1611

Keichô 16 (慶長十六年)

Timeline of 1611

• Keichô 15/12/16 Hayashi Razan sends a letter to the Ming court, on behalf of the shogunate and via Honda Masazumi and the governor of Fukien, seeking to normalize relations. The letter portrays Ieyasu and Japan as a central political and cultural authority, to which other countries send tribute.
• 1611/3/28 Tokugawa Ieyasu meets with Toyotomi Hideyori at Nijô castle in Kyoto.
• 1611/4/29 Sebastián Vizcaíno arrives at Uraga.
• 1611/7/25 Bakufu gives Red Seal to Jacques Specx.
• 1611/7 Bakufu allows trading with Portugal.
• 1611/8/9 Satsuma han completes land survey in Ryûkyû.
• 1611/8/13 A big earthquake in Aizu; Wakamatsu castle collapses.
• 1611/10/28 A big tsunami in Mutsu. The death toll is 1783.
• 1611/11/28 Ieyasu allows trading with Ming China.

Other Events of 1611

• King Shô Nei of Ryûkyû signs formal surrender documents, affirming his vassal status under the Shimazu clan lords of Satsuma han.
• Royal councillors of Ryûkyû sign oaths of loyalty to Satsuma han; one councillor, Tei Dô, refuses to sign and is beheaded.
• The Amami Islands are annexed by Satsuma han.
• King Shô Nei of Ryûkyû is returned to Shuri after an absence of roughly two years and resumes his rule.
• Satsuma imposes the Fifteen Injunctions (掟十五ヶ条, Okite jûgo-ka-jô) on Ryûkyû.
• Gima Shinjô introduces momen weaving to Okinawa from Satsuma.
• The outer moat of Kanazawa castle is completed.
• The Takasegawa canal in Kyoto is completed.

Births and Deaths

• Gregoria de Céspedes is born (d. 1611).
• Shimazu Yoshihisa, lord of Satsuma, dies (b. 1533).
• Tei Dô (Jana ueekata) is killed.

Previous Year 1610

1611

Following Year 1612