Takayama Ukon in Manila, 17th century painting.

Dom Justo Takayama (1552 - February 4, 1615) was a kirishitan daimyo who rigidly followed his faith in the chaotic Sengoku period of Japan. Image File history File links TakayamaUkon. ... Image File history File links TakayamaUkon. ... The City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng Maynila), or simply Manila, is the capital of the Philippines. ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events June 2 - First Récollet missionaries arrive at Quebec City, from Rouen, France. ... Kirishitan (吉利支丹, 切支丹) meant Christian(s) in Japanese and is today used as a historiographic term for Christians in Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries. ... Daimyo Matsudaira Katamori visits the residence of a retainer. ... The Sengoku period (Japanese: 戦国時代, Sengoku-jidai) or Warring States period, was a period of civil war in the history of Japan that spans from the middle 15th to the early 17th centuries. ...

Takayama Justo was born to be the heir of Takayama Tomoteru, the lord of Sawa Castle in the Yamato Province. His name as a child was Hikogorō (彦五郎). At the age of 12 (1564), his father converted to Catholicism and Hikogorō was also baptized Justo. After his coming-of-age ceremony, Hikogorō was named Shigetomo (重友). However, he is better known as Takayama Ukon (高山右近). The name Ukon comes from the government post he pretended, the officer of Ukonoefu. (This was usual practice among samurai of the time.) Yamato (大和) was a province of Japan. ... Catholic - derived, through Latin, from the Greek adjective , meaning general, universal (cf. ...

Justo and his father fought through the turbulent age to secure their position as a daimyo. They managed to acquire Takatsuki Castle (Takatsuki, Osaka) under Oda Nobunaga and also under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, at least in the first years of his rule. During their domination of Takatsuki Region, Justo and his father Dario pushed their policy as Kirishitan daimyo (Christian daimyo) forward. Many of his fellows converted under his influence. , Takatsuki (高槻市; -shi) is a city located in Osaka, Japan. ... Oda Nobunaga (織田 ä¿¡é•·  , June 23, 1534–June 21, 1582) was a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. ... Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Shinjitai (modern Japanese) writing: ; KyÅ«jitai (historical) writing: 豐臣秀吉; born Hiyoshi-maru ; coming of age (gempuku) as Kinoshita Tōkichirō and later made Hashiba and martial nobility in the style of Hashiba Chikuzen no Kami Hideyoshi ; 1536 - September 18, 1598), was a Sengoku daimyo who unified Japan. ... Kirishitan (吉利支丹, 切支丹) meant Christian(s) in Japanese and is today used as a historiographic term for Christians in Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries. ...

However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi grew against Christianity and, in 1587, he ordered expulsion of missionaries. While many daimyo obeyed this order and discarded Catholicism, Justo proclaimed that he would maintain his religion and rather give up his land and property.

Justo lived under protection of his friends for several decades, but following the 1614 prohibition of Christianity by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ruler of the time, he was expelled from Japan. On November 8, 1614, together with 300 Japanese Christians he left his home country from Nagasaki. He arrived at Manila on December 21 and was greeted warmly by the Spanish Jesuits and the local Filipinos there. Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu The Tokugawa clan crest Tokugawa Ieyasu (previously spelled Iyeyasu); 徳川 家康 (January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... Events April 5 - In Virginia, Native American Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe. ... Nagasaki (Japanese: 長崎市, Nagasaki-shi  , long peninsula) is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan. ... The City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng Maynila), or simply Manila, is the capital of the Philippines. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ...

The Spanish Philippines offered its assistance in overthrowing the Japanese government by invasion to protect Japanese Catholics. Justo declined to participate, and died of illness just 40 days afterwards.

At that time, the Spaniards referred to the Paco Area as the "Yellow Plaza" because of the more than 3,000 Japanese who resided there. Plaza Dilao is the last vestige of the old town of Paco.

There is a statue of Dom Justo Takayama in Plaza Dilao, Manila. Justo appears in the statue wearing warrior robes with his hair tied in a knot. He is carrying a sword that is pointed downward, upon which hangs a figure of the crucified Christ. Dilao located in Paco, a district in Manila, and was a settlement of 3000 Japanese during the Spanish era around the year 1600. ...

See also

• Persecution of Christians in Japan

First Christians in Kiev by Vasily Perov; Christians worshipping secretly in fear of persecution Many Christians have experienced persecution from both non-Christians and from other Christians during the history of Christianity. ...

External links

• Samurai archives
• Inquirer