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Disturbed by these various factional clashes, European arrogance, and the threat of violence or colonization, Hideyoshi, and later Ieyasu, gradually turned against the Christians. By the end of the 1630s, more than 3000 Japanese, and nearly 70 Europeans killed in Japan, would be formally recognized as martyrs by the Vatican, though of course many more killed for their faith were not recognized in this fashion. One particularly well-known and commemorated set of martyrs are the so-called "[[Twenty-Six Martyrs of Nagasaki]]," a combination of European missionaries and Japanese converts, killed at the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in [[1597]]; according to some accounts, the boasting of the Spanish captain of their ship as to the great power of the Spanish king, and/or boasting that the missionaries were a sort of vanguard for an invasion of Japan,<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 32.</ref> was a key factor in Hideyoshi ordering this done. The Tokugawa outlawed Christianity in [[1606]], and began to expel missionaries in earnest in 1614. The Spanish were expelled entirely in [[1624]], and Japanese were forbidden from going overseas (or returning from overseas) in [[1630]].

Disturbed by these various factional clashes, European arrogance, and the threat of violence or colonization, Hideyoshi, and later Ieyasu, gradually turned against the Christians. By the end of the 1630s, more than 3000 Japanese, and nearly 70 Europeans killed in Japan, would be formally recognized as martyrs by the Vatican, though of course many more killed for their faith were not recognized in this fashion. One particularly well-known and commemorated set of martyrs are the so-called "[[Twenty-Six Martyrs of Nagasaki]]," a combination of European missionaries and Japanese converts, killed at the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in [[1597]]; according to some accounts, the boasting of the Spanish captain of their ship as to the great power of the Spanish king, and/or boasting that the missionaries were a sort of vanguard for an invasion of Japan,<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 32.</ref> was a key factor in Hideyoshi ordering this done. The Tokugawa outlawed Christianity in [[1606]], and began to expel missionaries in earnest in 1614. The Spanish were expelled entirely in [[1624]], and Japanese were forbidden from going overseas (or returning from overseas) in [[1630]].

The nail in the coffin for missionary presence and activity in Japan was, arguably, a Christian [[Shimabara Rebellion|uprising at Shimabara]] in [[1637]]-[[1638]], in which roughly tens of thousands of Christians rebelled against their lord; roughly 37,000 Christians were killed before the rebellion was over. The event was seen by the shogunate as evidence of the divided loyalties of Japanese Christians, and a spectre of rebellions, divisions, and instability which would continue if Christianity were not violently and powerfully suppressed.

The nail in the coffin for missionary presence and activity in Japan was, arguably, a Christian [[Shimabara Rebellion|uprising at Shimabara]] in [[1637]]-[[1638]], in which tens of thousands of Christians rebelled against their lord; roughly 37,000 Christians were killed before the rebellion was over. The event was seen by the shogunate as evidence of the divided loyalties of Japanese Christians, and a spectre of rebellions, divisions, and instability which would continue if Christianity were not violently and powerfully suppressed.

Missionaries were expelled finally and entirely in [[1639]], and Christianity banned. Representatives of the [[Dutch East India Company]], merchants with little interest in proselytizing, were now the only Europeans allowed direct intercourse with Japan, and as of [[1641]], they were restricted to the tiny manmade island of [[Dejima]] in Nagasaki. Many Japanese converts remained, however, as so-called "[[hidden Christians]]" (''kakure Kirishitan''), some finding success in hiding in remote areas, such as the island of [[Ojika]] off Nagasaki, where a ''kakure Kirishitan'' church still stands. At least one Jesuit is known to have snuck into Japan during this period of [[kaikin|maritime restrictions]]: [[Giovanni Battista Sidotti]] entered Japan in [[1708]], was interrogated by Confucian scholar & chief shogunal advisor [[Arai Hakuseki]], and was imprisoned, dying in his cell in [[1714]].

Missionaries were expelled finally and entirely in [[1639]], and Christianity banned. Representatives of the [[Dutch East India Company]], merchants with little interest in proselytizing, were now the only Europeans allowed direct intercourse with Japan, and as of [[1641]], they were restricted to the tiny manmade island of [[Dejima]] in Nagasaki. Many Japanese converts remained, however, as so-called "[[hidden Christians]]" (''kakure Kirishitan''), some finding success in hiding in remote areas, such as the island of [[Ojika]] off Nagasaki, where a ''kakure Kirishitan'' church still stands. At least one Jesuit is known to have snuck into Japan during this period of [[kaikin|maritime restrictions]]: [[Giovanni Battista Sidotti]] entered Japan in [[1708]], was interrogated by Confucian scholar & chief shogunal advisor [[Arai Hakuseki]], and was imprisoned, dying in his cell in [[1714]].