**Secret Christian in the Old Tochigi Prefecture**

Main speech in the regular meeting of May was "the secret Christian in the old Tochigi Prefecture" done by Rev. Takashi Takasaki who is a minister of Kanuma Church.. At first, there was no secret Christian in the old Tochigi Prefecture which was an established theory. About 25 years ago, the Buddhist images relation to the secret Christian was discovered by Mr. Tokietsu Kawasaki and Mr. Junji Kawashima. The established theory was overruled by this discovery. Rev. Takashi Takasaki has been continued the research of secret Christian with Mr. Tokietsu Kawasaki. Following is a result of his research. A study tour of Buddhist images relation to the secret Christian by chiristian group of Utsunomiya YMCA was conducted by Rev. Takashi Takasaki on 1996 and 1997.

Rev. Takashi Takasaki

(1)The times of the missionary St. Francisco Sabiel (500 years ago)
400 years ago, the missionary of the Catholicism St. Francisco Sabiel came to Japan and made dicussions with priests at the Buddhist temple. The missionary thought that he needed the studying of Buddhism to introduce christianity to Japan because the Buddhism in Japan was very excellent. At that time, Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture had the Ashikaga school which was more excellent than Kyoto. The missionary of societas Jesu came to the Ashikaga school to learn Buddhism and Culture in Japan. Then, mission of Christianity in Japan was very succeeded. In Japan 500 years before, number of the Christians were more than present. (At present, the number of the Christians in Japan is equal to or less than 1 percent.) Because the influential Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord), Nobunaga Oda was opposing the Jyodo Shinsyu which was a party of the Buddhism, he made christianity important.
(2)The times of Hideyoshi and Tokugawa
Hideyoshi, the top of Japan 600 years ago, thought that the Christian Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) may be dangerous for him because the Christian Daimyo had an ability to work very well. Moreover, Hideyoshi was refused by the daughter of the Christian in Kyushu. This event was beginning christianity persecutions. The rebellion of the Christian in Shimabara in the Tokugawa times connected with the christianity persecution. In Japan, for 300 years from that time, christianity was prohibited. Then many Christians became to secret Christians. A lot of Christians became a secret Christian while they pretended to do Buddhism. These was the sad history in Japan relation to Christanity until 1870.
(3)The Christian Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) in Tochigi Prefecture
There was an event of the martyrdom of 26 saints in 1597. Mr. Gamo Hideyuki of the Christian Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) became the lord of Utsunomiya castle of 120,000 size in 1598. Mr. Hosokawa Okimoto of the Christian Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) became the lord of Motegi castle 30 km east of Utsunomiya in 1610. Mr. Honda Masazumi, the feudal lord of castle of Utsunomiya was a Christian Daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) too. Mr. Honda Masazumi had been relegated because he was a Christian but he was a honorable person.
(4)Secret Christian in the Old Tochigi Prefecture
25 years ago, a Jizo which is a kind of Buddhist image and a evidence of the secret Christian existence was discovered in an area of Tochigi Prefecture by Mr. Tokietsu Kawasaki. After the discovery, he began the research of in Tochigi. As a result of the research, 30 Buddhist images was discovered which have relation to the secret Christian. These are written at a book, "Stone Buddhist images with prayer of the cross" written by Mr. Tokietsu Kawasaki. An estimation, there were a lot of Christians in Tochigi Prefecture 500 years before and then as a result of the christianity suppression, they had become a secret Christian 300 years before. These Buddhist images are in Utsunomiya City and suburbs of Utsunomiya. Following pictures are 3 sample of Buddhist images relation to secret Christian.
(5)Samples of Buddhist images relation to secret Christian

A Jizo with a cross at the left hand and a cross hidden in the character is eastern part in Utsunomiya.

A Buddhist image which was copied to St. Mary to have held infant Jesus is in a temple in Mooka City about 20 km south of Utsunomiya.

A Buddhist image which was copied to St. Mary with child Jesus is at Keirin temple in Utsunomiya

(6)A way of discerning a Buddhist image relation to secret Christian was explained.
A Buddhist image relation to secret Christian will be the cane which has a cross, the Buddhist image which has a wing like the angel, the Buddhist image to hold infant Jesus and the Buddhist image which hides a cross in the character.

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