William Adams

William Adams (September 24, 1564–May 16, 1620), also known in Japanese as Anjin-sama (???, "Mr Pilot") and Miura Anjin (????, "the pilot of Miura"), was an English navigator who went to Japan, and is believed to be the first Briton ever to reach Japan.

Adams's legacy

Adams died at Hirado, north of Nagasaki, on May 16, 1620, aged 56. The English factory was dissolved three years later due to its unprofitability. He was buried in his fief in Hemi, Yokosuka.

Related Topics:
Hirado - Nagasaki - May 16 - 1620

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In his will, he left his townhouse in Edo, his fief in Hemi, and 500 British pounds, to be divided evenly between his family in England and his family in Japan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cocks wrote: "I cannot but be sorrowfull for the loss of such a man as Capt William Adams, he having been in such favour with two Emperors of Japan as never any Christian in these part of the world" (Cocks's Diary)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cocks remained in contact with Adams's familly, sending gifts, and in March 1622, offering silks for Joseph and Susanna. He handed to Joseph his father's sword and dagger on Christmas following Adams's death. He also records that Hidetada transfered the lordship from Williams Adams to his son Joseph Adams, with the attendant rights to the estate at Hemi:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He (Hidetada) has confirmed the lordship to his son, which the other emperor (Ieyasu) gave to the father (Cocks's Dairy)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cocks was also in charge of using Adams's trading rights (the shuinj?) for the benefit of Adams's children, Joseph and Susanna, a task he performed conscientiously, and which was handled by the Dutch after 1623.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adams's son also kept the title of Miura Anjin, and was a successful trader until the closure of the country in 1635, when he disappears from historical records.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adams's memory is preserved in the naming of a town in Edo (modern Tokyo), Anjin Cho, where he had a house, and by an annual celebration on June 15 in his honour.

Related Topics:
Edo - Tokyo - Anjin Cho - June 15

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A village in his fiefdom, Anjinzuka (???, "Burial mound of the Pilot"), in modern Yokosuka, bears his name.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Also, in the city of It?, Shizuoka, the Miura Anjin Festival is held all day on August 10.

Related Topics:
It? - Shizuoka

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today, both It? and Yokosuka are sister cities of Adams's birth town of Gillingham.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~