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William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, was an English navigator who settled in Japan. He is now famous as the prototype of the hero of James Clavell's quasi-historical novel [[James Clavell's Shogun|''Shogun'']].

William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, was an English navigator who settled in Japan. He is now famous as the prototype of the hero of James Clavell's quasi-historical novel [[James Clavell's Shogun|''Shogun'']].

Adams was born in [[1564]], in Gillingham, England. From age twelve to twenty-four, he worked as an apprentice to a shipwright. At age 24, in [[1588]], he captained a supply ship during the fight against the Spanish Armada. Adams met his first wife, Mary, the following year, and later had two daughters with her. He then joined the Barbary Company in the 1590s, and presumably traveled a number of times between England and the North African coast. He may have also sailed with Dutch crews in search of the Northwest Passage on at least one occasion.

Adams was born in [[1564]], in Gillingham, England. From age twelve to twenty-four, he worked as an apprentice to a shipwright. At age 24, in [[1588]], he captained a supply ship during the fight against the Spanish Armada. Adams met his first wife, Mary Hyn, the following year, and later had two daughters with her. He then joined the Barbary Company in the 1590s, and presumably traveled a number of times between England and the North African coast. He may have also sailed with Dutch crews in search of the Northwest Passage on at least one occasion.

Then, in [[1598]], Adams was hired by a firm based in Rotterdam to serve as pilot for a fleet of five ships to journey to Japan, and to attempt to establish trade relations there. The Spanish and Portuguese were the only Europeans trading in Japan at this time, and gaining access for the Dutch would break their monopoly. By the time Adams reached Japan, however, the ''[[Liefde]]'' was the only one of the five ships which remained. It made landfall in [[Bungo province]], in Kyushu, on April 19, [[1600]] (3/7 on the Japanese calendar). Only 21 of the original 110 crew were still alive and with the ship, and three more died shortly afterwards, leaving only 18 survivors of the voyage.

Then, in [[1598]], Adams was hired by a firm based in Rotterdam to serve as pilot for a fleet of five ships to journey to Japan, and to attempt to establish trade relations there. The Spanish and Portuguese were the only Europeans trading in Japan at this time, and gaining access for the Dutch would break their monopoly. By the time Adams reached Japan, however, the ''[[Liefde]]'' was the only one of the five ships which remained. It made landfall in [[Bungo province]], in Kyushu, on April 19, [[1600]] (3/7 on the Japanese calendar). Only 21 of the original 110 crew were still alive and with the ship, and three more died shortly afterwards, leaving only 18 survivors of the voyage.

Adams was granted a [[shuinsen|red seal trading license]] by the shogunate, and traveled to [[Ayutthaya]] (Siam) on several occasions in [[1615]]-[[1616]], aboard his ship the ''[[Sea Adventure]]'',<ref>Geoffrey Gunn, ''History Without Borders: The Making of an Asian World Region, 1000-1800'', Hong Kong University Press (2011), 223.</ref> as well as to [[Hoi An]] (in Vietnam) in [[1617]], and [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] on at least one occasion. Cocks, the first head of the London Merchant's Company's operations in Japan, visited Adams at Henmi in [[1616]].

Adams was granted a [[shuinsen|red seal trading license]] by the shogunate, and traveled to [[Ayutthaya]] (Siam) on several occasions in [[1615]]-[[1616]], aboard his ship the ''[[Sea Adventure]]'',<ref>Geoffrey Gunn, ''History Without Borders: The Making of an Asian World Region, 1000-1800'', Hong Kong University Press (2011), 223.</ref> as well as to [[Hoi An]] (in Vietnam) in [[1617]], and [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] on at least one occasion. Cocks, the first head of the London Merchant's Company's operations in Japan, visited Adams at Henmi in [[1616]].

He died of illness in [[1620]], in Hirado. There is a grave in Henmi (now [[Yokosuka]] City), called "Anjin-zuka" and said to be his, though it also may be that of his son Joseph; in either case, the neighboring grave is believed to be that of his wife, Oyuki. Following Adams' death, Joseph inherited his red seal license, his fief, and the name "Miura Anjin," and continued to trade for a time under that name and license.<ref>[[Marius Jansen]], ''China in the Tokugawa World'', Harvard University Press (1992), 19.</ref> He made at least five trips to Southeast Asia in 1624-1635.<ref>Leupp, 66.</ref> In [[1633]], Miura (Joseph) was to be only one of seven families to still hold a ''shuin'' license.

He died of illness in [[1620]], in Hirado, and was buried there. There is also a grave in Henmi (now [[Yokosuka]] City), called "Anjin-zuka" and said to be his, though it also may be that of his son Joseph; in either case, the neighboring grave is believed to be that of his wife, Oyuki. Following Adams' death, Joseph inherited his red seal license, his fief, and the name "Miura Anjin," and continued to trade for a time under that name and license.<ref>[[Marius Jansen]], ''China in the Tokugawa World'', Harvard University Press (1992), 19.</ref> He made at least five trips to Southeast Asia in 1624-1635.<ref>Leupp, 66.</ref> In [[1633]], Miura (Joseph) was to be only one of seven families to still hold a ''shuin'' license.

There is a marker on the site of his [[Edo]] (now Tokyo) mansion; the address is Chûô-ku, Nihonbashi Muromachi 1-10-8. Until the beginning of the Shôwa Period (1926-1989) the area was called "Anjin-chô"; there is still an "Anjin-dôri" ("Anjin Street") there. There is also an annual festival in his honor, held in Itô, [[Shizuoka Prefecture]], called ''Anjin Matsuri''.

There is a marker on the site of his [[Edo]] (now Tokyo) mansion; the address is Chûô-ku, Nihonbashi Muromachi 1-10-8. Until the beginning of the Shôwa Period (1926-1989) the area was called "Anjin-chô"; there is still an "Anjin-dôri" ("Anjin Street") there. There is also an annual festival in his honor, held in Itô, [[Shizuoka Prefecture]], called ''Anjin Matsuri''.