The Hosokawa family believes that this bell, with its nine-planet crests, was cast for Hosokawa Sansai (1563–1645), in honor of his wife, Hosokawa Gracia (1563–1600), one of Japan’s early Christians. Tadaoki apparently intended to present the bell to a church located near his castle, but when the shogun banned Christianity the church was destroyed. Its whereabouts unknown for centuries, the bell was discovered hidden in a castle turret.