John Saris

Japanese armor

John Saris (born circa 1580 ; died 1643 ) was an English trader in East Asia and in Japan during the early Edo period .

Stay in East Asia

John Saris worked in the English station in Batavia . In 1613 he visited Japan and went ashore in Hirado . He was kindly received by the Damyō Matsura Shigenobu (松浦 鎮 信; 1549-1614), to whom he presented a letter from the King of England. While in Hirado, he contacted Will Adams in Edo and suggested that they accompany him to Sumpu Castle . There he was of Tokugawa Ieyasu received, he received a letter from King James I handed. He then spent several days in Edo, where he received an answer from Ieyasu, addressed to the English king, assuring him and his countrymen privileges.

The English were able to conduct free trade based on this, were exempt from taxes, were given permission to set up trading houses and to visit Ezo, i.e. Hokkaidō , and the neighboring islands. On his return to Hirado in November 1613, he set up a trading house, which was overseen by Captain Richard Cocks . Adams (£ 100 annually) and six other Englishmen were involved. Saris left Hirado the following month, taking 15 Japanese with him. In September 1614 he reached Plymouth .

The English trading house on Hirado was abandoned in 1624. Saris' notes were edited by Ernest Satow entitled "Teh Voyage of Captain John Saris to Japan 1613".

Remarks

1. ↑ One of the two pieces of armor that Tokugawa Hidetada Saris gave to King Jacob in 1613. It is kept in the Tower of London .

literature

• S. Noma (Ed.): Saris, John . In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993. ISBN 4-06-205938-X , p. 1318.
• Papinot, Edmond: Saris (John) In: Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. Reprinted by Tuttle, 1972 edition of 1910 edition. ISBN 0-8048-0996-8 .