Amakusa Shirō


Amakusa Shirō, also known as Amakusa Shirō Tokisada, often romanized as Shirou, led the Shimabara Rebellion, an uprising of Japanese Roman Catholics against the Shogunate. They were defeated, and Shirō was executed at the age of 17. His head was displayed on a pike near Nagasaki as a warning to Christians. His struggle was reflected in the 1962 movie Amakusa Shirō Tokisada, by the renowned Japanese movie director Nagisa Oshima. Since the late 20th century, he has been featured in popular culture as a character in numerous manga, anime, and video games.

Early life

Shirō was born in 1621 in modern-day Kami-Amakusa, Kumamoto as the son of Catholic parents, Masuda Jinbei, a former Konishi clan retainer, and his wife. Urban legend speculates that Shirō could have been the illegitimate son of Toyotomi Hideyori, but these claims have little credibility.
Portuguese Jesuit missionaries had been active in Japan since the late 16th century. By the age of 15, the charismatic youth was known to his Japanese Catholic followers as "heaven's messenger". Miraculous powers were attributed to him.

Rebellion

Shirō was among Japanese Catholics who took over Hara Castle in a rebellion against the Shogunate. They mounted a coordinated defense that held off attackers, but the rebel force had no logistical support, and their resolve was weakened. Shirō was said to display posters in the castle to raise morale and said:
"Now, those who accompany me in being besieged in this castle, will be my friends unto the next world."

One of the rebel soldiers,, betrayed Shirō. He got a message to the Shogunate that rebel food supplies were becoming strained. The Shogunate forces made a final assault, taking Hara Castle in the process. The Shogunate forces massacred almost 40,000 rebels, including women and children. Yamada, who betrayed his fellow rebels, was the only recorded survivor.

Death

Shirō was taken captive and executed after the castle was overtaken. His head was displayed on a pike in Nagasaki for an extended period of time as a warning to potential Christian rebels. Many Japanese Catholics consider Shirō as a folk saint.

Honors

A statue of Amakusa Shirō was installed at Shimabara Castle.

In popular culture