Background
Sawabe Takuma was born in 1833.
Sawabe Takuma was born in 1833.
Formerly Sawabe Takuma was a retainer of the Tosa Clan (Kdchi Prefecture), he wandered about many provinces before he settled in Hakodate, Hokkaido. He once attempted to best Nikolai, a Russian priest there, in a controversy and was defeated and converted to his opponent's faith. He was baptized and given the name of Paul amidst persecution from the Japanese Government (1868). He was chief priest at the Sendai Greek Orthodox Church.