(4 Jun 2025)
JAPAN NAGASAKI HIDDEN CHRISTIANS
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 6:15
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ikitsuki, Nagasaki, Japan – 29 April 2025
1. Close of Masatsugu Tanimoto and Yoshitaka Oishi making a sign of the cross while praying
2. Wide of (left to right) Masatsugu Tanimoto, Yoshitaka Oishi and Yoshinori Yamamoto
3. Mid of Oishi chanting with his eyes tightly closed
4. Close of Yamamoto chanting
5. Various of three singing "Uta Orasho"
6. Tanimoto and Oishi putting their hands together while praying
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ikitsuki, Nagasaki, Japan – 27 April 2025
7. Various of Tanimoto flipping pages of a hand-written orasho lyrics passed on from his father
8. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masatsugu Tanimoto, 68-year-old faithful:
"Compared to the past, there are very few occasions to perform orasho, and many have discontinued their beliefs. We have no successors so it is likely to end with our generation – that is the situation."
9. Close of Tanimono’s hands on booklet
10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masatsugu Tanimoto, 68-year-old faithful:
"Whatever happens in the future, I hold onto the hope (that my son will show interest) but Kakure Christianity itself will become extinct sooner or later and that is inevitable. But I hope at least in my family, it will go on."
11. Tanimoto taking out otenpencia, a whip of penance, out of a bag, unwrapping a scroll, UPSOUND (Japanese) "This is something which has been passed down from generation to generation."
12. Tanimoto opening up the scroll
13. Various of Tanimoto hanging up a cloth
14. Close of otenpencia and water vessel to carry the holy water
15. Tilt up of scroll
16. Mid of scroll hanging
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ikitsuki, Nagasaki, Japan – 28 April 2025
17. Wide of rice paddy fields
18. Farmer planting rice
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ikitsuki, Nagasaki, Japan – 27 April 2025
19. Mid of retired town hall official and faithful, Masashi Funabara
20. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masashi Funabara, faithful:
"In our group, which consists of six households, we also discussed whether we can keep on going. It was inevitable to question the continuation, because there were households with no children to inherit, but a grandmother, and some with children who had left the island for work."
21. Close of Funabara’s hands
22. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masashi Funabara, faithful:
"It is tricky if you are not around. Catholics can pray at churches wherever they are, but with Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christianity) it is all about objects of worship which are housed in individual households. Therefore it is difficult to continue once you leave home."
23. Various of a scroll, illustrating the Annunciation
24. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masashi Funabara, faithful:
"I had only reached the age of 40 (when the group faced the challenge of discontinuity) and thought I can keep on praying. So I suggested and asked if I could keep the object of worship. Then those who were planning to quit said, they were pleased if we could keep the object of worship locally, rather than donating to the museum."
25. Visitors looking at the exhibition
26. Close of wooden panel, notifying the ban of Christianity
27. Prayers written down on paper
28. Pan of rolled paper with prayers
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ikitsuki, Nagasaki, Japan – 28 April 2025
29. Various of Buddhist statues located near village
30. Wide of cliff
31. Stone monument located down the cliff where Kakure Christians gather and pray once a year
STORYLINE:
LEADIN:
A rare version of Christianity looks to be heading towards extinction in rural Japan.
STORYLINE:
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