In Our Time

The Shimabara Rebellion

Jun 8, 2023

Satona Suzuki, a Lecturer in Japanese History, and Erica Baffelli, a Professor of Japanese Studies, delve into the Shimabara Rebellion of the 1630s. They discuss the uprising's roots in poverty and heavy taxation, driven by predominantly Christian peasants. The guests highlight the brutal response from the Tokugawa shogunate, which deployed a massive army to quash the rebellion. The ensuing crackdown on Christianity ultimately led to Japan's 250-year isolation from the outside world, reshaping its socio-political landscape forever.

48:03

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Episode guests

Erica Baffelli

Satona Suzuki

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The Shimabara Rebellion in 1637 showcased the brutal suppression of a peasant revolt against oppressive rule and the Tokugawa Shogunate's intolerance of dissent.

Christianity played a crucial role in the rebellion, with the central government using foreign interference allegations to justify the violent crackdown on Christians, leading to the creation of hidden Christian communities in Japan.

Japan's national isolation post the Shimabara Rebellion resulted in technological stagnation but cultural flourishing, highlighting the country's resilience and adaptation through unique artistic expressions.

Deep dives

Shimabara Rebellion and Tokugawa Rule

The Shimabara Rebellion in 1637, a peasant revolt in Japan against oppressive rule, particularly the inhumane tax policies of the Matsukura family, led to a brutal suppression by a 150,000-strong army. The central government's merciless response, executing tens of thousands, including leaders like Amakusa Shiro, demonstrated the Tokugawa Shogunate's authority and intolerance of dissent. This rebellion solidified the Tokugawa Shogunate's ban on Christianity, the expulsion of foreigners, and the isolationist policy of Japan for over 200 years.

Intro

2min

Japan's Transition: From Warring States to Unification

15min

Shifting Attitudes Towards Christianity in Feudal Japan

2min

The Power Dynamics of the Shogunate: Economic and Military Control

2min

The Shimabara Rebellion: A Struggle for Faith and Freedom

14min

Christianity and the Shimabara Rebellion

7min

Missionary Challenges in Japan

4min

Cultural Misconceptions and Strict Isolation in Japan

2min

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Christian uprising in Japan and its profound and long-term consequences.

In the 1630s, Japan was ruled by the Tokagawa Shoguns, a military dynasty who, 30 years earlier, had unified the country, ending around two centuries of civil war. In 1637 a rebellion broke out in the province of Shimabara, in the south of the country. It was a peasants’ revolt, following years of bad harvests in which the local lord had refused to lower taxes. Many of the rebels were Christians, and they fought under a Christian banner.

The central government’s response was merciless. They met the rebels with an army of 150 000 men, possibly the largest force assembled anywhere in the world during the Early Modern period. Once the rebellion had been suppressed, the Shogun enforced a ban on Christianity and expelled nearly all foreigners from the country. Japan remained more or less completely sealed off from the rest of the world for the next 250 years.

With

Satona Suzuki Lecturer in Japanese and Modern Japanese History at SOAS, University of London

Erica Baffelli Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Manchester

and

Christopher Harding Senior Lecturer in Asian History at the University of Edinburgh

Producer Luke Mulhall

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In Our Time

The Shimabara Rebellion

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Shimabara Rebellion and Tokugawa Rule

Christianity's Role and Underground Christian Communities

Foreign Relations and Theoretical Development Over Isolation

Cultural Resilience and Adaptations During Isolation

Role of Missionaries and Clash of Cultures

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts