The Martyrs of Japan (日本の殉教者, Nihon no junkyōsha) were Christian missionaries and followers who were persecuted and executed for their faith in Japan, mostly during the Tokugawa shogunate period in the 17th century.
Christian missionaries arrived with Francis Xavier and the Jesuits in the 1540s and briefly flourished, with over 100,000 converts, including many daimyo in Kyushu. The shogunate and imperial government at first supported the Catholic mission and the missionaries, thinking that they would reduce the power of the Buddhist monks, and help trade with Spain and Portugal. However, the Shogunate was also wary of colonialism, seeing that the Spanish had taken power in the Philippines, after converting the population. It soon met resistance from the highest office holders of Japan. Emperor Ogimachi issued edicts to ban Catholicism in 1565 and 1568, but to little effect. Beginning in 1587 with imperial regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s ban on Jesuit missionaries, Christianity was repressed as a threat to national unity. After the Tokugawa shogunate banned Christianity in 1620, it ceased to exist publicly. Many Catholics went underground, becoming hidden Christians (隠れキリシタン, kakure kirishitan), while others lost their lives. Only after the Meiji Restoration, was Christianity re-established in Japan.
The first group of martyrs, known as the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan (1597), were canonized by the Church in 1862 by Pope Pius IX.
The same pope beatified the second group, known as the 205 Martyrs of Japan (1598–1632), in 1867.
The persecution of Missionaries and Christian followers continued after the martyrdom of the twenty-six souls in 1597. Jesuit fathers and others who had successfully fled to the Philippines wrote reports which led to a pamphlet that was printed in Madrid in 1624 "A Short Account of the Great and Rigorous Martyrdom, which last year (1622) was suffered in Japan by One Hundred and Eighteen Martyrs'.
Through the promulgation of decree on martyrdom, Pope Pius IX venerated these martyrs on 26 February 1866 and beatified them on 26 May 1867. This group is also known as Alfonso Navarrette Benito, Perdo of Ávila, Carlo Spinola, Ioachim Díaz Hirayama, Lucia de Freitas, and 200 companions.
Blessed Ferdinand Ayala Ferdinand of Saint Joseph – 1 June 1617Blessed Peter Zúñiga – 19 August 1622Blessed Bartholomew Gutierrez – 3 September 1632Blessed Francis of Jesus – 3 September 1632Blessed Vincent of Saint Antony – 3 September 1632Blessed Alonso de Mena Navarette – 10 September 1622Blessed Alfonso Navarrete-Benito – 1 June 1617Blessed Angelo of Saint Vincent Ferrer Orsucci – 10 September 1622Blessed Domingo Castellet Vinale – 8 September 1628Blessed Francisco Morales Sedeño – 10 September 1622Blessed Jacinto Orfanell-Prades – 10 September 1622Blessed Jose of Saint Hyacinth Maroto – 10 September 1622Blessed Juan Martínez Cid – 19 March 1619Blessed Luis Bertrán Exarch – 29 July 1627Blessed Luis Flores – 19 August 1622Blessed Pedro of Saint Catherine Vásquez – 25 August 1624Blessed Tomás of the Holy Spirit – 12 September 1622Blessed Antonio of Saint Dominic - 8 September 1628Blessed Dominicus of the Rosary Magoshichirō – 10 September 1622Blessed Mancius of the Cross – 29 July 1627Blessed Mancius of Saint Thomas Shibata – 12 September 1622Blessed Petrus of Saint Mary – 29 July 1627Blessed Thomas of the Rosary – 10 September 1622Blessed Thomas of Saint Hyacinth – 8 September 1628Blessed Antonius of Saint Francis – 16 August 1627Blessed Francisco Gálvez Iranzo – 4 December 1623Blessed Francisco of Saint Mary – 16 August 1627Blessed Gabriel of the Magdalene – 3 September 1632Blessed Pedro of the Assumption – 22 May 1917Blessed Pedro of Ávila – 10 September 1622Blessed Vincent of Saint Joseph Ramírez – 10 September 1622Blessed Antonio of Saint Dominic – 8 September 1628Blessed Dominicus