Tsunenaga Hasekura (, that is to say Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga - the contemporary European sources write Faxecura Rocuyemon , reflecting the pronunciation of the time roughly -), also called Don Felipe Francisco Hasekura after its conversion with the Christianisme, was born in 1571 and deceased in 1622. Samurai Japan board, vassal from the daimyō of Sendai, Masamune Dates, it directed a Ambassade towards the News-Spain then the Europe between 1613 and 1620. He was very first official Japanese sent to the America S, and when he went in France, the first direct contact between French and Japanese allowed.

Although the embassy of Hasekura made a strong impression in Europe, it arrived at one time when Japan tried to remove the Christianity of its ground, so that the European monarchs, such as the king d' Espagne, finally refused commercial arrangements that Hasekura tried to establish. Hasekura returned to Japan in 1620 and died of disease approximately a year after, its embassy having led to no result in Japan into full Isolationnisme.

Biography

Youth

One knows only few things of the youth of Tsunenaga Hasekura. Born in 1571, it is a noble samurai of average row of the stronghold of Ōshū, in the north of Japan, which serves directly the daimyō Masamune Date. They have both roughly the same age, and the files show that Date entrusts the role to him to represent it during several important missions.

During six months in 1597, it fights like Samurai veteran at the time of the Guerre Imjin, under the shogunat of Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

In 1612, his/her father, Tsunenari Hasekura (支倉常成, Hasekura Tsunenari ), is condemned for Corruption; it is put at died in 1613. Its stronghold is confiscated, and his/her son must normally be also carried out. However, Masamune Date gives to Tsunenaga Hasekura the possibility of restoring its honor by dealing with embassy in Europe, and returns its grounds also quickly to him.

Context of the embassy

Contacts between Spaniards and Japanese

At the 16th century, the Spanish start to go on transpacific journeys between the News-Spain and the China, via their territorial base of the Filipino , according to the sea route established by Andrés de Urdaneta. Manila becomes their final access point in the Asian area in 1571. Because of the bad weather, Spanish boats make shipwreck along the Japanese coasts regularly, which makes it possible Spain to initiate contacts with this country. The Spaniards wish to spread the Christian faith with the Japan, but their efforts in this direction meet a strong resistance on behalf of the Jesuits, which began the evangelization country in 1549, but also of that of the Portuguese and Dutch which does not want to see Spain taking part in the Commerce with Japan.

Certain Japanese, such as Christopher and Cosmas, are known to have crossed the Pacific Ocean on board Galion S as of 1587. One also knows that gifts are exchanged between the governor of Philippines and Hideyoshi Toyotomi, which thanks it in a letter gone back to 1597, writing “ I find in particular the elephant black completely unusual. ”

In 1609, the Spanish galleon San Francisco must face a bad weather at the time of its voyage from Manila with Acapulco, and made shipwreck on the Japanese coast with Chiba, close to Edo. The sailors are saved and accommodated well, and the captain of the ship, Rodrigo de Vivero, former governor by interim of Philippines, meets the Shogun with the retirement Ieyasu Tokugawa. They sign a treaty the November 29th 1609, by which the Spaniards gain the right to establish a Comptoir in the east of Japan, of the specialists in the mining can be sent to Japan from News-Spain, the Spanish ships are authorized to make stage in Japan in the event of need and a Japanese embassy must be sent to the court of Spain.

The first Japanese forwardings in America

Travel of the San Buena Ventura in 1610

A Spanish monk franciscain of the name of Luis Sotelo, which makes Prosélytisme in the area of Edo, manages to convince the Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa and his son Hidetada to send it as ambassador in News-Spain. He travels with the Spanish sailors of the San Francisco being turned over some on the San Buena Ventura , a ship built by the English adventurer William Adams for the shogun. Once in News-Spain, Luis Sotelo meets the viceroy Luis of Velasco, which agrees to send an ambassador to Japan in the person of the famous explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno, with in more the mission of exploring “the money and gold Islands” (“ tired Islas del Oro there of Plata ”) which one then supposes to exist in the east of the Japanese islands.

