What interests me among such arts is the art of tea ceremony. There's no doubt that Shintoism lies in the basis of this art, but at the same time, it is also strongly influenced by Christianity. Passing and drinking tea along with dry sweets only among certain members is one example that resembles the Holy Communion of Christianity.

As a matter of fact, there's more than a resemblance. The manner of tea ceremony is identical to that of the Holy Communion. For such reason, there had been talks of the possibility of the connection between the art of tea ceremony and Christianity. Some say that the ritual of secretly drinking tea in a narrow room originated as the Holy Communion held among the crypto-Christians.

One theory suggests that Sen-no-Rikyu, who perfected this art, was in fact a crypto-Christian and such fact lead him to take his own life. According to the same theory, the name Sen-no-Rikyu meant Saint Luke. What a theory!

The chief priest of Suwa Shrine in Nagasaki, Uesugi Chisato, performed a research on tea ceremony and says that there are traces of influence not only by Shintoism but also by Buddhism and Christianity as well. Even the head of Urasenke (leading school of tea ceremony representing the commoners' tea) who are on friendly terms with Uesugi, approves this opinion.

This story thus far already has an impact. But there's more to it. In fact, here, at the Suwa shrine of Nagasaki, there once was a three-legged Torii (a gateway at the entrance to a Shinto shrine) encircling a well. Unfortunately, the wooden torii was old and therefore removed but is planned to be rebuilt someday.

As you may know, three-legged torii signifies the Hata-clan. Three-legged torii is a very distinctive one. The only three-legged torii that is historically significant is the one standing at the Kaiko-no-yashiro in Uzumasa, Kyoto. Kaiko-no-yashiro is a shrine constructed by the Hata-clan and its three-legged torii is known as being built under the influence of Nestorian Christianity. I, however, believe the Hatas were Primitive Christian Jews and therefore regard this three-legged torii as Kabbalah construction symbolizing the divine trinity " the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" of Primitive Christianity.

But why here in Suwa shrine of Nagasaki? I was told that the chief priest Uesugi got a hint from the futaoki (lid holder) used at the tea ceremony and built it here. The lid holder, as it literally means, is a stand to rest the kettle lid. Among its various shapes is the one shaped in three-legged torii and such has been in use traditionally. Urasenke in Kyoto is known to be its originator who fancied it out picturing the three-legged torii in Uzumasa.

A lid holder shaped in three-legged torii expressing the Kabbalah of Primitive Christianity is used at the tea ceremony influenced by Christianity. This should be more than a coincidence. Sen-no-Rikyu, the originator of tea ceremony or the people of Urasenke may had some acquaintance with the Hata-clan somewhere along the way.

N.B. All the names are expressed with the last name first as in the Japanese custom.

Translated by Rie Ishida