San Juan Bautista

The San Juan Bautista was a ship which carried the Keichô Embassy (led by Hasekura Tsunenaga) across the Pacific in 1613, on their way to Rome.

A full-size replica of the ship, in wood, was built in 1993 and maintained at the port of Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, a short distance from Sendai, the castle-town of Date Masamune, who had sponsored or dispatched the embassy. This replica was severely damaged in the 2011 Triple Disaster, and rather than being repaired, was broken down in 2021 despite extensive local protest and opposition. A smaller plastic replica of the ship will be made in its place.

References

• "Life-size replica of historic sailboat in Japan being demolished despite opposition," The Mainichi, 16 Nov 2021.