Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

What happened to the Kirishitan during the Meiji era?

Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

During the Meiji era (1867–1912) in Japan, the Kirishitan (Japanese Christians) won the right to declare their faith and worship publicly, with many rejoining the Roman Catholic Church, while others maintained a form of Christianity mixed with Buddhism and other non-Christian beliefs. This latter group became known as Hanare Kirishitan (Separate Christians).