Vizcaíno arrives at Japan in 1611 and meets with many recoveries the shogun as well as feudal lords. These meetings are marked by its lack of respect for the Japanese habits, the rising hostility of the Japanese towards the catholic missionaries and the intrigues of the Dutch to counter the Spanish ambitions. Vizcaíno leaves finally to research the Islands money, seeks during which it meets bad weather, which forces it to go back to Japan with major damage.

Travel of the San Sebastian in 1612

Without awaiting Vizcaíno, another ship, named the San Sebastian , built with Izu by the Bakufu under the crook of the Minister for the Navy Shōgen Mukai, share for the Mexico the September 9th 1612 with on its board Shine Sotelo, like two representatives of Masamune Date, with an aim of making progress the trade agreements with News-Spain. However, the dark boat with some miles of Uraga, and forwarding must be abandoned.

Preparation of the embassy, in 1613

The shogun then decides to make build a Galion of 500 barrels in Japan with a double aim of accompanying back Sebastián Vizcaíno in News-Spain and to send a mission of Japanese embassy which will be accompanied by Luis Sotelo. The construction of this galleon, named Date Maru by the Japanese, then San Juan Bautista by the Spaniards, lasts 45 days, with the participation of skilled technicians of the Bakufu (the Minister for the navy Shōgen Mukai, a knowledge of William Adams with which it built several vessels, sends its carpenter as a chief), 800 manufacturers naval, 700 blacksmiths, and 3.000 carpenters. The assumption of responsibility of this project is entrusted to Masamune Date, the daimyō of Sendai, which names one of its vasseaux, Tsunenaga Hasekura (of which the stronghold is estimated with the neighborhoods of 600 Koku ), to direct the mission:

The large ship left Toshima-Tsukinoura for the regions of the Barbarians of the South on September 15th the Japanese calendar with at its head Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga, and those named Imaizumi Sakan, Matsuki Shusaku, Nishi Kyusuke, Tanaka Taroemon, Naito Hanjuro, Sonohoka Kyuemon, Kuranojo, Tonomo, Kitsunai, Kyuji, and several others under the orders of Rokuemon, like 40 Barbares of the South, 10 men of Mukai Shōgen, as well as tradesmen, for a total of 180 men|(Files of the house Dates, Keicho-Obstructed 伊達家慶長元和留控, Gonoi p. 56)

The objective of the Japanese embassy is at the same time to discuss commercial arrangements with the Spanish crown with Madrid, and to meet the Pape with Rome. Masamune Goes back watch a great will to reception towards the Catholic religion on its grounds: it invites Luis Sotelo and authorizes the propagation of Christianity in 1611. In its letter with the pope brought by Hasekura, he writes: I will offer my field as bases for your work of missionary. Send as many padres that possible.

Sotelo, in its account of these voyages, insists on the religious dimension of the mission, stressing that its main aim is to spread the Christian faith in the north of Japan:

I was previously sent as an ambassador of Idate Masamune, which reigns on the kingdom of Japanese Oxu 奥州 (which is the oriental party of Japan), and which, although it is not yet ressuscity through the baptism, received catechism, and is eager that the Christian faith is preached in its kingdom, with another noble of its Court, Philippus Franciscus Faxecura Retuyemon, with the Roman Curia and that in load of the apostolic seat, Its Holiness the pope Paul V. | Shine Sotelo, De Ecclesiae Iaponicae Statu Relatio , 1634

The embassy probably forms part of a plan aiming to diversify and increase the foreign trade, plan set up before the participation of the Christians in the rebellion of Osaka which will involve a radical reaction of the shogunat, with the prohibition of Christianity in the territories under its direct control in 1614.

