History
Francis Xavier in Japan: Kagoshima to Kyoto
Francis Xavier, the missionary, came ashore at Kagoshima in 1549 and spent more than two years in Japan, preaching in Hirado and Yamaguchi before a failed trip to Kyoto.
The route follows his path through Kagoshima, Hirado, Yamaguchi and Kyoto, with dates from his life. Pins mark towns and areas, since the exact spots are not recorded.
Timeline & locations
What do the location labels mean?
- Approximate
- The right area — a town, park or district — but not a precise spot.
Francis Xavier was not permitted to enter any port his ship arrived at until 15 August 1549, when he went ashore at Kagoshima. He travelled with Anjirō, a Japanese man he had met in Malacca. The landing was on the coast of Gionnosu, now part of the city. Anjirō's family hosted Xavier until October 1550. Today Gionnosu is an urban district of Kagoshima.
Location precision: Only the Gionnosu coast is named, not an exact spot; the pin marks Kagoshima.
Visitor guidance: Kagoshima is a major city; the Gionnosu district is within its urban area.
Sources
- Francis Xavier
- Locator:
- Missionary work, Japan
- Kagoshima
- Locator:
- History
- Francis Xavier
On 29 September 1549 Shimazu Takahisa gave Xavier a friendly reception. One account says they met in Ijyuin Castle. Takahisa had been the first daimyō to bring firearms into Japan. The welcome did not last: the following year he forbade his subjects to convert to Christianity under penalty of death.
Open area inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap31.63009, 130.39648Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The pin marks the Ijuin area west of Kagoshima, not a confirmed castle site.
Sources
- Francis Xavier
- Locator:
- Missionary work, Japan
- Shimazu Takahisa
- Locator:
- Biography
- Francis Xavier
Hirado was one of the places where Xavier's Japan stay bore fruit: he left congregations established there, as well as in Yamaguchi and Bungo. The town was already a port for foreign trade, and its role in that trade increased. This stop marks the town as a whole, not a single church or site.
Open area inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap33.36806, 129.55361Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The town is named, not a specific site; the pin marks Hirado.
Sources
- Francis Xavier
- Locator:
- Missionary work, Japan
- Hirado, Nagasaki
- Locator:
- History
- Francis Xavier
After staying in Yamaguchi from October to December 1550, Xavier left shortly before Christmas for Kyoto. The trip did not go as planned: he failed to meet Emperor Go-Nara. The pin marks the Kyoto Imperial Palace as a general marker for the city; where Xavier actually went in Kyoto is not recorded.
Open area inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap35.02528, 135.76222Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The pin marks the Imperial Palace as a stand-in for Kyoto; Xavier's movements there are not recorded.
Sources
- Francis Xavier
- Locator:
- Missionary work, Japan
- Francis Xavier
Xavier returned to Yamaguchi in March 1551, this time presenting himself before the ruler of Nagate with letters and presents, including a musical instrument and a watch. The daimyō of the province then gave him permission to preach, and Yamaguchi became one of the places where he left a congregation. The city lists a Yamaguchi Xavier Memorial Church among its local attractions.
Location precision: The exact place of his stay in Yamaguchi is not recorded; the pin marks the city.
Visitor guidance: The Yamaguchi Xavier Memorial Church is listed among the city's local attractions.
Sources
- Francis Xavier
- Locator:
- Missionary work, Japan
- Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi
- Locator:
- Local attractions
- Francis Xavier
