Sophia Magazine vol.5 / SUMMER 2017

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Among numerous materials on the history of Chris-tianity in Japan contained in Kirishitan Bunko Library at Sophia University, a kosatsu (wood bulletin board) notification of Gareuta Tokai Kinshi (ban on arrivals from abroad on galiots) and a Maria Kannon are par-ticularly valuable.From ancient times to 1874, decisions made by the government of Japan were conveyed to citizens at ko-satsusho (bulletin board locales) where the informa-tion would be widely disseminated, such as in places with heavy pedestrian traffic, at the feet of bridges, in town and village centers, and by building entrances. New laws, for example, were written on kosatsu and placed at kosatsusho to ensure widespread public noti-fication.On July 5, 1639, Gareuta Tokai Kinshi was put on display at a kosatsusho in Nagasaki. Gareuta (galiot), a small, fast-sailing ship, is derived from the Portuguese word “galeota.” This kosatsu states, “There are people arriving from abroad seeking to engage in mission-ary work despite knowing that Christianity is banned in Japan. Accordingly, Portuguese ships are prohib-ited from entering Japan, and those caught breaking this law will have their ships destroyed, while all crew members will be executed by decapitation.” Japan be-came a completely isolated country in 1641, two years after this kosatsu notification. Another three years later, the last missionary in hiding, Mancio Konishi, died a martyr in 1644.During the Tokugawa shogunate, Christians in hid-ing, who had their crosses and rosaries confiscated in that time of persecution, protected their religion by disguising it with a Buddhist veneer. Kannons, said to “hear the voices of the people of the world, and offer salvation from their agony,” were made to resemble the image of the Virgin Mary, and were placed in Buddhist altars with lit candles to keep their faith alive. The Maria Kannon (above, far right) is said to have been found in the outskirts of Tokyo. This statue and other remaining traces that testify to the presence of Chris-tians outside Western Japan undoubtedly gave hope to Catholics around the coastal regions of Japan who maintained their religious faith in secret at the time. It has been ascertained that this 218 mm-tall statue was made in Guangzhou, China in the 17th century.EpisodeA KOSATSU AND A MARIA KANNON5Testifying to the Social Climate of 17th Century JapanFr. Kawamura is a Professor in the Department of History, Faculty of Humanities at Sophia University. He received his doctorate in His-tory from Georgetown University. His research focuses on the history of cultural exchange between Japan and Europe, Kirishitan history, and European Christian history. He supervised the subtitling of the lm Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese and released in 2016, and also supervised Shinya Tsukamoto in playing Mokichi singing a hymn while being tortured.Contributed byFr. Shinzo Kawamura, S.J.29Catholic Heritage