Leaving His Parents..........Anthony 1

He is a thirteen-years-old boy, Anthony, who was martyred on the cross side by side with Luis Ibaraki who had chosen God in Yamamoto village, Saga.  His home town was Nagasaki with his Chinese father. His parents weren't believers in Jesus Christ yet.  Then, government officials permitted his parents to come to beneath the cross of Anthony in his execution.  They eagerly wanted him to abandon the Christian faith somehow. The parents of Anthony shouted.
"It's a terrible thing for parents to outlive their child, isn't it? Please, please come down.  Anthony, please, please abandon Christ and come down."

Clinging desperately the cross, his parents was partly frantic to cry out.  But, Anthony told toward his parents.
"My father, my mother.  Please rejoice. I am going to heaven from now. Father and mother, please don't cry.  I go to heaven first and am waiting for your coming, Father and Mother. Therefore, please believe in Jesus, my father and my mother, and come to heaven after me.  Be glad, please. Please be glad."

Twenty-Six Crosses 2

Luis Ibaraki, the youngest 12-year old boy was among the twenty-six. He refused the request,"Be my adopted son" from Hanzaburo in Yamamoto Mura, SAga, and chose God. Arriving on the hill of Nishizaka, he asked guards there.
"Which is my cross I would be put?"
The guards indicated looking at him,"The cross you will be put is the smallest one over there." And Luis Ibaraki ran up to his cross with smile, and embraced and rubbed his cheek with the cross, and then kissed.
The executioners began their task of attaching the bodies to the crosses.  Fastening iron clamps around the neck, hands and feet,  they tied around the waist with a cord to keep the body steady. They fastened to the crosses fitly.  And they maneuvered the foot of each cross next to the hole that had already been dug and let it slip down inside.  Then, twenty-six crosses got straightened upright on the hill of Nishizaka. With twenty-six martyrs……..

Twenty-Six Crosses 1

Twenty-six holes were dug on the hill of Nishizaka, and each cross of twenty-six span-new ones was lying before each dug hole. They were cut away carefully and made elaborately. The height of cross was over two meters, and had a larger crossbar to tie both hands and a smaller one to hold legs. Each cross had five iron shackles to keep steady to the cross with one for neck, two for both wrists, and the last two for both ankles.  And there was a protruding seat for a martyr to sit in between them.

At 9:30 in the morning, twenty-six martyrs arrived on the hill of Nishizaka.  As soon as their own crosses were shown, they ran up dancing, and embraced their own crosses they were to be put on.

Farewell, Father and Son…John Goto 3

 I grew up in a Christian family.  Now, I will be the father of three sons and totally six children. While observing how this father and son were contacting, I was moved with special impression.  They were a 19-year-old young John Goto, who was zealous to salvation to his last and the father, who sent his son to heaven with gladness, and lived himself for missionary work, and got prepared for martyrdom. Even though he had a possibility to lose his beloved son, the love between these two and their reliance and love to the Lord never collapsed. I also wish to succeed their heart toward the Lord. I had no choice to think so even as a son and as a father.

Farewell, Father and Son…John Goto 2

They were John Goto who entrusted to his father salvation of lost souls and missionary work at the hour he himself was going to martyr, and his father who accepted and answered unwaveringly. Both of them were considering about missionary work.  The father was quite content and glad to know the faith of his son, who was mentioning about salvation to lost souls before he would be martyred. The faith of his son, who had been glad with prayer and love until that moment, came out in troubles, martyrdom God gave.  It was a wonderful blessing.

Martyrdom

On the way, they had a break for a while at the hospital for leprosy in Urakami, where Father Pasio, the Jesuit, was waiting. He was there to hear confession of three members of Jesuit.

Martyrdom

Wednesday, February 5th, 1597, the day 26 Saints of Martyrs were supposed to be martyred was finally here.  

Last Wish 10

Last Wish 10

But twenty-six martyrs had nothing they had lost. They returned with glorious victory on the hill of Nishizaka to meet Jesus Christ Himself.

Last Wish5

Last Wish5

However, Hanzaburo, who was always afraid of reproof from Hideyoshi, countermanded the promise he did after they reached here, "We can't stay execution until Friday, February 7th. The execution would be put in effect immediately on Wednesday 5th, today."

Gethemane

     It was around 11:00 at night. Togitsu was a Christian town. Escort officers were afraid if these martyrs might be grabbed, and took precautions.  Then they didn’t permit twenty-six martyrs even to get on the beach. Keeping to have their hands tied behind their back, they crouched down and spent night in uncomfortable boats.  It is considered that martyrs awaited the dawn without being able to sleep. This night became their last one on the earth. This night was certainly a Gethemane for them.

