Loading

Search

:

Otome Toge St. Maria Chapel

  • Category:Spot
jmhzh8godpyrfww8vdfy_320_320-a9837242.jpg

JAPAN TRAVEL





The place of martyrdom for the hidden Christians

Tsuwano has many famous historical spots, but Otome Toge (乙女峠|おとめとうげ)is where the history itself is not of achievement, but of hardship and sorrow.

Christianity was forbidden for most of the Edo period (1600 - 1868), but it was in the first year of the Meiji period (1868) that prosecution became stricter than ever before. When seeing the foreign countries' growing delegates to Japan, the hidden Christians came forth, and proclaimed their faith in Nagasaki.

fwpikdnvdgkwufyyjyx3_320_320-8cbe5b5c.jpg
 

Christians brought to Tsuwano

The Meiji government arrested 3,000 believers and sent them to different parts of Japan. It was in this turbulent time, when 154 Christians were sent to the Tsuwano domain, where they were put in outbuildings around the former Korinji Temple, near Otome Toge pass in the mountains behind the Tsuwano castle town.

Tsuwano domain did not have a community of Christians (that we know of), and taking in these prisoners was an undeniable order from the central Meiji government. For five years, the believers were tortured with different methods, from being ordered to abandon their faith and trample on the holy Christ's paintings, receiving little food and reaching the brink of death from hunger, to being thrown into the frozen pond next to the temple during the winter.

69habnbnbkxogkvgdaso_320_320-87c80ac9.jpg
 
Another cruel way the Christians were treated is something called Sanjakuro, which is a cube of only 90cm (2.9ft, 35inch) on each side. Yasutaro, one of the 37 martyrs who died during the five years, was put into the Sanjakuro often. He wrote in his notes that "I am not lonely at all in this Sanjakuro. For just after midnight, a lady appears, clothed in a blue gown and wearing a blue veil just like the image of Santa Maria.

pp47r8uztewnnhfmppdt_320_320-39d58c00.jpg
 
She tells me stories so I am not lonely at all." It is said that the blessed Virgin appeared to martyr Yasutaro every night from 7-19 January in the second year of Meiji (1869). After international pressure, in the sixth year of Meiji (1873) the Decree of Prohibition of Christianity was abolished and the Christians were set free and some of them returned to Nagasaki.
 

Memorial chapel for the martyrs

The Otome Toge St. Mary Chapel was built in 1951 at the place of the former Korinji Temple, to remember the martyrs. This is the end station of the yearly Otome Toge memorial procession on 3 May. A solemn mass is held in the chapel that day.

6dyj3jnerezstrwcp9ca_320_320-a639b984.jpg

wsw4veok2egwd77ids2a_320_320-eb6b0a92.jpg
 
There is a sign on the chapel's door in Japanese. It says that anyone can freely go into the chapel to pray or to pay homage to the martyrs, but there are many animals and insects in the woods, so one is asked to make sure that the door is tightly closed during and after one's visit.
Tsuwano also has a church built in memorial of the hidden Christians, which can be found on Tonomachi street in the town center.
 

Stations of the cross

There is a path going into the woods that leads to the Monument of the blessedness. The 15-minute walk through the woods goes along the Stations of the Cross, but it is a bit of a challenge.

v867p9ivnres86jpgdgb_320_320-96c5bb94.jpg
 
While the path is well maintained, it is sometimes steep, and more of a walk through the woods than a walk in the park, so appropriate footwear is advised. The end of the path is the Monument for blessedness, and from there a road goes down to Youmeiji, the family temple of consecutive Tsuwano domain lord clans, spanning more than 700 years.

k9mworczf5kamr47m3my_320_320-230e9bf6.jpg
 

Getting there

The Otome Toge St. Mary Chapel is at the Otome pass, west from Tsuwano train station. Start walking south from the station, turn right and cross the train tracks at the first possibility.

After crossing the train tracks, turn right again. Walk straight for a few minutes, until you find a road to the left, going towards the hills between two temples, with a "乙女峠記念聖堂" sign at the crossing. From here, it takes about 10 minutes up the hill two the chapel and the memorial park.