The transpacific voyage

Once finished, the ship leaves for Acapulco to the Mexico the October 28th 1613 with approximately 180 people on board, including 10 Samurai S of Shogun (provided by the Minister for the navy Shōgen Mukai), 12 samurais de Sendai, 120 merchants, Japanese sailors and servants, and approximately 40 Spaniards and Portuguese, including Sebastián Vizcaíno, which, according to its own terms, has only the simple quality of passenger.

News-Spain (Mexico)

The ship reaches initially the Cape Mendocino in current the California, then skirts the coast and accosts with Acapulco the January 25th 1614 after three months of sea. The embassy enters to Mexico City the March 4th, where it is received with a great ceremony. The ultimate goal of the embassy being Europe, it spends a certain time to Mexico City, then share for Veracruz to embark within the fleet of Gift Antonio de Oquendo.

A contemporary newspaper, written by the historian Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin, noble a Aztec, gives an account of the visit of Hasekura:

It is the second time that the Japanese brought one of their ships on the shore of Acapulco. They bring here many iron things, and inkstands, and clothing which they will sell here|Chimalpahin, “ Annals off His Time ”, March 4th, 1614, p. 275

That was here known in Mexico City, and said, that the reason for which directing to them, the emperor of Japan, sent here the aforementioned emissary seigneurial and ambassador is of going to Rome to see the Saint Father Paul V and to affirm their obedience in holy Église to him, so that all the Japanese want to become Christian|Chimalpahin, “ Annals off His Time ”, March 24th, 1614, p. 275

Hasekura is installed in Mexico City in a house close to the church of San Francisco. It meets the viceroy, to whom it explains that it wants to also meet the king Philippe III to make an offer of peace to him and to obtain for the Japanese the possibility of coming to trade in Mexico. Wednesday April 9th, twenty Japanese are baptized, and twenty-two of more the April 20th by the archbishop of Mexico City, gift Juan Pérez of Serna, in the San Francisco church of Mexico City. In all, sixty-three of them receive the confirmation the April 25th. Hasekura, as for him, awaits its voyage in Europe to be made baptize over there:

But the emissary seigneurial, the ambassador, did not want to be baptized here; it was said that he wanted to be baptized later in Spain. |Chimalpahin, “ Annals off His Time ”, April 9th, 1614, p. 277

Chimalpahin explains why Hasekura on the spot leaves some of its compatriots before leaving for Europe:

The ambassador of Japan got under way for Spain. Into leaving it divided its vassal: it took with him a certain number of Japanese, and an equal number here as merchants left some to trade and sell things|Chimalpahin, “ Annals off His Time ”, May 29th, 1614, p. 283

The fleet leaves for Europe on the San Jose on June 10th, Hasekura having left the major part of the Japanese group behind, to await Acapulco the return of the embassy. Some of them, just as those remained of a preceding voyage of Shōsuke Tanaka, return to Japan later the same year on board the San Juan Bautista :

Today, Tuesday the fourteenth of October of the year 1614, was the day when certain Japanese left from here Mexico City to go back on their premises to Japan; they lived here in Mexico four years during. Some of them remained here; they earn their living by trading and selling here the goods which they brought of Japan with them|Chimalpahin, “ Annals off His Time ”, October 14th, 1614, p. 291

Cuba

The embassy stops and changes ships with Havana with Cuba in July 1614. In memory of this event, a bronze statue representing Hasekura was set up the April 26th 2001 at the end of bay of Havana.

The mission in Europe

Spain

The fleet arrives at Sanlúcar de Barrameda the October 5th 1614.