     Standing in the port of Togitsu and praying with watching the bay, I feel as if I were hearing their breathing. The 800 km journey was about to end on the next day after almost one month. It was true that their flesh got all weakened. But, they had love to the Lord Jesus and their assured hope toward heaven. Their faith in their Lord were burning not vanishing even at a frosty night.

     At dawn on the next day, February 2nd, they left for the hill of Nishizaka, where they would be martyred.  Eventually, it came the day of their triumphal parading to heaven.  

Tears of Peter Baptist 2

     Once, there were such missionaries in Japan. That’s the missionary who didn’t look after himself, his mother country, or even his family remained there, and who couldn’t help but weep for the missionary work in this Japan, even before the death and even before the martyrdom, 

     Revival absolutely comes to Japan. God remembers teas of Fr. Peter Baptist. He engraves his prayer in His mind. Then, He uses us as His answers to his prayer.

     I have been to Sonogi lots of times. Whenever I visits there, the Lord gives me His utterance. “You are the answer of His weeping.”

     We need to keep it in our mind that the work of big revival in the last days the Lord is going to perform would be the answer of their prayer with tears, too.  We should keep in remembrance that once there were people (missionaries) who came for missionary activities, leaving their mother countries and their own family, and were martyred with gladness. 

     These twenty-six martyrs divided into three little boats without covers, reached Togitsu from Sonogi through a frosty night sea. All of them were bound with ropes around their neck except for foreign priests, and their both hands were bound with those ropes behind their back.

Tears of Peter Baptist 1

Going down steep mountain, they reached the port of Sonogi. It was a little after midday on February 4th. While the prisoners were quietly discussing recent events, gazing at at the peaceful countryside, Fr. Peter Baptist dropped back a few steps, sat on a rock, and began meditating. After for a while, tears uncontrollably started to come out of his eyes.

“I am marching to my death.  I am going to die for preaching Jesus Christ. I was given great joy. Even if missionary activities has only just begun in this country, his brothers in the Lord, who were supposed to succeed, are going to die, too. How is the missionary work going in this nation? The enterprise for which he had sacrificed everything is going to be undone.”

     It was not for his own life or the country he was born and grown up or his family that he wept.

     Yes. for this country, he wept for our country this Japan. He just did looking after future of this Japan our country. He cried watching over all the difficulties Christians in Japan would suffer from.  

Steep Mountain

     My wife and I passed Mihara, Shimonoseki, Hakata, and Yamamoto village where Rudobigo Ibaragi had chosen God. We prayed there and put up at an inn in Karatsu. On the next day, we continued on our journey to Imari, Takeo, and Sonogi being jolted on a single tracked train and bus.

     Twenty-six martyrs were getting tired from a long journey. Before they were about to enter Nagasaki where they were to be martyred, there was a course hard road waiting. The road from Yamamoto to Sonogi was mountainous and a very steep road continued. They hardly saw anyone pass by on that road. Their body got so weak but they proceeded to climb up to the steep road quietly.

     When they went over the mountain and reached to the top, they could get the whole view of Omura Bay. They took a rest there. At their feet, the beautiful scenery of Omura Bay which was like a quiet Ocean spread out. They were touched by the wonderful scenery and felt their tiredness and pains disappear. 

     If there is such wonderful scenery which comforts us on earth, how much greater scenery waits for us when we finish our journey of martyrdom and go back to heaven. Meditating on that, they might have feel joy and praise spring out from their inside.

Family

     God’s love was being poured on their family, the love based on their faith toward the Lord. They respected and loved each other. They were living by faith when they gave their lives and put their family into His hands. Even though they lost their family members, they continued to believe the Lord. Because they knew that they could see each other again in heaven, they continued to love Him. This hope sustained them. They testified that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

     It is an encouraging surprise that such families used to live in Japan. The Lord will be reviving these families again in this country. He is building up these families for the end times and for the era of persecution and martyrdom.

Letter By Thomas Kozaki 2

     On the night of January 19th in 1597, hiding it from the eyes of the guards and crying, 15-year-old Thomas Kozaki wrote this farewell letter to his mother Martha.  Since he was being sent on guards as a prisoner, he had no way to let his mother receive.  He passed this letter to his father Michael.  His father Michael attached it beneath his underwear.  A Portuguese found this letter stained with blood after the crucifixion within the garments of his father Michael.  

     The 15-year-old boy was only concerned about his beloved mother and younger brothers, not his own life. He had no fear or anxiety about his father and he himself would come to death very soon.  He’d rather be glad. Because he clearly had hope and assurance toward heaven.  But it is sure that he might come across his remained mother and little infant brothers. However, he commended his mother and little brothers into the hand of the Lord and trusted on Him.

