The following is a translation of Part 62 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the February 2008 (No. 470) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
Part 62: A Resolution to be Single-Heartedly Dedicated to God
The Shiwaku Islands in the Seto Inland Sea comprise 28 islands of various sizes. The islands are renowned for their panoramic, scenic beauty. The name “Shiwaku” is said to have derived from “shio-waku” (literally, “gushing current”), which describes the swift ocean currents that flow between these islands. One of the central islands of Shiwaku is Honjima. In 1896, the man who transmitted the path to this island was a missionary named Eisa Sato.