The fleet arrived finally in safety, after having faced some dangers and storms, at the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda on October 5th, where the duke of Medina, residing on the spot, informs Sidonia of the arrival. It sent ships to receive them, and had made prepare a sumptuous housing for the ambassador and his following|Matted Scipione, History of the Kingdom of Voxu , 1615

The Japanese ambassador Hasekura Rokuemon, sent by Joate Masamune, king de Boju, entered to Seville on Wednesday, October 23, 1614. He was accompanied by 30 Japanese with blades, their captain of the guard, and 12 archers and halberdiers with painted lances and blades of ceremonies. The captain of the guard was Christian and was called Don Thomas, wire of a Japanese martyr|Calombina library 84-7-19 Memorias…, fol. 195

The Japanese embassy meets the king of Spain Philippe III with Madrid the January 30th 1615. Hasekura gives to him a letter of Masamune Date, as well as a proposal of treated. The King answers that it would do what it can to reach these requests.

Hasekura is baptized the February 17th by the personal Chapelain of the king, and receives the name of Felipe Francisco Hasekura . The ceremony of baptism is led by the archbishop of Tolède and Francisco Goméz de Sandoval there Rojas, duke of Lerma, principal administrator of the reign of Philippe III and directing de facto of Spain is selected to be its godfather.

The embassy remains eight month in Spain before leaving the country for the Italy.

France

After having crossed the Spain, the embassy sails on the Mediterranean on board three Spanish frigates towards the Italy. However, bad weather the force to remain some time in the French port of Saint-Tropez where they are received by the local nobility and create sensation among the local population. One can thus find in files arrived until our days:

• It there eight days that it passed has St Troppez a large Indien lord, names Don Felipe Fransceco Faxicura, Ambassadeur towards the Pope, on behalf of Idate Massamuni Roy de Woxu in Japan, feudatory of large Roy of Japan and Meaco. It avoit more than thirty people has her continuation, and amongst other things, seven other all pages extremely well vetus and all camuz, so that ilz sembloyent almost all brothers. They had three extremely light, lesuqelles frigates portoient all its implements. They have tests it shaves, execpte a small edge on the derrier making a fleet of hair on the summit of tests turned up, and nouee with Chinese…

• … Ilz are mouchent in paper handkerchiefs of soye of China, size of the hand has little will prez, and never make use twice of a handkerchief, so that all the times that ilz does not mouchoyent, they jestoyent their papers by ground, and avoyent the pleasure of seeing them collecting has those of decaf which alloyent them to see, or it there avoit large press of the people which enter themselves batoit for one to collect mainly those of the Ambassador which estoyent hystoriez by the bordz, like richest poulletz of the ladies of the Court. They portient quantity in their seign of it, and they have brings provision sufficient for this long voyage, that ilz came to make decaf…

• … Its swords and scraping-knives are faictes in fasson of simmetterre very little curve, and average length and are sy strong tranchantz that putting a layer of paper and blowing ilz cuts paper at it, and still of their paper quy is much more deslie that ours and is faict of soye on which they escrivent with a brush.

• … When ilz mangeoient they never touch their flesh if not with two small sticks which they hold with three fingers| Relations of Mrs. of St Troppez , October 1615, Library Inguimbertine, Carpentras

The visit of the Japanese embassy is recorded in the chronicles of the city as being directed by “Philip Francis Faxicura, ambassador with the Pope, of Date Masamunni, king de Woxu in Japan”.

This unforeseen visit constitutes the first recorded trace of Relations free-Japanese women. Contrary, the first visit of a French in Japan east that of François Charon in 1619.

Italy

The Japanese embassy arrives in Italy where it meets the Pape Paul V with Rome in November 1615. Hasekura gives to the Pope two gilded letters (one in Latin and one in Japanese, containing a request for a commercial treaty between Japan and Mexico, and Christian missionary sending with the Japan. These two letters always visible in the files of the Are Vatican City. The Latin letter, probably written by Shine Sotelo for Masamune Date, contains:

Kissing the saints foot of large, universal, holier lord of the whole world, the Paul pope, as a sign of reverence and tender deep, me, Idate Masamune, King de Wôshû in the empire of Japan, say with supplication:

