Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
Documented in the Shincho Koki, the Diary of Oda Nobunaga, as well as in the accounts of contemporary missionaries, Yasuke's origins are speculated to be from Mozambique or possibly from the Bakongo region (modern-day Congo), where the Portuguese had extensive trade connections. Standing at a height of 6 shaku 2 sun (about 6 ft. 2 or 188 cm), Yasuke's stature was quite remarkable compared to the average Japanese of the time, who stood around 150 to 165 cm. It was estimated that he was approximately 25 years of age.
Yasuke accompanied Valignano to Kyoto in March of 1581, causing quite a stir among the locals. Crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of him, with some people being crushed in the commotion. The War Lord Oda Nobunaga, intrigued by the reports of this "black man," demanded to meet him.
On March 23, 1581, Yasuke was presented before Oda Nobunaga, who initially thought his dark skin was painted on. To verify, Nobunaga had Yasuke stripped to the waist and cleaned. Impressed by Yasuke's size, strength, and intelligence, Nobunaga engaged in conversation with him. Recognizing Yasuke's formidable strength, Nobunaga requested that Valignano leave Yasuke in his service. Yasuke had learned some Japanese, and Nobunaga either saw him as a potential bodyguard or simply a curiosity. Regardless, Nobunaga treated Yasuke with great favor, even awarding him the status of Shiki, or samurai, along with the two swords of the office.
Yasuke remained loyal to Nobunaga and was with him on the day of his assassination in June 1582 by the traitor Akechi Mitsuhide. As Nobunaga perished in the flames of the temple, Yasuke rushed to defend Nobunaga's son and heir, Nobutada, at Nijo Castle.
Yasuke fought alongside Nobutada before eventually surrendering to Akechi samurai. Unsure of what to do with the foreigner, Mitsuhide eventually returned Yasuke to the Jesuit church in Kyoto. After that, there are no further records of Yasuke, the first foreign samurai.
In 1943, author Kurusu Yoshio penned a children's book about the African samurai.
Another story surrounding Yasuke involves his actions during the Honno-ji Incident. According to the tale, Yasuke fled to Nijo Castle to deliver an important package to Nobunaga's son, Nobutada — the package being Nobunaga's head!
See also
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Kasuya Takenori
There are several versions regarding the origins of Takenori. According to one account, he was the second son of Kasuya Tadayasu, a samurai who served the Bessho clan in Harima Province. In 1577, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched his campaign in Harima, on the advice of his close retainer Kuroda Yoshitaka, also known as Kanbei, he took Takenori into his service as a page. In this position, the young warrior participated in the siege of Miki Castle, which lasted from 1578 to 1580 and was aimed at suppressing the rebellion led by Bessho Nagaharu.
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Kajiwara Kagetoki
One of the finest generals and most loyal allies of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Kagetoki gained a notorious reputation as a jealous rival and persecutor of Yoshitsune, the legendary commander of the Genpei War. Kagetoki was an intelligent, calculating, and cautious man.
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Kawakubo (Takeda) Nobuzane
Nobuzane was the seventh son of Takeda Nobutora and the half-brother of the famous Takeda Shingen. The identity of his mother is unknown, as is the exact year of his birth. It is believed that he was born sometime in the 1530s. When Nobuzane reached adulthood, he was sent to the village of Kawakubo, located in the northern part of Kai Province near the border with the Saku region. His duty was to guard the road leading north. In that village, he built a residence and changed his family name to Kawakubo.
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Imagawa Sadayo
Imagawa Sadayo was one of the most outstanding figures of his era. Alongside Kusunoki Masashige and Kitabatake Chikafusa, he was considered one of the greatest generals and strategists of his time. In addition to his military talents, Sadayo was also a poet and historian, and his literary abilities earned him a prominent place at court and in scholarly circles.
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Ikeda Motosuke
Motosuke was the son of Ikeda Tsunooki and the older brother of the famous military commander Ikeda Terumasa. Sources differ on his year of birth—it was either 1559 or 1564. Motosuke was married to the sister of Oda Nobutada, the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga. Thus, Nobutada's son, Oda Hidenobu, was his nephew.
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Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
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Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
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Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
