In Japanese history was a time when the rulers favored the spread of Christianity, and periods when brought from overseas doctrine proved in disgrace, and his followers were persecuted. In the XV and XVI centuries, Christianity spread rapidly in the islands of the archipelago, but at the end of the XVI century was banned, and the people of Japan practiced it secretly. Residents of Nagasaki were forced every year to prove that they are not Christians. To do this they offered to flout the image of Jesus Christ and Mother of God, and this ritual, they had to pass until the middle of the XIX century. In general, Christianity was banned in Japan by as much as two and a half centuries, during this time were executed, tortured or deported thousands of people professing the religion.

February 5, 1597 in Nagasaki were publicly executed for the missionary work of 26 people, among which 20 were Japanese, four Spaniards, as well as Mexican and Indian. By order of the then reigning shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi arrested Christians were tortured, then put in Nagasaki and was crucified on the cross erected on a hill Nisidzaka. After the execution of the victims became martyrs as saints read and recognize them different pastimes. One hundred years after the canonization in 1962 on a hill opened a monument and museum. February 6 The Catholic Church in Japan celebrates their memory.

The museum contains important historical documents brought from Europe and composed in Japan, artwork period of early Christianity in Japan. Exhibit chronologically acquaint visitors with the period of early Christianity, at times persecution of Christians and the life of secret Catholics in the period of self-isolation state.

At present, Christianity is the third of the major religions in Japan after Buddhism and Shinto. At the beginning of the XXI century, there were about 2, 5 million Christians, mostly Catholics.