Blessed Thomas Tsugi was born around the year 1571 in Japan, to a wealthy family of Japanese nobility. Educated by the priests of the Society of Jesus at Arima, he joined the order while quite young, around the year 1588. As a Jesuit, Thomas traveled Japan and became very popular as an eloquent and persuasive preacher. He is one of the 205 martyrs of Japan beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1867, who are remembered by Japanese Catholics on the 10 September each year.