Hasekura Tsunenaga

was a Japanese samurai and diplomat.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Hasekura Tsunenaga" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 293. He was the first diplomat from Japan to visit Spain, France, Italy, and the Vatican.

The Roman Senate made Hasekura a citizen and a patrician of Rome.American Historical Association. (1915). The&pg=PA480 Pacific Ocean in Hstory: Papers and Addresses Presented at the Panama-Pacific Historical Congress, held at San Francisco, Berkeley and Palo Alto, California, July 19-23, 1915, p. 480

Early life
Hasekura was a retainer of Date Masamune, who was the daimyo of Sendai.Nussbaum, "Date Masamune," pp. 148-149.

Keichō Embassy
Hasekura headed a diplomatic mission from Japan to the Vatican. The trip lasted from 1613 to 1620Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA):  "Japan-Mexico Relations"; retrieved 2011-11-16. and is called the .In the name "Keichō Embassy", the noun Keichō refers to the Japanese era name (nengō) after "Bunroku" and before "Genna."  In other words, the Keichō Embassy commenced during the years from 1596 through 1615. Hasekura was the first Japanese ambassador in the Americas and in Europe. 


Rome 
Hasekura traveled with a group across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico. They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.

Hasekura returned to Japan by crossing Mexico from east to west in 1618.  The Japanese sailed from Acapulco for the Philippines. From Manila, they sailed north to Japan in 1620.

The story of Hasekura was unknown in Japan until the 19th century.American Historical Association,  p. 480 n1. His early diplomacy not included in official histories written in Japan in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Hasekura was a subject of interest in Europe. In 1615, Scipione Amati published a book about Haskeura's historic journey.Amati, Scipione. (1615).  Historia del regno di Voxu del Giapone, dell'antichità, nobilità e valore del suo re Idate Masamune, delli favori c'ha fatti alla christianità... e dell'ambasciata che hà inviata alla Sta di N. S. papa Paolo V... fatta per il dottor Scipione Amati ; retrieved 2011-11-16.  In 1616, a book about the Japanese diplomats was published in French in Paris.Sotello, Louis. (1616).  Recit de l'entrée solemnelle et remarquable faicte à Rome, à Dom Philippe François Faxicura, & au Reuerend Pere Frere Louys Sotello ... Ambassadeurs pour Idate Massamune, Roy de Voxu au Iappon. Sur sa Conuersion au Christianisme & recherche de l'alliance des Princes Chrestiens. Vers la Saincteté de N.S.P. Paul v. ... le 25. iour d'Octobre 1615.  ; retrieved 2011-11-16.

Legacy
In 1873, Japanese diplomats traveled to Europe and were surprised to learn about Hasekura. His diplomacy was forgotten because of sakoku, Japan's isolationist policy.

There are statues of Hasekura in Japan,Hasekura statue in Ishinomaki, Japan ; retrieved 2011-11-16. Cuba,Hasekura statue in Havana, Cuba ; retrieved 2011-11-16. Spain,Hasekura statue in Coria del Rio, Spain; retrieved 2011-11-16. and Italy.Hasekura statue in Civitavecchia, Italy

Many people in Coria del Río, Spain, have the surname "Japón"The surname "Japón" is a shortened form of "Hasekura de Japón". and are descendants of the Japanese travelers."Spain's Japon clan has reunion to trace its 17th century roots" , Japan Times. December 11, 2003; retrieved 2011-11-16.

Comet
A minor comet,   11514 Tsunenaga, was named after Hasekura in 1991.Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003).   "11514 Tsunenaga," Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Vol. 1, p. 763.

Memory of the World Programme
Spanish and Japanese archives have documents from the Hasekura mission. The letter carried by Hasekura to the King of Spain is in Seville, Spain. The paper proving Haskura's Roman citizenship is in Sendai, Japan.  Those bits of history are proposed for UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme. "Japan, Spain to Seek UNESCO Heritage Ratification,"  Yomiuri Shimbun. October 18, 2011; retrieved 2011-11-17.

 Related pages
Edo period

References

Other websites

The Epic journey of Hasekura Tsunenaga 

Category:1571 births
Category:1622 deaths
Category:People from Sendai
Category:Japanese diplomats