A Gentleman from Japan: The Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth's Court

YCAPS is delighted to announce the next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in the Yokosuka community! This event will feature Professor Thomas Lockley of Nihon University.

A Gentleman from Japan: The Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth’s Court is the latest book from Thomas Lockley (author of African Samurai, 2019).

An incredible sea story that turns the Age of Exploration on its head, following the first Japanese man to set foot on North America and England.

On November 12, 1588, five young Asian men—led by a twenty-one-year-old called Christopher—traveled up the River Thames to meet Queen Elizabeth I. Christopher’s epic sea voyage had spanned from Japan, via the Philippines, New Spain (Mexico), Java and Southern Africa. On the way, he had already become the first recorded Japanese person in North America. Now Christopher was the first ever Japanese visitor to England, and no other would leave such a legacy for centuries to come.

The story of Christopher is almost utterly forgotten and has never been fully told before.

A Gentleman from Japan is a fast-paced, historical narrative of adventure, cross-cultural endeavor, intellectual exchange, perseverance, espionage and conflict in the Age of Exploration.

*This book talk will also include a chance for attendees to purchase Professor Lockley's new book A Gentleman from Japan: The Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth’s Court at a special discounted price offered especially for the event. We will also be doing a free raffle and one lucky attendee will recieve a free copy of the book, kindly donated by Professor Lockley.

Registration: Optional via this Google Form. 

Schedule:

• 17:30-18:15 Refreshments & Networking (food & drinks)
• 18:15-19:30 Presentation and Q&A
• 19:30-19:45 Post Event Conversing/book raffle

Location:

Werk Yokosuka

Japan, 〒238-0006 Kanagawa,
Yokosuka, Hinodecho, 1 Chome−５
https://www.werk-yokosuka.com/

Google Map

Speaker:

Thomas Lockley is an Associate Professor at Nihon University, and frequent contributor to YCAPS. He researches and teaches themes related to the international history of Japan, especially those stories that have slipped between the cracks of recorded history. He has published numerous papers, contributed to Ministry of Education (MEXT) approved textbooks, and written several books, the best known of which is African Samurai (coauthored with Geoffrey Girard, 2019), concerning the life of Yasuke, the African man who fought beside Oda Nobunaga. 

Format: This event will be off-the-record.

Registration: Optional via this Google Form
Moderators: Jeff Mazziotta
Seminar Cost: Free of charge