were weeded out by the use of 踏み絵 (fumi-e), plates depicting Christ or the Virgin Mary. In villages, local authorities forced all citizens to line up and one by one step on the tablet whilst renouncing Christ.

Government officials made suspected Christians trample on these pictures. People reluctant to step on the pictures were identified as Catholics and were sent to Nagasaki.

Executions sometimes took place at Nagasaki's Mount Unzen, where some were boiled in the hot springs. In smaller villages that could not afford sending Christians to Nagasaki, those that refused to desecrate the tablet were beheaded on the spot.

Hidden Christians were ingenious in hiding their true faith. Inside and outside of homes, Christians of all classes and ages expressed their faith through a mix of Buddhist and Christian imagery.

The statue is a “地蔵” (Jizō), a Bodhisattva protector of travelers and children, commonly found along country roads). The statue also has wings and is most likely an angel.

Christians would also hide crosses and artifacts, many times imported from Europe within Buddhist objects, such as the statue of Buddha here.

Biblical imagery would also be recorded in paintings, as Scripture had to be passed down orally to avoid leaving evidence of faith.

A cross can be seen behind this statue.

A statue of Christ used to carry small items such as tobacco.

One particular interesting phenomenon was the representation of the Virgin Mary through the 観音 (Bodhisattva Kannon), the Bodhisattva of compassion, fertility, family, and motherhood).

Kannon was a common Bodhisattva in Japanese homes who was sometimes shown with a child in her arms. She became a way to represent the Madonna. The statue is of a Kannon with Buddhist influence in its style and multiple arms, yet obviously Christian as seen by the cross and crown.

Another possible representation os a Maria Kannon with Christ. Crowns were not commonly depicted on Kannon unless representing Mary as queen of the universe.

Lanterns were also used to depict Christianity. Some were in the form of a cross, and all depicted a rough image of the Virgin Mary or Christ at the base, although most are eroded from the elements today.

Christians many times used western grave markers rather than traditional Japanese graves. Most were etched with a Kanji that had the form of a cross, as seen here.

Today these villages are sites of pilgrimage for Japanese Christians who pray to those laid to rest in the sites.

On 10 September 1622, the governor of Nagasaki ordered the execution of 52 Christians, including 21 monks. Like Christ, they were forced to carry their crosses to a hill. The monks were burned at the stake with four Japanese.

The rest, all Japanese citizens were beheaded, including their children. This execution was followed by many other smaller executions in Nagasaki.

Many Christians decided to hide in remote areas. For example, a community of Christians became miners at a mine in Osariwaza to avoid being exposed to the watch of the shogunate. Numerous artifacts have been found and it is said Mass was celebrated within the caves.

In Osariwaza, a 300 year old cross is etched in stone.

Persecution and genocide of Japanese Christians continued for hundreds of years. In the 1850s, upon the return of Catholic missionaries to Japan, underground Christian communities opened themselves up to the public.

The missionaries were surprised that they were able to continue tradition and ritual without any formal clergy for 250 years. In 1873, under international pressure from the United States and Europe, Japan lifted its ban on Christianity and extended protection to them.

At its peak, there were over 350,000 Japanese Christians in premodern Japan. Today there are around 3 million Christians in Japan (or 1% of the population), the majority being Roman Catholic.