The Jesuits traveled with Portuguese and Spanish explorers and traders and were the first to bring Christianity to Japan, as well as to China. They benefited in both Asian countries by appearing to be officially sponsored by their governments, well educated, highly trained and strongly motivated. In Japan, their discipline and firm-mindedness struck a resonant cord in the samurai class] and the Jesuits found themselves able to meet and convert some very high-ranking individuals. The Jesuits were soon followed by Dominican and Benedictine fathers and soon the Christian community was divided by doctrinal and other disputes between the three orders...

But of course... that's what we do... we dispute... stuff...

Gradually, most Christians gave up their religion, although a few went underground. When they were finally discovered hundreds of years later, they were called 'hidden Christians'. By that time, their Christianity was hard to recognize for they had changed many elements in order to disguise it from their authorities. Although they considered themselves Catholics, for example, their priests were all women, much to the consternation of papal authorities in Rome.

Poor Japanese women. They always get stuck with the boring jobs...

The reasons for the persecutions of the Christians in the late 16th century and throughout the Edo period are not entirely clear. One possible reason is that the Japanese reunifiers viewed the Europeans as a threat; they might invade and take over.

Nahhh... not these guys, they're Christians...