The father Franciscain Luis Sotelo came in our country to spread the faith of God. On this occasion, I received the teaching of this faith and wished to become a Christian, but did not achieve yet this desire because of certain minor problems. However, with an aim of encouraging my subjects to become Christian, I would like that you send missionaries of the church franciscaine to me. I guaranteed that you will be able to build a church and that your missionaries will be protected. I also ask that you choose and send a bishop. For that, I sent one of my samurais, Hasekura Rokuemon, as a my representative to accompany Luis Sotelo through the seas towards Rome, to give you a mark of obedience and to kiss your foot. Moreover, like our country and News-Spain are adjoining countries, could you intervene so that we can discuss with the king Spain, for the benefit to send missionaries through the mers." |Translation of the Latin letter of Masamune Dates with the Pope

The pope agrees to send the missionaries but leaves the decision in connection with the trade with king d' Espagne. He writes a letter with Masamune Date, whose copy is always visible with the the Vatican.

The Roman Curie also gives to Hasekura the title of honor of Roman Citizen, in a document which it reports to Japan and which is preserved today at Sendai.

Sotelo gives him also an account of the visit to the pope in his book Of ecclesiae Iaponicae statu relatio (published on a purely posthumous basis in 1634):

When we arrived here with the assistance of God in the year of grace 1615, not only we were pleasantly accepted by his Holiness the large Pope, with the saint college of the cardinals and a gathering of bishops and the noble ones, and even the joy and the general happiness of the Roman people, but us and three others (that the Japanese Christians had especially indicated to announce their condition with respect for the Christian religion) were heard, rested, and right as we epérions it, sent as quickly as possible|Shine Sotelo, Of ecclesiae Iaponicae statu relatio

Political rumors of intrigues

Put aside the official description of the visit of Hasekura to Rome, certain contemporary texts tend to indicate that political questions were also discussed, and that an alliance with Masamune Date was suggested like a means of establishing the Christian influence on whole Japan:

The ambassador strongly insisted on the fact that the authority and the capacity of its leader were higher than that of many countries of Europe|Anonymous Roman communication, dated from the October 10th 1615.

The Spanish fathers franciscains explain that the king of the Hasekura Ambassador soon will become the leading supreme one of this country, and that not only they will become Christian and follow the will of the Church of Rome, but which they will convert in their turn the remainder of the population. This is why they claim ecclesiastic sending high with the missionaries. Because of that, many people questioned the true goal of the embassy, and wonder whether they do not seek to make some other profit|Letter of the ambassador of Venice, dated from the November 7th 1615.

Second visit in Spain

Of return in Spain, Hasekura meets again king which refuses to sign a commercial treaty, asserting that the embassy is not an official embassy of the leader of Japan Ieyasu Tokugawa, which on the contrary promulgated an edict in January 1614 ordering the expulsion of all the missionaries of Japan, and begun the persecution of the Christians in Japan.

The embassy leaves Seville for the Mexico in June 1617 after one two years period passed to Europe, but some Japanese remain in Spain where it settle in a city close to Seville (Coria del Río), where their current descendants carry the patronym Japón .

Western publications on the embassy of Hasekura

The embassy of Tsunenaga Hasekura is the object of many publications in all Europe. The Italian writer Scipione Amati, who accompanies the embassy in 1615 and 1616, publishes in 1615 in Rome one entitled book “ Histoire of the Kingdom of Voxu ”. This book is then translated into German in 1617. In 1616, the French editor Abraham Savgrain publishes then an account of the visit of Hasekura to Rome: “ Account of the solemnelle and remarkable entry made in Rome, by Dom Philippe François Faxicura ”.

|“Files of the House of Masamune”}}

Prohibition of Christianity with Sendai

The direct effect of the return of Hasekura to Sendai is the prohibition of Christianity in the stronghold of Sendai two days later:

Two days after the return of Rokuemon to Sendai, an edict of three points against Christianity was promulgated: firstly, all the Christians accepted the order to give up their faith, in agreement with the law of Shogun, and for those which did not make it, they would be exiled if they were noble, or are carried out if they were citizens, peasants or servants. Secondly, a reward would be allotted for the denunciation of hidden Christians. Thirdly, the propagators of the Christian faith should leave the stronghold of Sendai, or if not, to give up their religion|Letter of the father Angelis going back to November 1620, Japan-China files of the Jesuits in Rome, quoted in “Hasekura Tsunenaga” of Gonoi, p. 231.

