Takayama Ukon

Takayama Ukon (1552–1615) was a samurai of Settsu Province with the Christian name Justo. His childhood name was Hikogoro. Born around Tenbun 21 (1552), his father Takayama Hida-no-kami Tomoaki was also a Christian, and Ukon was baptized in his youth (around 1563).

He served under Araki Murashige, Oda Nobunaga, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During Araki Murashige's rebellion in Tenshō 6 (1578), he switched his allegiance to Nobunaga's side, and at the Battle of Yamazaki in Tenshō 10 (1582), he fought against Akechi Mitsuhide as part of Hideyoshi's forces. As lord of Takatsuki Castle, he governed Settsu Province, and approximately 18,000 people in his domain are said to have converted to Christianity. He was also deeply versed in tea ceremony and is renowned as one of the direct disciples of Sen no Rikyū.

When Hideyoshi issued the Bateren Expulsion Edict in Tenshō 15 (1587), his domains were confiscated; however, he received protection from Maeda Toshiie and spent his remaining years in Kaga and Kanazawa. In Keichō 19 (1614), due to Tokugawa Ieyasu's strengthened prohibition on Christianity, he was exiled from Nagasaki to Manila. Just 40 days after his arrival, he died of a fever at the age of 63.

In 2017, he was beatified by the Catholic Church (the beatification ceremony was held at Osaka Castle Hall). Regarding swords, while historical records confirm his involvement in the transfer and presentation of swords as a samurai who served Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, primary sources demonstrating a connection to any specific celebrated blade have not been identified at this time.