First major study in English of the Japanese 'hidden' Christians - the Kakure Kirishitan, who chose to remain separate from the Catholic Church when religious toleration was granted in 1873 - and the development of the faith and rituals from the 16th century to the present day. 'This book makes a very valuable contribution to the study of the "Hidden Christians" of Japan, a subject of much scholarly attention in recent years. Turnbull's study of the Kakure Kirishitan is the best one available in English.' - Neil McMullin, Pacific Affairs Stephen Turnbull