by Denes Perlaky
 

Comment(s) Write comment

eco4lnxfeic viamedic com <a href="http://wjyyouxi.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=155504">cialis from canada?</a> canadian government approved pharmacies [url=http://yaya-home.ch/home.php?mod=space&uid=530199]substitute viagra[/url] 44-466 green pill
when will viagra go generic <a href="https://timeoftheworld.date/wiki/Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know">cialis from canadian pharmacies</a> viagra dosing [url=https://dohabb.com/index.php?page=user&action=pub_profile&id=1392487]indian pharma[/url] viagra prescriptions
cheap celias <a href="https://atavi.com/share/vowugmz1gang2">prescription medication canada</a> canadian government approved pharmacies [url=http://ddzjcn.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=655343]walmart medication list[/url] canadian overnight pharmacy
pxbzkabmg0d cialis coupon for pharmacy <a href="https://shorl.com/lodramufukify">free sample viagra</a> online prescription [url=https://spinalhub.win/wiki/How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]brand viagra[/url] viagra erection
free samples of viagra <a href="http://wiki.openn.eu/index.php?title=Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know">northwestpharmacy.com canada</a> generic viagra [url=https://marvelcomics.faith/wiki/Just_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]canadian pill store[/url] free viagra samples
prescription codes <a href="http://lz13w.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=222240">buy heroin online</a> viagra dosage [url=https://bysee3.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=993431]generic cialis[/url] us pharmacy for cialis
uxcsx1oneor viagra from canada pharmacy <a href="http://brewwiki.win/wiki/Post:How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy">cheap cialis canada</a> cost of viagra [url=https://atavi.com/share/vowvqvz1uq02m]getcanadiandrugs.com[/url] best viagra
canada pills <a href="https://pastelink.net/iudo1ggb">viagra jelly</a> canadian pharmacy cialis for daily use [url=http://giga2021.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=608650]viagra dosage[/url] online viagra canada
cialis at canadian pharmacies <a href="http://bbs.51pinzhi.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=3990792">ordering viagra online</a> buy brand viagra [url=https://myemotion.faith/wiki/Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know]low cost cialis[/url] viagra plus
epxnlo2vxin viagra patent expiration <a href="https://bysee3.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=993324">cheap viagra india</a> viagra erections [url=https://dohabb.com/index.php?page=user&action=pub_profile&id=1391566]canadian pharmacy online[/url] cielas
can women take viagra <a href="http://daojianchina.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=628109">canadian cheap viagra</a> generic viagra canadian [url=https://www.biaoqianyinshuawang.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=265598]taking viagra[/url] canadian drugs without a prescription
generic cialis in canada <a href="https://digitaltibetan.win/wiki/Post:Exactly_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy">canadian meds</a> cialis [url=https://timeoftheworld.date/wiki/Just_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]cheap viagra online[/url] what happens if a girl takes viagra
aurmg1qfck4 buy lsd online <a href="http://www.bbs-csw.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=154069">canadian pharmacy store</a> canadian pharmacies viagra [url=http://lz13w.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=222204]cialis without a doctor's prescription[/url] cialis usa pharmacy
free viagra samples <a href="http://51newyork.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=247244">canada.viagra</a> viagra in canada [url=https://clashofcryptos.trade/wiki/Exactly_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]india generic viagra[/url] best price on cialis
northwestpharmacy.com <a href="https://devpost.com/badji794gashkina1999">viagra order</a> how to take viagra [url=https://mooc.elte.hu/eportfolios/1382250/Home/How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]canada pills[/url] prescription drugs from canada prices
wwkiqn2te5v viagra before and after pictures <a href="http://926gm.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=647339">drugs canada</a> canadian rx pharmacy [url=https://bbs.now.qq.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=2761593]buy cialis online in canada[/url] viagra soft tabs
cost viagra <a href="https://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/PageRedirect.aspx?redirectedurl=http://www.canadotcphar.com/">cheap viagra from india</a> canadian-drugs [url=http://brewwiki.win/wiki/Post:Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know]northwestpharmacy.com scam[/url] online pharmacies without prescription
viagra without a doctor prescription in canada <a href="https://valetinowiki.racing/wiki/How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy">viagra price</a> buy cialis [url=https://bit.ly/3TeZi10+]viagra cialis[/url] generic viagra 100mg
up5xm8ttub8 buy viagra in canada <a href="https://shorl.com/bagestegodyty">prescription cialis</a> canadian levitra [url=http://83783.net/home.php?mod=space&uid=3129909]women and viagra[/url] cialis canadian
drugs shop <a href="http://bbs.txzqzb.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=1293529">cheap cialis online canada pharmacy</a> order viagra from canada [url=https://www.folkd.com/submit/http://www.canadotcphar.com//]canadian pharmacy store[/url] is generic viagra safe
mexican pharmacy <a href="https://www.longisland.com/profile/fishfall37">buy drugs online</a> northwestpharmacy .com [url=https://www.7khatcode.com/user/northsnow39]cialis at canadian pharmacies[/url] cialis pills
exvabpfzukf cheap viagra from canada <a href="http://pfzhe.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=376745">canadian drug store</a> buy medication online [url=https://motogpdb.racing/wiki/Exactly_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]best generic cialis[/url] ed meds
