William Adams, first foreign samurai in Japan

**Maciamo** · Dec 16, 2006, 08:19

I have watched a documentary in French about William Adams (1564-1620), an English sailor travelling around the world, who became a key advisor to the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and built for him Japan's first Western-style ships.

He quickly learned Japanese language and adopted th local customs. His immense knowledge of navigation, ship-building, artillery, geography and other Western knowledge made him a precious ally for the Japanese.

In order to convince him to stay in Japan, the Shogun raised him to the rank of samurai and hatamoto (samurai in the direct service), gave him a huge property (in Hemi, within the boundaries of present-day Yokosuka City), with 80 to 90 servants, and presented him with the most beautiful women of the court. Adams got a Japanese wife who gave him two children.

As a former employee of the Dutch East India Company, he helped the establishment of this one in Japan, which is partly why the Netherlands was the only Western nation allowed to trade with Japan during the "closed country period" (sakoku).

Here are some of his comments about Japan :

Originally Posted by William Adams

The people of this Land of Japan are good of nature, curteous above measure, and valiant in war: their justice is severely executed without any partiality upon transgressors of the law. They are governed in great civility. I mean, not a land better governed in the world by civil policy. The people be very superstitious in their religion, and are of divers opinions.

Adams' explanation about the religious ambitions of the Jesuits was also a determining reason for the persecution of the Christians in Japan, and the policy of closed country that ensued.

After his death, his son, Miura Anjin, kept his title of samurai. Up to this day, the Miura Anjin Festival is held all day on August 10 in Itō, Shizuoka.

Adams's memory is preserved in the naming of a district in Edo, Anjin-chō (today in Nihonbashi Muromachi 1-10-8, Tokyo), where he had a house and by an annual celebration on June 15 in his honour.