[Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture] Part 2 ② Christianity spreads in Tohoku, northern Miyagi Prefecture and southern Iwate Prefecture region became the village of hidden Christians (Christian historical site in Fujisawa, Ichinoseki City, southern Iwate Prefecture)
table of contents
- 1 A Christian historical site in the Fujisawa-Okago area of Ichinoseki City, southern Iwate Prefecture
- 1.1 Okago Christian Martyrdom Park
- 1.2 Catholic Okago Church
- 1.3 Matsuribata Keijo
- 1.4 Ueno Prison
- 1.5 Jizo no Tsuji
- 1.6 Neck experiment stone
- 1.7 Hodoko Kubizuka
- 1.8 Tokizosawa Execution Hall
- 1.9 Hasebakubizuka
- 1.10 Uenosodekubizuka (Uenosodekubizuka)
- 1.11 Daitenba
- 1.12 Senmatsu Daihachiro's grave
- 1.13 Chotokuji Temple Martyrs Memorial Memorial Tradition Monument
- 2 summary
[Northern Miyagi Prefecture and Southern Iwate Prefecture] Christianity is spreading in Tohoku, and the northern Miyagi and southern Iwate regions have become home to hidden Christians (Part 1)
- Christianity spread in Japan
- Christianity spreads to Tohoku
I divided it into two parts and wrote about the full-scale ban on Christianity in the Tohoku region. This time, in Part 2, I will actually visit the southern region of present-day Iwate Prefecture and introduce how it remains as a martyrdom site, along with photos of the site.
Please note that there are a large number of places considered to be martyrdom sites and places related to hidden Christians, so the explanation will be a simple one. If you are interested, we strongly recommend that you check the article and actually visit.
A Christian historical site in the Fujisawa-Okago area of Ichinoseki City, southern Iwate Prefecture
Okago Christian Martyrdom Park
The current Okago area of Fujisawa -cho, As mentioned in ``Iwate Prefecture Southern Region (Part 1)''
It is said that there were over 300 martyrs in the Okago area alone.
The Okago Christian Martyrdom Park is designed to pass down the noble history of Okago's predecessors, who did not succumb to any persecution and persevered in their faith, into the future, and to pass on the history of the missionary work and martyrdom of Okago Christians to their descendants. In April 1994, the Okago Christian Museum opened as a martyrdom park, and in April of the following year, the Okago Martyrdom Memorial Museum opened.
Adjacent to the vast grounds is the Okago Local Culture Preservation and Training Center, as well as the Garden of History, the Okago Christian Museum, and the Okago Martyrdom Memorial Cruz Hall, which is located up the Hill of History, which has over 300 steps. .
In addition to climbing the stairs of the Hill of History to get to the Okago Martyrdom Memorial Cruz Hall, there is also the ``Historical Path'' route, which takes a detour. On the Path of History, stations 1 to 14 of the Stations of the Cross are set up along the path, where you can learn about the life of Jesus.
Once you have climbed the hill and reached the top, you will find the Cruz Pavilion commemorating the Martyrs of Okago, and in front of the Cruz Pavilion there is also the Pope John Paul II's Blessing of the Vatican.
Pope John Paul II’s Papal Feast
Praying for God's continued protection, I extend my heartfelt special congratulations from the Pope to Mayor Sato Mori Fujisawa and all those who visit this place to honor the martyrs.
At the Vatican, September 18, 1995
are three works by Yasutake Funakoshi , a sculptor from Ichinohe Town in Iwate Prefecture who created the Tatsuko Statue at Lake Tazawa and the Nagasaki 26 Martyrs Memorial Statue at Nishizaka Park in Nagasaki City, A message to is displayed.
Information
- Address: 28-7 Umanazawa, Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki-shi, Iwate 029-3522
- Phone number: 0191-62-2255
- Opening hours: 9:00-16:00
- Closed: Mondays
- Admission fee (Okago Christian Museum, Okago Martyrdom Memorial Museum)
- General: 300 yen High school/university students: 200 yen Junior high school students and under: Free
Google Map
Catholic Okago Church
Catholic Okago Church was built in 1952 to honor the Okago martyrs by the Swiss Bethlehem Foreign Mission, which was entrusted with missionary work in Iwate Prefecture by Bishop Wasaburo Urakawa of the Sendai Diocese.
On December 11th of the same year, the dedication ceremony was held by the Pope and the Vatican's envoy, Archbishop Furstenberg.
Information
- Location: Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Matsuribata Keijo
There are eight Jizo statues, and during the execution, Sendai clan officials smoked out the believers who had escaped and hid in a nearby cave, and those who jumped out were buried in pine branches in a grassy area about 40 meters away on the river. It is said to be the place where guns were mounted and fired.