of Saint Francis – 8 September 1628Blessed Franciscus of Saint Bonaventure – 12 September 1622Blessed Paulus of Saint Clare – 12 September 1622Blessed Apolinar Franco Garcia – 12 September 1622Blessed Bartolomé Días Laurel – 16 August 1627Blessed Juan Santamarta – 16 August 1618Blessed Luis Cabrera Sotelo – 25 August 1625Blessed Richard of Saint Anne – 10 September 1622Blessed Louis Sasada – 25 August 1624Blessed Ambrosio Fernandes – 7 January 1620Blessed Baltasar de Torres Arias – 20 June 1626Blessed Camillo Battista Constanzo – 15 September 1622Blessed Carlo Spinola – 10 September 1622Blessed Diogo Carvalho (martyr) – 22 February 1624Blessed Francisco Pacheco – 20 June 1626Blessed Giovanni Battista Zola – 20 June 1626Blessed Girolamo de Angelis – 4 December 1623Blessed João Baptista Machado de Távora – 22 May 1617Blessed Miguel de Carvalho – 25 August 1624Blessed Pietro Paolo Navarro – 1 November 1622Blessed Antonius Ishida Kyūtaku – 3 September 1632Blessed Antonius Kyūni – 10 September 1622Blessed Augustinus Ōta – 10 August 1622Blessed Dionisius Fujishima Jubyōe – 1 November 1622Blessed Gaspar Sadamatsu – 20 June 1626Blessed Gundisalvus Fusai Chōzō – 10 September 1622Blessed Ioannes Chūgoku – 10 September 1622Blessed Joannes Kisaku – 20 June 1626Blessed Leonardus Kimura – 18 November 1619Blessed Ludovicus Kawara Rokuemon – 10 September 1622Blessed Michaël Nakashima Saburōemon – 25 December 1628Blessed Michaël Satō Shunpō – 10 September 1622Blessed Michaël Tōzō – 20 June 1626Blessed Paulus Shinsuke – 20 June 1626Blessed Petrus Onizuka Sadayū – 1 November 1622Blessed Petrus Rinsei – 20 June 1626Blessed Petrus Sanpō – 10 September 1622Blessed Sebastianus Kimura – 10 September 1622Blessed Simon Enpō – 4 December 1623Blessed Thomas Akahoshi – 10 September 1622Blessed Thomas Tsūji – 7 September 1627Blessed Vincentius Kaǔn – 20 June 1626Blessed John Shozaburo – 28 October 1630Blessed Michael Kiuchi Tayemon – 28 October 1630Blessed Peter Kuhieye – 28 October 1630Blessed Thomas Terai Kahioye – 28 October 1630Blessed Lawrence Hachizo – 28 October 1630Blessed Mancio Seisayemon – 28 October 1630Blessed Domingos Jorge – 18 November 1619Blessed Agnes Takeya – 10 September 1622Blessed Alexius Nakamura – 27 November 1619Blessed Andreas Murayama Tokuan – 18 November 1619Blessed Andreas Yoshida – 1 October 1617Blessed Antonius Hamanomachi (Korean) – 10 September 1622Blessed Antonius Kimura – 27 November 1619Blessed Antonius Sanga – 10 September 1622Blessed Antonius Yamada – 19 August 1622Blessed Apollonia of Nagasaki – 10 September 1622Blessed Bartholomaeus Kawano Shichiemon – 10 September 1622Blessed Bartholomaeus Mohyōe – 19 August 1622Blessed Bartholomaeus Seki – 27 November 1619Blessed Catharina of Nagasaki – 10 September 1622Blessed Clara Yamada – 10 September 1622Blessed Clemens Ono – 10 September 1622Blessed Cosmas Takeya Sozaburō – 18 November 1619Blessed Damianus Tanda Yaichi – 10 September 1622Blessed Dominicus Nakano – 10 September 1622Blessed Dominicus Yamada – 10 September 1622Blessed Dominica Ogata – 10 September 1622Blessed Gaspar Ueda Hikojirō – 1 October 1617Blessed Iacobus Matsuo Denji – 19 August 1622Blessed Joannes Iwanaga – 27 November 1619Blessed Ioannes Miyazaki Soemon – 19 August 1622Blessed Joannes Motoyama – 27 November 1619Blessed Ioannes Nagata Matashichi – 19 August 1622Blessed Ioannes Yagō – 19 August 1622Blessed Joannes Yoshida Shōun – 18 November 1619Blessed Ioachim Diaz Hirayama – 19 August 1622Blessed Isabella Fernandes – 10 September 1622Blessed Jakub Bunzō Gengorō – 17 August 1620Blessed Laurentius Ikegami Rokusuke – 19 August 1622Blessed Leo Nakanishi – 27 November 1619Blessed Leo Sukeemon – 19 August 1622Blessed Matthias Kozasa – 27 November 1619Blessed Matthias Nakano – 27 November 1619Blessed Magdalena Kiyota Bokusai – 17 August 1620Blessed Magdalena Sanga – 10 September 1622Blessed Marcus Takenoshita