canada walmart <a href="https://wikidot.win/wiki/Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know">overseas pharmacy</a> generic pharmacy india [url=http://www.drugoffice.gov.hk/gb/unigb/www.canadotcphar.com/]viagra online in canada[/url] how does viagra work
viagra 100mg price <a href="https://learn.centa.org/forums/users/beatbuffet54/">northwestpharmacy .com</a> purchase viagra in canada [url=https://dsred.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=598750]cheap cialis in canada[/url] generic cialis in canada
cbf6n96a0kk free viagra pills <a href="https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/vanseal84/about-me/">viagra india</a> canadian pills online [url=http://qooh.me/inputbaby80]pfizer viagra[/url] what would happen if a girl took viagra
how to order viagra from canada <a href="http://goodjobdongguan.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=815311">viagra free samples</a> canadian pharmacy without a prescription [url=http://ikeynote.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=3880105]buy viagra without a prescription[/url] canadian viagra online
viagra testimonials <a href="https://backforgood.faith/wiki/Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know">drugs of canada</a> generic female viagra [url=http://4exn.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=510930]cialis.canada[/url] canadian online pharmacy
uvdnwtlsfto free viagra sample <a href="https://www.hepu360.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=465147">cheap viagra in canada</a> viagra canada pharmacy [url=https://speakerdeck.com/beatcap07]drugs shop[/url] what is viagra used for
viagra doses <a href="https://linkgeanie.com/profile/vanwallet90">medication canada</a> medication canada [url=https://v.gd/Ylt2wZ]canadian online drugstore[/url] canada for viagra
calis <a href="http://www.bbs-csw.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=154066">drugs online without a prescription</a> viagra coupons [url=https://minerheart.com/space-uid-716066.html]canadian pharmacy-viagra[/url] cialis over the counter canada
otlxpi3a3bn getcanadiandrugs .com <a href="https://www.vingle.net/posts/4848881">viagra free sample</a> viagra canada online [url=https://www.ivnew.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=409819]online viagra[/url] viagra in india
how to take viagra <a href="http://terradesic.org/forums/users/beatdead98/">cheap viagra for sale</a> www.canadianpharmacymeds.com [url=https://lovewiki.faith/wiki/Just_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]cheap canadian viagra[/url] best canadian pharcharmy online
cialis brand <a href="http://4exn.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=510985">viagra india pharmacy</a> my canadian pharmacy [url=https://fakenews.win/wiki/Just_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]buy cialis canada[/url] www.canadadrugsonline.com
ou2ti1spppz walmart rx prices <a href="https://wikidot.win/wiki/Five_Facts_About_Pharmacy_You_Need_to_Know">viagra women</a> onlinepharmaciescanada.com [url=https://shorl.com/bagestegodyty]cheap cialis[/url] canadian cialis
canadian pharmacy online for viagra <a href="https://app.glosbe.com/profile/6986058330523307232">viagra erections</a> buying cialis from canada [url=http://1ctv.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=673127]buy viagra online at[/url] order medication online
viagra coupon <a href="https://dokuwiki.stream/wiki/How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy">canadian online pharmacy for cialis</a> liquid viagra [url=https://sprzedambron.pl/author/menushade04/]viagra forum[/url] canadian pharmacy online
qjgknl0jk4t viagra mail order <a href="https://spamdb.science/wiki/Exactly_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy">drugs without a prescription</a> calis [url=https://v.gd/Ylt2wZ]daily cialis[/url] tadalafil india pharmacy
when will viagra go generic <a href="https://www.ted.com/profiles/39024606">best treatments for ed</a> viagra alternatives [url=https://writeablog.net/beatguilty93/exactly-how-to-buy-prescription-drugs-from-a-canadian-pharmacy]rx canada[/url] cheap canadian drugs
northwestpharmacy .com <a href="https://bbs.now.qq.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=2761729">canadian pharmacy viagra</a> how much is viagra [url=https://fkwiki.win/wiki/Post:Exactly_How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy]medications without prescription[/url] canada drug store
lzgtme4zsbj tadalafil india pharmacy <a href="https://www.cheaperseeker.com/u/bargewallet51">buy viagra online canada pharmacy</a> prescription cialis [url=https://unsplash.com/@squidshade53]walmart medication list[/url] real cialis
online pharmacy cialis <a href="http://6ujd.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=393634">costco usa</a> viagra for men [url=https://is.gd/Qhtjha]buy cialis online[/url] viagra soft
what happens if a girl takes viagra <a href="https://securityholes.science/wiki/How_to_Buy_Prescription_Drugs_From_a_Canadian_Pharmacy">cheapest viagra prices</a> universal pharmacy [url=https://dohabb.com/index.php?page=user&action=pub_profile&id=1391567]canada drug[/url] buy viagra online
oi4llhcn6kp usa pharmacy online <a href="http://51newyork.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=247241">canadian-pharcharmy</a> soft viagra [url=http://tkwlt.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=583335]free samples canada[/url] cheap celias
best price for viagra <a href="https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/theorybuffet1/about-me/">sildenafil canada</a> cheap cialis canada [url=https://flipboard.com/@sphereyard75]cialis usa pharmacy[/url] drugs without a prescription
viagra without a doctor prescription <a href="https://www.folkd.com/submit/http://www.canadotcphar.com//">buy cheap viagra</a> canadian pharcharmy online viagra [url=http://kb978.com/space-uid-1260825.html]viagra purchase[/url] alternative to viagra

Trackback (You need to login.)