     Standing in the ruins of the Mihara castle close by Mihara station of bullet train, I prayed for a while and asked the Lord.  It was where the faith to the Lord and hope toward heaven had been nurtured and given.  Then, the Lord answered. That’s “It’s family."

Letter By Thomas Kozaki 1

“Dear Mother, I am writing this letter with help of God’s grace.   

     As testified in the sentence that is carried on a board, the priests and the others are journeying to be crucified in Nagasaki number in all twenty-four. You should not worry about me and my father Michael.  I am waiting in paradise, hoping to see you very soon.  

     Although you need the priests, if you are earnestly repenting your sins with all of your heart at the hour of your death and if you are giving thanks for the many blessings of Jesus Christ, then you will be saved.  And bear in mind that everyone in this world has to come to an end, and so strive so that you will not lose the eternal total happiness of paradise (heaven).  No matter what men impose on you, try to be patient and show much charity for everyone.

     In particular, regarding my two younger brothers, Mancius and Philip, don’t allow them to fall into the hands of heathens.  I commend you to our Lord and ask you to send my greeting to everyone I know. 

     I eagerly repeatedly ask you to remember to repent your sins, for this alone is important.  Adam was saved by his repentance and the redemption although he sinned against God.

     The 2nd day of the Twelfth Moon, in Mihara fortress, in the kingdom of Aki."

Following The Footsteps

     We, as a married couple, were sent to Nagasaki in May 1988, 8 years ago.

     We got the laying on of hands in Tokyo on May 15th, went to Kyoto with my parturient wife by bullet train, and reached Nagasaki following the trace of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan from there. 

     First in Kyoto, we crossed over Modori-bashi (Returning bridge), where we did prayer for a while.  Then, we went aboard a bullet train, passed following in their footsteps from Kyoto to Osaka, Hyogo, Akashi, Himeji and furthermore Okayama and Onomichi, and finally reached Mihara, where we got off and stayed overnight.

     Here’s the place where Thomas Kozaki, one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan, wrote to his mother. He was only a 15-year-old boy, but was martyred together with his 48-year-old father Michael Kozaki. He was executed on the cross on the hill of Nishizaka, together with his father Michael Kozaki, a native of Ise province and a maker of bows and arrows. 

　Kyoto City (present)

Little Luis Ibaraki 3

“Only on condition that you stop being a Christian. I will allow anything but that matter.  Let me tolerate. I can’t permit you to keep having a faith the same as now. You can live for another 50 years. You can have good fancy meal. You can put on fine cloth. Furthermore, you can be a worrier with sword, and be a feudal lord, too.”

     Hanzaburo told, just trying to save Luis Ibaraki.

     But, little Luis said this, gazing eyes of Hanzaburo.

“I don’t want to live on that condition. Because, it is not reasonable to exchange a life that has no end for one that soon finishes.

     The warrior, it is much better to become a Christian and go to heaven. Believe in Christ and let’s go to heaven together with me.”

    Several times, I have visited the village of Yamamoto, where this endearing little Luis, aged 12, chose God. God’s deep presence is poured on whenever I pray looking up the heavens, with being seated on the banks of the river flowing along the village of Yamamoto.

     This boy’s eyes were turned to imperishable heaven. He knew what an assured reward heaven is.  This is why he refused any favor on the earth. Good tasty fancy meal, dresses, long life and even the title as a feudal lord……  It’s absolutely true that he knew. How assured the heavenly reward is.

Little Luis Ibaraki 2

     Then, he said to Luis.

“Your life is in my hands. If you wish to serve me, I will save you. Why don’t you be my adopted son?”

     Luis answered.

“I just leave Priest Peter Baptist to decide this matter.”

     The friar hearing that, said,”Be glad to accept on condition that he lets you live as a Christian.” And, Luis responded to Hanzaburo.

“Thank you. I accept to be your adopted son. But I have only thing I wish. If I could continue to have a faith as a Christian in the same as now…..." 

Little Luis Ibaraki

     On February 1, Hanzaburo Terazawa took charge of the band of the martyrs in Yamamoto a village not far from Karatsu bay. Hanzaburo was a younger brother of Hirotaka Terazawa, lord of Karatsu, the supervisor of execution and Nagasaki magistrate. 
     He received prisoners matching them to their names, but at that time two things broke his heart. Paul Miki a friend of his and three little boys were involved in prisoners. Above all, thinking he had to execute vigorous Luis Ibaraki aged 12 made his heart dark and heavy.