{"id":3198,"date":"2022-11-10T06:17:40","date_gmt":"2022-11-10T06:17:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/?p=3198"},"modified":"2022-11-10T06:17:44","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T06:17:44","slug":"yasuke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/yasuke\/","title":{"rendered":"The Story of Yasuke, Japan\u2019s First Black Samurai"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan\u2019s Sengoku period between 1467 and 1615 was a time of political intrigue, war, and change on a massive scale. The enormous demand for samurai marked a cultural shift that forever altered Japanese history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the fascinating tales from this period is the story of Yasuke, the black samurai. He was an outsider who befriended Oda Nobunaga and took part in some of the most iconic events of the period.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/positivenegativeimpact.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/109180065_f502a3e7-e112-4df1-ba98-401af1f9b626.jpg\" alt=\"Yasuke the first black samurai and Oda Nobunaga as depicted in Kuro-suke\" class=\"wp-image-2722\"\/><figcaption>Yasuke and Oda Nobunaga as depicted in Kuro-suke \u2013 Iwashi Shoten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-yasuke-s-early-life\"><strong>Yasuke\u2019s Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before he became Japan\u2019s first black samurai, accounts are uncertain of Yasuke\u2019s origins. There\u2019s no written history of his life before he arrived in Japan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody knows how he came into Alessandro Vaglignano\u2019s service or where he was before that, but there\u2019s a lot of speculation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some sources suggest he was a European or Arab slave trade victim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They believe he came from Congo, Angola, or Ethiopia. Some accounts think he was a member of the Dinka in South Sudan, some of the tallest men in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most compelling is a 1672 account from Jesuit Pere Francois Solier, who believes he came from Mozambique, though he never does say where he got that information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not just where he was born that\u2019s a mystery. His age ranges from 16 and 28, with most primary sources contradicting each other. Even his name is uncertain, as Yasuke may be a phonetic translation, or Japanaization, of his birth name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are some things we know for sure. Yasuke was a magnificent warrior. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/robert-wadlow-the-tallest-person-man-to-ever-live\/\" title=\"Robert Wadlow, The Tallest Person Man To Ever Live\">He was also a giant<\/a>, particularly in Japan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 6 foot 2, he was 14 inches taller than an average Japanese man at the time, who stood around five feet. For context, the average American\u2019s height is 5 foot 9. You\u2019d need to stand next to Shaquille O\u2019Neal to reach the same high differential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-did-yasuke-become-the-first-black-samurai\"><strong>How Did Yasuke Become the First Black Samurai?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those unfamiliar, samurai were a unique caste of warriors who served the daimyo of Japan. They followed something called bushido, a moral code that dictated their morals, lifestyle, and behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The closest European equivalent would be the concept of chivalry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Becoming a samurai wasn\u2019t easy, as they only accounted for 10% of Japan\u2019s population by 1603. You couldn\u2019t just grab swords and join up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most samurai started training the second they could hold a weapon. This is one of the many reasons why Yasuke, the only black samurai\u2019s story is so fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1579, Yasuke arrived in Japan as the Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano\u2019s assistant. His strength and tall stature made a strong impression on Oda Nobunaga, who made him a Samurai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/positivenegativeimpact.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/alessandro-valignano-cbc7b4a1-20bc-4f04-ad1d-79681e5d3cd-resize-750_2048x2048.jpg\" alt=\"Yasuke was the assistant of Alessandro Valignano, \" class=\"wp-image-2720\"\/><figcaption><em>Alessandro Valignano<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese daimyo and one of the most important figures of the Sengoku period. He\u2019s considered one of Japan\u2019s great unifiers and is a primary reason why Japan is one country and not many. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By his death, he had unified half the country and provided political stability for many formerly chaotic regions. Shortly after his death, Japan fully unified.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobunaga learned of Yasuke around March 23, 1581, after he had generated significant interest in locals who had never seen someone his size or skin tone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The story goes that Nobunaga held court near Honno-Ji Temple when he heard a nearby crowd\u2019s commotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the book\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3EkJCEP\" title=\"\">African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, A Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan<\/a><\/em>, author Thomas Lockley stated that Nobunaga must have believed Yasuke was a guardian demon or a god of prosperity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Japan, temples represented gods of prosperity with black statues. Nobunaga summoned Yasuke for an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Nobunaga saw that Yasuke was black, he assumed he was painted. He ordered him to remove his shirt and for his servants to scrub the ink off his skin. Once he realized that Yasuke didn\u2019t have painted skin, he rejoiced and threw a feast in his honor. Nobunaga was so impressed that he made Yasuke his vassal, retainer, and bodyguard.