What did or says Hasekura to lead to such a result is unknown. As the later events tend to indicate that him and these descendants remained faithful Christians, Hasekura could make an enthusiastic account, and to a certain extent disturbing, of the size and the power of the Western countries and the Christian religion. It also could encourage an alliance between the Church and Dates to seize the power on the country (an idea popularized by Franciscains in Rome), which, in Japan of 1620, would have been a completely unrealistic proposal. Moreover, the hopes of trade with Spain evaporated when Hasekura reported that the king of Spain refuses to give his agreement to it as long as persecutions take place in the remainder of the country.

Masamune Dates, up to that point very tolerant towards Christianity in spite of the prohibition of the bakufu in the grounds which it controls directly, thus suddenly chooses to take its distance towards the Christian faith. The first executions of Christians begin 40 days later. Anti-Christian women measurements taken by Masamune are however relatively lenient, and the Christians as well Japanese as Western support with many recoveries as these measurements were taken only to alleviate the shogun:

Date Masamune, in fear of the shogun, ordered the persecution of Christianity on its territory, and created several martyrs|Letter with the pope of 17 important Japanese Christians of Sendai, September 29th, 1621

One month after the return of Hasekura, Date writes a letter with the shogun Hidetada Tokugawa, in which it makes a very clear effort to emerge from the responsibility for the embassy, explaining in detail how this one was organized with the agreement, and even collaboration, of the shogun:

When I sent a ship towards the countries of the Barbarians of the South several years ago, on the opinion of Mukai Shōgen, I also sent the Barbarian of the South named Sotelo, which had resided several years lasting at Edo. At that time, your Excellence had also offered messages for the Barbarians of the South, as well as present, such as folding screens and parts of armor. |Masamune Dates, letter of October 18th, 1620, quoted by Gonoi, p. 234.

Spain is at the time by far the power more threatening for Japan (with a colony and an army in Philippines neighbors). The accounts of visu of Hasekura on the Spanish power and its colonial methods in News-Spain could precipitate the decision of the shogun Hidetada Tokugawa to cease the commercial relations with Spain in 1623, then the diplomatic relations in 1624, although other events such as the infiltration of Spanish priests in Japan and the failure of a Spanish embassy also contributed to this decision.

Death

One is unaware of what it occurs of Hasekura and the versions telling its last years are numerous. The contemporary historians can only rest on hearsays, certain rumors affirming that it gave up voluntarily the Christianisme, others which it died in Martyr for his faith, others still that it continued to practice Christianity in secrecy. The fate of its descendants and servants, who will be carried out later to have been Christian, suggests however that Hasekura is itself remained strongly Christian, and transmitted its faith to the members of its family.

Sotelo, which is gone back later to Japan where it will be finally taken and burned in 1624, leaves before its execution an account of the return of Hasekura, making of him a hero having propagated the Christian faith:

My other colleague, the ambassador Philippus Faxecura, after having joined his king susmensionné Masamune, largely was rewarded by him, and was sent in his own field, to rest after so long and if tiring voyage, where it made to his woman, of his/her children, its servants and many the other vassal ones of the Christians, and warned of other noble who were his/her friends and parents to accept the faith, which they did obviously. Whereas it was occupied with that and other pious occupations, a full year after its return, having left many instructions and a great example, it died piously, leaving with his children by a special heritage the propagation of the faith in its stronghold, and the protection of the monks in this kingdom. The king and all the noble ones were largely saddened by this death, but especially the Christians, who knew very well the virtue and the religious zeal of this man. It is what I learned by letters from very religious which managed the sacraments to him, and which were present at its death, as well as others|Shine Sotelo, Of ecclesiae Iaponicae statu relatio

Hasekura also brought back to Japan several catholic pertaining to worship objects, but did not give them to its lord, keeping them in his own stronghold.

