Saint Francis Xavier and the Shimazu family

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"The Shimazu family ruled over southern Kyúshú. Shimazu Tadayoshi was anextraordinary man: his humanist and religious education. His association with theZen sect (Sótó - Zen). His “bushidó” traits. He composed some moral norms, whosespirit (and perhaps, who knows, even the text) was known to Xavier. In this articlewe shall, specifically, comment upon the “Code of a Samurai”. One of his lastmasters was Ninjitsu, a Zen monk who, later, was acquainted with Francisco Xavier.The dialogues between Ninjitsu and Xavier.During the administration of his adoptive son, Shimazu Takahisa (1515-1571),the Portuguese arrived in his lands and Xavier entered his dominions (1549). Hismother held both Xavier and Christianity in great esteem. Takahisa was a goodwarrior. Religiously speaking, he was not a follower of Zen but rather of the esotericShingon sect. He did not get along well with Xavier and Christianity. His sonShimazu Yoshihisa (d. 1611) initially favoured the missionaries and received Luís deAlmeida. His son adopted the same attitude. Xavier’s contact with the world of theShimazu family, more concretely with Takahisa and the monk Ninjitsu, is reflectedin Xavier’s letters and those of Brother Fernández as well as in Japanese documentsof the time."