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-yasuke-s-life-in-japan\">Yasuke\u2019s Life in Japan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his time in Japan, Yasuke was a sensation. Nobody had seen someone like them, and people were curious. Everywhere he went, he drew crowds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because Buddhist statues were often black, many people believed he was a divine visitor. Some historical accounts go as far as to say that buildings collapsed under the weight of a crowd who came to see Yasuke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In another case, Yasuke had to ride a horse through a crowd to escape after an entire town broke out in a riot trying to get near him. Several people were crushed to death, and he hid in a Jesuit church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alessandro Valignano ensured his assistants adapted to the cultures they visited. Yasuke knew quite a bit about Japan and spoke some Japanese when he arrived in Kyoto. He quickly learned what he didn\u2019t know and was soon fluent in Japanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It wasn\u2019t long before Yasuke had a private residence and a katana sword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobunaga treated him well and directed his nephew to give Yasuke money. Yasuke eventually received a prestigious honor when Nobunaga invited him to dinner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though simple to us, dinner with your daimyo was rarely attainable for anybody except the most privileged samurai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While serving Oda Nobunaga, Yasuke met some of the most influential men of the Sengoku period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He knew Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became the Tokugawa shogunate founder. He may have met Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was another great unifier of Japan, as well. Not all the meetings were fortunate, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a record of him meeting Akechi Mitsuhide, the man who assassinated Oda Nobunaga and ruled as shogun for 13-days before Hideyoshi defeated them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fighting-for-nobunaga\">Fighting For Nobunaga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oda Nobunaga\u2019s political and military success owed a lot to his open mind. He loved foreign ideas and cultures and worked and integrated what he could. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He loved Western clothes and would occasionally wear them. Additionally, records attribute Nobunaga with being the first man in Japan to drink wine from a goblet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His interest in the West revolutionized how Japan fought wars. In 1549, Nobunaga ordered 500 matchlocks, or tanegashima, as they became known in Japan.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, guns were ineffective compared to bows. Nobunaga\u2019s armies quickly worked to improve their effectiveness. They developed techniques to fire continuously and invented coated boxes to fire in the rain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They even created a string system to allow them to fire in the night accurately. By 1575, arquebusiers won the Battle of Nagashino by continuously firing across a river at charging enemy forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For our story, this interest also influenced his positive relationship and immense respect for Yasuke, which made Yasuke an important part of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-final-records-of-yasuke\"><strong>The final records of Yasuke<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1582, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga joined up to take on Takeda Katsuyori and the Takeda clan, who bitterly resisted Nobungag\u2019s efforts to unify Japan. Yasuke fought in this battle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the end, Takeda burned his castle down and took his life at another stronghold.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equally close to his dream of a unified Japan, Nobunaga\u2019s life ended later that year. Akechi Mitsuhide and an army of 13,000 surrounded Nobunaga at the Honno-Ji temple in Kyoto. In the ensuing battle, Yasuke fought with his daimyo one last time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobunaga took an arrow and realized his end was near, committing seppuku to perish honorably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically, samurai will commit seppuku when their daimyo passes or lose honor and live their lives as Ronin (masterless samurai).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though Yasuke adapted to the culture, this was probably too much for him. He joined up with Nobunagas\u2019s son, Oda Nobutada, and escaped, intending to serve him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This arrangement didn\u2019t last long, as Mitsuhide\u2019s men caught up and Oda Nobutada committed seppuku just as his father before him.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As far as why Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga, that\u2019s still a bit of a mystery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it was personal ambition or a grudge, he was the shogun of Japan for the next 13 days before Toyotomi Hideyoshi allied himself with the Mori clan and crushed his army. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Mitsuhide fled, a bandit leader named Nakamura Chobei struck him down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for Yasuke, he handed his sword over to Mitsuhide after Nobutada committed seppuku. Mitsuhide could have also forced him to commit seppuku but decided against it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because Yasuke was a black samurai, Mitsuhide believed he was an outsider. He treated Yasuke poorly and forced his men to drop Yasuke off at the \u201csouthern barbarians\u201d temple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Jesuits were happy to see Yasuke and welcomed him with open arms. Not much is known about his later life, as Yasuke drops off written history from this point forward.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-legend-of-yasuke\"><strong>The Legend of Yasuke<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most potent legends endure through the years, and Yasuke\u2019s story still resonates today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In modern times, a 20th-century children\u2019s book written by Kurusu Yoshio called\u00a0<em>Kuro-suke<\/em>\u00a0retells the story for new generations. Kuro-suke is the story of a fictionalized version of Yasuke, named Kurosan Yasuke or Kuro-suke.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hard-working, cheerful hero follows Nobunaga and fights in the Battle of the Honno-Ji temple, much like the real-life Yasuke. At the battle\u2019s conclusion, <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobunaga commits seppuku, a scene you probably wouldn\u2019t find in most modern children\u2019s books. The story ends with a poignant scene of Kuro-suke silently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Either way, the story of how Yasuke became Japan\u2019s first black Samurai is one of the fascinating tales of the Sengoku period.\u00a0Today, he lives on in\u00a0books\u00a0and his own\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/tv\/lakeith-stanfield-yasuke-anime-netflix\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"\">anime series<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Japan\u2019s Sengoku period between 1467 and 1615 was a time of political intrigue, war, and change on a massive scale. The enormous demand for samurai marked a cultural shift that forever altered Japanese history. One of the fascinating tales from this period is the story of Yasuke, the black samurai. He was an outsider who [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.8 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Japan\u2019s Sengoku period between 1467 and 1615 was a time of political intrigue, war, and change on a massive scale. 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