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.

Japan's first western-style sailing ships

In 1604, Ieyasu ordered Adams and his companions to build a western-style sailing ship at Ito, on the east coast of the Izu Peninsula. An 80-ton vessel was completed and the Shogun ordered a larger ship, 120 tons, to be built the following year (both were slightly smaller than the Liefde, which was 150 tons). According to Adams, Ieyasu "came aboard to see it, and the sight whereof gave him great content". The ship, San Buena Ventura, was lent to shipwrecked Spanish sailors for their return to Mexico in 1610.

Related Topics:
1604 - Ito - Izu Peninsula - ''San Buena Ventura'' - 1610

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Following the contruction, Ieyasu said that he invited Adams to visit the palace whenever he liked, and "that always I must come in his presence" (Letters).

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Other survivors of the Liefde were also rewarded with favours and even allowed to pursue foreign trade. Although Adams could not receive permission for himself to leave Japan until 1613, Melchior van Santvoort together with another crew Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn reportedly made a fortune in trade between Japan and Southeast Asia. Both of them were reported by Dutch traders in Ayutthaya, onboard richly cargoed junks, in early 1613.

Related Topics:
Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn - Ayutthaya - 1613

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William Adams also is recorded as having chartered Red Seal Ships during his later travels to Southeast Asia (the Ikoku tokai goshuinj?, has a reference to Miura Anjin receiving a shuinj? in 1614).

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