A British navigator who lived a turbulent life. Who was Anjin Miura?

Crossing the ocean from the Netherlands, he was washed ashore in Japan on the Liefde

Born in Gillingham in the east of England in 1564 (Eiroku 7), William Adams worked as an apprentice in a shipyard from the age of 12. He spent the next 12 years studying shipbuilding, astronomy, and navigation, and also gained experience as a naval captain and an Arctic explorer. At the age of 34, he boarded the Dutch East Indies Expedition, consisting of five ships, as chief navigator and set sail for the East.

The voyage was full of difficulties. It was difficult to secure supplies such as food, and due to the harsh winters in the Strait of Magellan near the Antarctic and attacks by natives, the fleet was eventually reduced to just one ship, the Liefde, on which Adams and his crew were aboard. Nevertheless, in order to fulfill its responsibilities as a trading ship, the Liefde continued on its course for Japan and finally sighted land on the island. One year and ten months after setting sail from the Netherlands, it had lost the ability to sail and drifted ashore in Sashiu, now part of Usuki City, Oita Prefecture.
The year was April 1600 (Keicho 5), just six months before the decisive Battle of Sekigahara.

Under orders from Ieyasu, construction of Western-style sailing ships begins in Ito

When Adams washed ashore, Tokugawa Ieyasu summoned him to Osaka Castle for an audience. Ieyasu recognized Adams' knowledge and fair character, and after his victory in the Battle of Sekigahara, he prepared a mansion for him in Edo's Nihonbashi district. Ieyasu himself studied mathematics and geography, and taught his senior vassals gunnery, navigation, and astronomy, and also made him an important diplomatic advisor to the shogunate.

Ieyasu, who felt the need for maritime transportation in the island nation of Japan, ordered Adams to build Japan's first Western-style sailing ship in 1604 (Keicho 9). Adams identified Ito in Izu as the perfect location because it had a river mouth that flowed into the sea, the Amagi mountain range where timber could be cut was nearby, and there were many skilled shipwrights, so he began construction of Japan's first Western-style sailing ship at the mouth of the Matsukawa River.

Shipbuilding using the "sand dock method" that utilizes sandbars

At the time, there was a thick sandbar at the mouth of the Matsukawa River in Ito, and Adams used it to build ships using the "sand dock method." This is a method in which logs are laid in holes dug in the sand, a ship is built there, and then water is drawn in from a dammed waterway to the ship, allowing the ship to be launched into the sea. It is said that Ieyasu test-rode the 80-ton sailing ship that was built at this time and was very pleased with it. The following year, a large 120-ton ship capable of sailing out to the open sea was also built here.

Becoming a "Samurai" and contributing to overseas trade

In 1605 (Keicho 10), Ieyasu awarded Adams 250 koku of land in Izumi, Miura County (now part of Yokosuka City), two swords, and a wakizashi in recognition of his achievements, and gave him the name Miura Anjin. Miura comes from the land, and Anjin means a guide. William Adams thus became a "samurai," and later married Oyuki, the daughter of an Edo merchant, and had two children.

In addition to shipbuilding, Anjin also worked hard to promote overseas trade for the shogunate, such as by establishing trading posts in Hirado with the Netherlands and Britain. He also traveled to Ryukyu, Siam (present-day Thailand), China, and other countries, and engaged in trade himself. In 1616 (Genwa 2), upon returning home from trading in Siam, Anjin was disheartened by the news of Ieyasu's death. As times changed, he spent his later years in misfortune, passing away in 1620 (Genwa 6) in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture.

The four cities connected by Anjin: Usuki, Ito, Yokosuka, and Hirado

After a voyage of one year and ten months, we arrived at Usuki City, Oita Prefecture.

On April 19, 1600 (5th year of the Keicho era), the Liefde reached Kuroshima Island in Usuki Bay, Oita Prefecture, with only 24 survivors out of the 110 crew members. It is a small island with a circumference of about 3km, about 300m from Sashio Beach, and can be reached by ferry in about 5 minutes. The island is home to the Miura Anjin Landing Memorial Park.

The monument "Encounter" (by Tamada Nobuyuki) displayed within the Landing Memorial Park depicts the scene of Anjin and his companions meeting the people of Sashio.

Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture, where a Western-style sailing ship was built by order of Ieyasu

Miura Anjin began building Western-style sailing ships in Ito after receiving an order from Ieyasu. While flat-bottomed Japanese ships were originally built in this area, Anjin designed a Western-style sailing ship with a round bottom. The blueprints and shipbuilding know-how were lost during the subsequent isolationist policy and two major tsunamis, but the shipbuilding process at that time is written about in detail in the "Keicho Kenbunshu."

In addition to the ideal conditions for building Western-style sailing ships, Ito was also known for its abundant hot spring. Adams may have been interested in the healing properties of the hot hot spring, and perhaps he and his shipwrights could have soothed the fatigue of their ship's magistrate, Mukai Shogen Tadakatsu, by bathing in the hot springs.

Currently in Ito City, you can experience Anjin's footsteps at spots and Property such as Anjin Memorial Park, Kawaguchi Park, and Tokaikan (please see below for details on each spot and Property).

Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, where the territory and land of Ieyasu was granted

In 1620 (6th year of the Genna era), Miura Anjin died in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture, and was buried in the foreign cemetery. However, his son Joseph, following his father's will, erected a grave marker here on his territory. The area is now maintained as "Tsukayama Park" and is a popular cherry blossom viewing spot.
Anjin's gravestone is next to that of his wife, and the site has been designated a national historic site and selected as one of the 100 most scenic spots in Yokosuka.
Yokosuka City is also a sister city with Anjin's birthplace, Medway (formerly Gillingham), England.

Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture, which contributed to the establishment of trading posts in Britain and the Netherlands

Anjin encouraged the Edo Shogunate to open trade with the Netherlands and Britain, and established a trading post in Hirado. After his final voyage to China, he returned to Hirado, where he died at the age of 56, bedridden.
In 1954 (Showa 29), Miura Anjin's grave was erected in Sakigata Park, located on a hill overlooking Hirado Port. In fact, Anjin had married in England before setting sail for the Orient, leaving his wife and children behind in his home country. So in 1964 (Showa 39), on the 400th anniversary of Adams' birth, a pebble was brought from his wife's grave in England as a symbol of his soul and buried with him, making it a couple's grave.

Three spots in Ito to visit Anjin

Anjin Memorial Park with the ocean as a backdrop

This memorial park was built at the spot where Anjin built Japan's first Western-style sailing ship, and is located near Nagisa Bridge at the mouth of the Matsukawa River. In honor of his achievements, there is a bust of Anjin, a monument to his second large sailing ship built in Ito, the San Buena Ventura (meaning "ship that brings happiness"), and a monument commemorating 400 years since the construction of the Western-style sailing ship. The bust was made by local sculptor Kenji Shigeoka.

On a clear day, Hatsushima Island stands out clearly against the vivid blue sea, and people can be seen taking photos with the marine view in the background.

"Kawaguchi Park" is a must-visit place to stroll along Matsukawa

If you walk along the Matsukawa River from the coast, you will come to the Matsukawa Promenade on the left bank. After walking a little further along the promenade, you will see Kawaguchi Park, which spreads out over the riverside. There is a monument to Anjin Miura, which records his achievements, and a monument to the song "Anjin Ondo", and further down a flight of stairs you can see tile paintings depicting shipbuilding.

Learn about Anjin's achievements at the former long-established Hot spring ryokan "Tokaikan"

"Tokaikan" is a three-story wooden building that conveys the atmosphere of Hot spring ryokan from the end of the Taisho period to the early Showa period. It is currently designated as a tangible cultural property of Ito City, and you can tour the building.
The second floor of the building called the New Building, completed in 1938 (Showa 13), is a space that conveys the achievements of great men with ties to Ito City, using a private room that was formerly a guest room. There is also an exhibition room related to Anjin, where you can enjoy seeing models of the Liefde and San Buena Ventura up close.

The world of Hoshino Resorts KAI Anjin will take you back to the Age of Discovery

Ito is the place where Japan's first Western-style sailing ship was built. Standing at the mouth of the Matsukawa River, where there used to be a sand dock, a modern-looking inn catches your eye. That inn is Hoshino Resorts KAI Anjin. It is a story-driven hot spring inn that calls to mind Miura Anjin, the maritime hero who had a major influence on Ieyasu's worldview. Immerse yourself in the hot hot spring which would have soothed the carpenters who attempted to build Western-style sailing ships, and after your bath, head to San Buena Deck, where you can enjoy the deck-like atmosphere with a drink in hand. The ocean views and sea breeze, which have remained unchanged since those times, will add color to each page of your journey.