Shin’emon – 19 August 1622Blessed Maria Gengorō – 17 August 1620Blessed Maria Hamanomachi – 10 September 1622Blessed Maria Murayama – 10 September 1622Blessed Maria Tanaura – 10 September 1622Blessed Maria Yoshida – 10 September 1622Blessed Michaël Diaz Hori – 19 August 1622Blessed Michaël Takeshita – 27 November 1619Blessed Paulus Sankichi – 19 August 1622Blessed Romanus Motoyama Myotarō – 27 November 1619Blessed Rufus Ishimoto – 10 September 1622Blessed Simon Kiyota Bokusai – 17 August 1620Blessed Thecla Nagaishi – 10 September 1622Blessed Thomas Gengorō – 17 August 1620Blessed Thomas Koteda Kyūmi – 27 November 1619Blessed Thomas Koyanagi – 19 August 1622Blessed Thomas Shichirō – 10 September 1622Blessed Alexius Sanbashi Saburō – 10 September 1622Blessed Caius Akashi Jiemon – 16 August 1627Blessed Dominicus Shobyōye – 16 September 1628Blessed Francisca Pinzokere – 16 August 1627Blessed Gaspar Koteda – 11 September 1622Blessed Iacobus Hayashida – 10 September 1628Blessed Ioannes Imamura – 8 September 1628Blessed Joannes Tomachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Leo Aibara – 8 September 1628Blessed Leo Kurōbyōe Nakamura – 16 August 1627Blessed Lucia Ludovica – 8 September 1628Blessed Ludovicus Nihachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Magdalena Kiyota – 16 August 1627Blessed Maria Tanaka – 10 September 1622Blessed Matthaeus Alvarez Anjin – 8 September 1628Blessed Michaël Himonoya – 16 September 1628Blessed Michaël Yamada Kasahashi – 8 September 1628Blessed Paulus Aibara Sandayū – 8 September 1628Blessed Paulus Himonoya – 16 September 1628Blessed Paulus Nagaishi – 10 September 1622Blessed Paulus Tanaka – 10 September 1622Blessed Romanus Aibara – 8 September 1628Blessed Franciscus Kuhyōe – 16 August 1627Blessed Gaspar Vaz – 16 August 1627 Tsuji ShōbyōeBlessed Hieronymus of the Cross – 3 September 1632 IyoBlessed Leo Satsuma – 10 September 1622Blessed Louis Baba – 25 August 1624Blessed Ludovicus Maki Soetsu – 7 September 1627Blessed Ludovicus Matsuo Soyemon – 16 August 1627Blessed Lucia de Freitas – 10 September 1622Blessed Lucas Tsuji Kyūemon – 16 August 1627Blessed Martinus Gómez Tōzaemon – 1 August 1627Blessed Maria Vaz – 16 August 1627 Maria ShōbyōeBlessed Michaël Koga Kizayemon – 16 August 1627Blessed Thomas Satō Shin’emon (Korean) – 16 August 1627Blessed Caius of Korea (Korean) – 15 November 1624Blessed Leo Tanaka – 1 June 1617Blessed Matthias of Nagasaki – 27 May 1620Blessed Andreas Yakichi – 2 October 1622Blessed Antonius Ono – 10 September 1622Blessed Catharina Tanaka – 12 July 1626Blessed Clemens Kyūemon – 1 November 1622Blessed Dominicus Magoshichi – 12 September 1622Blessed Dominicus Nihachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Dominicus Tomachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Franciscus Nihachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Franciscus Takeya – 11 September 1622Blessed Franciscus Yakichi – 2 October 1622Blessed Ignatius Jorge-Fernandes – 10 September 1622Blessed Ioannes Hamanomachi – 10 September 1622Blessed Ioannes Maki Jizaemon – 7 September 1627Blessed Ioannes Onizuka Naizen – 12 July 1626Blessed Ioannes Tanaka – 12 July 1626Blessed Laurentius Yamada – 8 September 1628Blessed Lucia Yakichi – 2 October 1622Blessed Ludovicus Onizuka – 12 July 1626Blessed Ludovicus Yakichi – 2 October 1622Blessed Mancius Araki Kyūzaburō – 8 July 1626Blessed Matthias Araki Hyōzaemon – 12 July 1626Blessed Michaël Tanda – 10 September 1622Blessed Michaël Tomachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Monica Onizuka – 12 July 1626Blessed Paulus Tomachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Petrus Araki Chobyōe – 12 July 1626Blessed Petrus Hamanomachi – 10 September 1622Blessed Petrus Kawano – 11 September 1622Blessed Petrus Nagaishi – 10 September 1622Blessed Thomas Tomachi – 8 September 1628Blessed Zuzanna Araki Chobyōe – 12 July 1626