The park is located on Kurose Hill, a hill overlooking the sea of Ikitsuki
Island in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.
In the 1,588-square-meter garden, there is a cross-shaped Kurose no Tsuji
Martyrdom Monument called Gaspar-sama, which was built by Catholics in 1991.
It is also known as the place where Father Gaspar Villera first preached
Christianity in Ikitsuki in 1558 and erected a cross.
A mass is held every year around November 14, when Gaspar Nishigenka was
martyred.
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Father Gaspar Villera Cross.
In 1558, Father Gaspar Villera, the first Christian missionary, erected
a large cross on this site as a tomb for his followers.
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Then in 1563 a new cross was erected by Father Cosme de Torres. It was
said that the cross was "the most beautiful cross ever built in
Japan".
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A storm of persecution against Christianity blew, and the cross was
removed, but the desire to "give my life under that cross" remained.
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Then, in 1992, all the Ikitsuki Catholics erected a cross again at
this place where Nakaenoshima can be seen, praying that the virtues of
the many martyrs of Ikitsuki will be honored by their children and
grandchildren.
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Gaspar, Place of martyrdom.
«Gaspar Nishi was a statesman of Koteda, who reighned over the southern
part of Ikitsuki, during the Sengoku period. He was named Gaspar after
being baptized. In 1599 he became the leader of the Christians on the
island after the Christian governors Koteda en Ichubi left Nagazaki due
to the oppression of the Feudal lord of Hirado. However, this became
known to the Feudal lord in 1609 leading to Gaspar's execution, along
with his wife and eldest son, at Kurose-no-Tsuji (meaning hill of
crosses). According to records of missionaries he was buried at the
place of his execution and his alleged grave was found at around the
start of the 17th century. His grave is considered holy land by Hidden
Christians and the large pine tree that grows from his grave is refered
to as "Gaspar's Pine Tree".»
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Nakaeno Island seen from Cruz Nooka Park.
Nakaeno Island (Nakaeno-shima in Japanese) is an uninhabited island,
located to the north of Hirado Island, Nagasaki Prefecture. Currently,
no one is allowed to enter the island.
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In 1613, even though an edict was made by Yoshinaga that banned
missionaries and deported them, many missionaries snuck in to continue
their proselytizing.
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Father Camilo Constancio was one such missionary. He arrived in 1622
and secretly worked on the Hirado and Ikitsuki Islands.
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Not long after beginning his work, Father Constancio was captured and
burnt alive. Those who had helped him were also soon caught. It was
decided that these Christians were to be executed on Nakaeno Island.
It is said that the prisoners sang hymns as they rowed to the
execution site.
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In Christianity, it is taught that all martyrs go to heaven. In order
to insure that they do not go to heaven, 3 young brothers were put in
a sack, tied and thrown into the sea to be drowned.
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Nakaeno Island seen from south.
Commentary.
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According to Jesuit documents, ‘Sucamoto (Sacamoto) Guenzayemon João
and Indeguchi Jiroyemon Damian were taken to Nakaeno Island and
decapitated there’. They were punished for offering Father Camillo
Costanzo shelter and a boat, respectively. The same document provides
details of another case in which ‘Yuqinoura Jiroyemon João was
executed on 8 June, 1622, on Nakaeno Island, because he refused to
swallow paper inscribed with pagan words’, and that Damian’s family
members were also ‘killed at a place called “Hell” on Nakaeno Island’
in 1624.
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The uninhabited island of Nakaeno remains almost unchanged since the
period of the ban.
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See also
Source
Location
Ikitsuki Island Museum
St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church
Hirado Castle
Tabira Church
Shitsu Church
Karematsu Shrine
Oura Cathedral