Virtual Tour | Suwa Shrine: The 400 Year-Old Shrine Established to Limit the Spread of Christianity скачать в хорошем качестве

Virtual Tour | Suwa Shrine: The 400 Year-Old Shrine Established to Limit the Spread of Christianity

Suwa Shrine is the most important shrine in Nagasaki and one of many suwa shrines in Japan, but the reason for its establishment was less about worship and more of a reaction to the growing strength of Christianity in Japan. When Japan was finally unified under the Tokugawa Shogunate in the early 1600s Christianity was deemed a significant threat to the regime. After all, the Emperor and Shogun were to be revered, not a single (and foreign) god. The Tokugwa shogunate, under Tokugawa Ieyasu, determined that Christianity had outlived its use in Japan. Europeans had traded in many things, but it was guns that changed the landscape of battle in Japan (to some degree, at least). The official date for the Suwa Shrine is 1614, the same year of the anti-Christianity edict that launched the persecution of Christians in Japan. It was also a response to many of the older Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in the region that were destroyed by Christians, thus reversing an earlier policy of tolerance. Every citizen in Nagasaki, in fact, had to register as a patron of the shrine. The current structure - which survived the atomic bombing that gave right wing nationalists an argument that the gods were on their side as Urakami Cathedral and Christian churches were destroyed - still survives in its original form. In 1647 and 1683 the shrine was actually moved further up the hill, making it easier to see. The shrine itself was used to impress upon foreigners locked in the isolated island of Dejima of Japanese pride in their culture by hosting Noh plays, sumo, and festivals (the Kunchi festival dates back to the founding of the shrine). During the Tokugawa reign the government was relentless at exposing and punishing ‘hidden Christians. One strategy was to have people walk on a portrait of Jesus, the practice known as ‘fumi-e’ (stepping on the picture). The persecution of Christians, however, wasn’t anything new. Toyotomi Hideyoshi infamously engineered the crucifixion of 26 Christins in 1597. ***** ➡️ Explore Japan's rich history with engaging video content, including in 360°. Designed to be a fun and interactive way to learn about the fascinating history of Japan, discover the wonders of this incredible country. Educators of Japanese history and culture are welcome to download free image content. 📚 Educators: Links 360° images for download and classroom use will be available soon. 🔗 Access to 360° images coming eventually at www.socialstudiessamurai.com! Thumbnail image by the channel author.