As Christianity was banned by the Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) of domains decided to investigate what kind of a faith their subjects had and record results in a register as a measure of policing.
江戸幕府がキリスト教の信仰を禁じるようになると、諸国の大名は取り締まりの手段として、住民の信仰の状況を調べ台帳化する手法を講じた。