Information
- Location: Okagosone, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Ueno Prison
It is commonly known as ``Oshanagi-sama'' (sapling-sama), and it is speculated that even young children were offered memorial services. In 1640, 94 believers died at this location.
*Tokoro Seibai – the act of punishing Christians
Information
- Location: Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Jizo no Tsuji
This is also known as Mujo no Tsuji, and is the place where 178 believers were defeated by beheadings, crucifixes, etc. in 16th and 17th years of Kan'ei era. It is said that at that time, the Futamata River flowing nearby was dyed bright red by the fresh blood of the martyrs. It is said that this crossroads was built in honor of the Buddha's relatives to mourn the martyred Bodhisattvas.
Information
- Location: Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Neck experiment stone
It is said that when Christians were executed, the coroner of the Date clan sat on this stone and watched the execution. The stone used to be on the bank of the Sawanoirizawa River and was moved to its current location.
Information
- Location: Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Hodoko Kubizuka
This is the place where the heads of martyrs are said to have been buried in the Kamiokago village.
Three of Arayashiki's ancestors were buried there, and three memorial towers were erected in the pine forest on the west side of the hill facing north, opposite to the normal gravestones.
Information
- Location: Okago Yamashita, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Tokizosawa Execution Hall
It is said that ``Kyugakubazawa'' was corrupted into ``Tokizozawa''. Two stone monuments were erected, and these monuments are engraved with the words "Kansei Koji Kugetsu (Kansei 2)" and the names of the owner and 12 other executioners, including Nagamatsu. The heads of the martyrs who were executed here were taken to the Kashiba Kubi tomb.
There are also many stone monuments nearby, although their relationship is unknown.
Information
- Location: Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Hasebakubizuka
It is said that this is the place where the heads of the martyrs who were executed at the aforementioned Tokizozawa Execution Ground were hung on a rack and exposed, and then buried along with the written reasons for their execution. It is said that the execution locations mentioned in this article are all located along the current Prefectural Route 295 (Fujisawa Ogo Line) for demonstration purposes.
Information
- Address: 9, Ogo Takagane, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Uenosodekubizuka (Uenosodekubizuka)
It is said that the families of the martyrs who were executed at Jizo no Tsuji stole the heads under cover of night, wrapped them in the sleeves of their kimonos, and took them home with them, but they buried them on this mountain path, crying on their way back to the village.
Information
- Location: Okago, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Daitenba
The platform in the center of Senmatsu Village is known as the place where Kirishitan was changed. This is the place where the officials inspected all the believers to see if they were believers, and the ``fumi-e'' ceremony was performed by putting fences on both sides and letting each passerby pass through the Kido gate.
Those who refused the fumi-e were mercilessly taken to the Jizo-no-tsuji and executed.
Information
- Location: Okago Aomatsu, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Senmatsu Daihachiro's grave
It is said to be the grave of Daihachiro Senmatsu, who is said to have introduced iron-making technology and Christianity to this area. In 1938, an investigation by Professor Noritsugu Muraoka of Tohoku Imperial University revealed that it was Daihachiro's tomb, and a mark representing the Trinity was written on the top.
Information
- Location: Okago Aomatsu, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3522
Google Map
Chotokuji Temple Martyrs Memorial Memorial Tradition Monument
Chotoku-ji Temple in Fujisawa, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, was originally a temple within the Sendai domain, and is said to have been a temple where hidden Christians were integrated into the temple and hid them.
The proof of this was revealed in the ` `Shumon Kaicho '' (a survey document on faith that the shogunate instructed daimyo across the country to crack down on Christians) that was kept at the Yonekawa Catholic Church in Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture. This proves that the person written on this note is a danka of Chotokuji Temple and is not a Christian. Even though I know that he is a Christian, I decide that he is a Buddhist and leave his faith to me. The ``Shumon Kaicho,'' which is said to have been forged to save lives, was written here at Chotokuji Temple.
In September 2022, the first Buddhist-Christian joint memorial service was held at Chotoku-ji Temple. A cenotaph with a cross on it has also been erected within the temple grounds, and sutras and scriptures are recited during the memorial service on that day.
Information
- Address: 18 Horo Uwada, Fujisawa-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 029-3521
Google Map
summary
The number of martyrs in this Okago area is said to be over 300. It doesn't matter how many or how few there were, but the sadness and despair must have been too great. I visited various martyrdom sites there, but I am speechless.
Originally, the Date clan was tolerant of Christianity, and is said to be the last place in Japan where Christians were allowed. Furthermore, it is said that he even ran against Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the absolute sovereign at the time, saying, ``Allow Christian missionary mission in only my territory.''
However, that wish did not reach far, and they were unable to tolerate the Christians and had no choice but to follow the instructions of the shogunate.
There is a saying that we often hear: "The same things happen over and over again." If you are interested in making sure that the same thing does not happen again in the future, please visit the site once.
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