Fumie

A fumie (踏み絵) was a likeness of Jesus or Mary upon which the religious authorities of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan required suspected Christians to step in order to prove that they were not members of that outlawed religion. The use of the fumie began with the persecution of Christians in Nagasaki in 1629. Its use was officially abandoned for ports open to foreigners in April 13, 1856 but some remained in use until Christian teaching was formerly protected in Meiji period.

It was usually carved out of stone, but others were painted and some were wooden block print. Many, if not all of these works were made with care and they reflected high artistic standards of Edo period. There are very few existing fumie as most were simply thrown away or recycled into other use.