Tsunenaga Hasekura dies of disease (according to at the same time of the Japanese sources and the Christian sources) in 1622, but the localication of its tomb is not known with certainty. Three tombs are supposed to be that of Hasekura. One among it is visible with the Buddhist temple of Enfuku-ji (円長山円福寺) in the Préfecture of Miyagi.

Execution of his/her children and descendants

Hasekura has a son named Tsuneyori Rokuemon. Two of the servants of its son, Yogoemon and his wife, are suspectés to be Christian and are carried out in August 1637. The same year, Tsuneyori is also suspected of Christianity after being denounced by somebody of Edo, but escapes the interrogation because of its quality of Master of the temple Zen of Kōmyō-ji (光明寺). It is finally taken and carried out in 1640, at the 42 years age, after two Christian priests, the Dominican Pedro Vazquez and Joan Bautista Paulo, gave its name under the Torture. Two others of its servants, Saemon Taro (71 years), which had followed Hasekura to Rome, and his wife (59 years), are carried out the same day. Insofar as the life of the Christians were saved if they disavowed their faith, these executions show that they had a faith closes and refused to disavow it. The young brother of Tsuneyori escapes and disappears.

At this time, the privileges of the Hasekura family are abolished by the stronghold of Sendai, and their field and their goods seized. It is at this time, in 1640, that the Christian pertaining to worship objects of Hasekura are confiscated, and kept in deposit with Sendai until they are redécouverts at the end of the 19th century.

In all, approximately fifty of these Christian objects of worship are found in the property of Hasekura in 1640, such as crosses, religious Rosaire S, dresses and pious paintings. All these objects are seized and stored by the Date. An inventory carried out in 1840 describes these objects like pertaining to Tsunenaga Hasekura. Nineteen books are also mentioned in this inventory, but were lost since. These objects are preserved today at the Musée of the town of Sendai and in other museums of Sendai.

Redécouverte

The existence even of the voyages of Hasekura is forgotten in Japan until the reopening of the country after the end of the policy of the Sakoku . In 1873, a Japanese embassy in Europe, the Mission Iwakura, directed by Tomomi Iwakura, intends to speak for the first time about the voyages about Hasekura when one shows them documents during their visit with Venice in Italy.

However, no mention is made of this discovery in the report/ratio of the Iwakura mission, and the account of the voyage is made public only on the initiative of the Empereur Meiji and is published in 1909 in the twelfth divides into volumes Dai Nihon Shiryō .

Hasekura today

Statues of Tsunenaga Hasekura can be seen nowadays with the periphery of Acapulco in Mexico, with the bay entry of Havana to Cuba, with Coria del Río in Spain, in the church of Civitavecchia in Italy, and in Tsukinoura, close to Ishinomaki.

A park with topic describing the embassy and raising a counterpart of the San Juan Bautista is installed in the port of Ishinomaki, from where Hasekura initially took the veil at the beginning of its voyage.

Shūsaku Endō wrote in 1980 a novel entitled the extraordinary voyage of the samurai Hasekura , which reports the voyages of Hasekura.

A Spanish cartoon film of 2005 entitled “Gisaku” reports the adventures of a young Japanese samurai named Yohei which visits Spain at the 17th century, in a history vaguely drawing its inspiration from the voyages of Hasekura.

Armorial bearings

Hasekura had a Blason official, consistent in a Buddhist Svastika crossed by two arrows, with a shield and surmounted by a royal crown, on an orange bottom. This blazon is present on the table of Deruet, its certificate of citizenship Roman (on the left), various engravings (in the medium), and used on the flag of its ship (on the right).

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