Yokozawa Shogen
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese samurai of the 16th century, who served Date Masamune
, ruler of the Sendai domain.
In September 1616, under an order by Date Masamune, Yokozawa went to Mexico on the San Juan Bautista
in order to fetch his compatriot Hasekura Rokuemon who was coming back from an embassy to Europe.
His trip proved difficult, and around 100 men on the ship died en route. He arrived in Acapulco
in May 1617. He remitted a letter and some merchandise from Date Masamune, and was baptized, receiving the name of Don Alonzo Hacaldo.
The ship sailed on April 1618 for a fourth trans-Pacific travel, and arrived in the Philippines, where she was bought by the local Spanish government in order to "reinforce defenses against Holland forces by all means possible". Luis Sotelo chose to remain in the Philippines due to the worsening anti-Christian situation in Japan, but Yokozawa Shogen managed to leave for Japan together with Hasekura Rokuemon on a trade ship in August 1620.
After his arrival in Japan, Yokozawa is recorded to have renounced the Christian faith and burnt all his Christian-related belongings.
In 1621 however, Yokozawa Shogen is known to have signed a letter to the Pope together with 17 other Christians from Northern Japan. His name comes in second place after Goto Juan (後藤寿庵).
Neither the later life of Yokozawa, or his grave are known.
Date Masamune
was a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
, ruler of the Sendai domain.
In September 1616, under an order by Date Masamune, Yokozawa went to Mexico on the San Juan Bautista
Japanese warship San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista was one of Japan's first Japanese-built Western-style sail warships. She crossed the Pacific in 1614. She was of the Spanish galleon type, known in Japan as Nanban-Sen San Juan Bautista (“St. John the Baptist”) (originally called Date Maru, 伊達丸 in Japanese) was one of Japan's...
in order to fetch his compatriot Hasekura Rokuemon who was coming back from an embassy to Europe.
His trip proved difficult, and around 100 men on the ship died en route. He arrived in Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
in May 1617. He remitted a letter and some merchandise from Date Masamune, and was baptized, receiving the name of Don Alonzo Hacaldo.
The ship sailed on April 1618 for a fourth trans-Pacific travel, and arrived in the Philippines, where she was bought by the local Spanish government in order to "reinforce defenses against Holland forces by all means possible". Luis Sotelo chose to remain in the Philippines due to the worsening anti-Christian situation in Japan, but Yokozawa Shogen managed to leave for Japan together with Hasekura Rokuemon on a trade ship in August 1620.
After his arrival in Japan, Yokozawa is recorded to have renounced the Christian faith and burnt all his Christian-related belongings.
In 1621 however, Yokozawa Shogen is known to have signed a letter to the Pope together with 17 other Christians from Northern Japan. His name comes in second place after Goto Juan (後藤寿庵).
Neither the later life of Yokozawa, or his grave are known.