A Soul of the Far West

　　　　There is the monument of the Japanese patron saint in this island.
　　　His name is Saint Francis Xavier (Francisco de Jaso y Azpilicueta).

　　　　He stayed in the Far East for two years from 1549 to 1551.
　　　And he propagated Christianity for the first time in this country.

　　　He came to this island in 1549. Then this monument was built for 1949 that passed for 400 years.
　　　Many monuments were built in each place of Ooita-shi, Kagoshima-shi, etc.

　　　He is one of the foreigners who are the most famous in this country.
　　　Because we learn it in the history of the junior high shool, the most of the nation know him.

　　　　Nagasaki is area with many Christians.
　　　Because religion oppression was performed to in Edo era (1603-1868), there are many martyrs.

　　　This island is one of those, too. It was a Christian from a feudal lord to a farmer.
　　　Therefore there was a lot of "Hidden Christian".
　　　The tradition is still left.

　　　　

In Nagasaki, the war suffered severe damage in the Showa era (1926-1989).
　　　Nagasaki got over the thorny history with a soul of Saint Francis Xavier.