Cosme de Torres

Torres arrived in Kagoshima, a city located in Kyushu, the southernmost of the three main islands of Japan on August 15, 1549.

The missionaries began work in Kagoshima by preaching on the streets, reading from a catechism written by Xavier that had been translated into Japanese by their companion, Anjirō.

[5] Here, he worked selflessly to help townspeople whose lives were devastated by the constant warfare of the Sengoku period in Japan, even giving up his life savings to buy food for starving people regardless of whether they were Christians or Buddhists.

[7] During his time as mission superior, his success in converting large numbers of Japanese people aroused much animosity on the part of the Buddhist monks.

At this time, Torres was forced to move to Bungo Province, where he was offered protection by the young daimyō, Ōtomo Yoshishige.

[11] In 1562, Torrès moved to Yokoseura, a port city that was recently opened to Portuguese traders by local daimyo Ōmura Sumitada.

Torres directed the negotiations with Ōmura Sumitada concerning the establishment of a port in Nagasaki for the foreign trade, as the Jesuit historian Luis de Guzmán specially remarks.

[12] According to Frois, his "modesty and religious maturity suited the nature of the Japanese so much that he won profound love and respect from them".

He held daily catechism classes for forty to fifty children who were taught to recite prayers in Latin.