Miura Anjin who was the first person to build a Western sailing ship in Japan
William Adams, an Englishman who was serving as the chief pilot of Dutch Expedition to the Far East, arrived in Bungo, Kyushu on a very stormy day in 1600. He became a diplomatic advisor for Tokugawa Ieyasu (the first Shogun of the Yedo period), and was given the Japanese name Miura Anjin. As a result, he came to live in Ito where he would build Japan's first two Western sailing ships: one 80 tons and the other 120 tons. On every August 10th, the Anjin Memorial Festival is held to commemorate his contribution to the foreign affairs of Japan. You can find a bronze statue of William Adams with a monument bearing a plaque describing his contributions, and a monument of one of the ships he built, the San Buena Ventura, at the mouth of the river.
[
Ito ||
Look Back a Bit |
Transportation |
Main Street |
Places to Visit |
Museums and Parks |
Outdoor Activities |
Local Food |
Arts, Crafts and Specialities |
Festivals and Events |
A Local Celebrity |
Accommodations |
More Information
]
[
Hometown Homepage
]
