“The ould king Foyne intreated me for a peece of Poldauis (wool) which I sent him, hee caused it presentlie to be made into Coates which hee, (notwithstandinge that hee was a kinge, and of that greate age, and famed to be the worthiest souldior of all Iapan for his vallour, and service in the Corean Warrs) did weare next his skynne, and some parte thereof was made into handkerchers, which hee dailie vsed.” (p.165)
The Commander of the East India Company mission to Japan, John Saris, wrote a Ship’s log of what he found on his travels. As with any other diary and the best intentions, it is not completed every day, or there are some days which are just mundane activity (as if this adventure could ever be considered that), eg the latter day equivalent would be got up, ate, went to bed. So, with this in mind we hope you will appreciate the selected extracts that follow the activities and the encounters between John Saris and his men and the generous and curious hosts in Japan. We aim to post them on the Japan400 website on the exact day 400 years ago for you to be transported back to that remarkable time. We will rejoin the log in a few days towards the end of July.
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