Wow. How lucky was William Adams to have a Starbucks and Family Mart so close to his house...

I read this book in 1975 when I was in High School (and studying Japanese), it made an lasting imprint on me. Now, after 40 years I'm finally visiting Japan and this has officially made the list as a "must see". Thanks John :)

You mention a few times that William Adams "was brought before the Shogun" but technically-speaking Ieyasu wasn't Shogun at the time when the two first met (merely one of the five "tairo" appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi). Adams made landfall in 1600 and Ieyasu had yet to fight the Battle of Sekigahara later that same year (and he wasn't officially appointed as Shogun until 1603). Adams was brought for three separate audiences with Ieyasu just before Ieyasu departed from Fushimi Castle to confront Uesugi Kagekatsu in the east of Honshu. So Ieyasu was somewhat preoccupied at this time. Yet he still found time to meet with Adams, whom he treated extremely cordially and respectfully. He was given a small fief of about 70-80 peasant farmers worth between 100-1,000 Koku in the countryside and the Edo house was really just his townhouse for when he was required to come up to the capital to meet with Ieyasu. You're quite right in saying that his house was within easy walking distance of Edo Castle! Anyway great to see this on KZfaq as I missed doing this little detour the last time I was in Tokyo. Good work!

John you should write an Only in Japan Guide book with "secret" Spots in it like the little Shrine, you introduced us to some time ago and the Shogun stone, etc. ありがとうございます

NO one else from the Japanese KZfaq community would have taken us to such a unique tour. Thanks!

There is a great book by Hiromi Rogers that tells the story of William Adams from the Japanese perspective. It was a great read and very informative. I have a few places marked to visit next year. I also took part in the William Adams festival that is held in GIllingham, Kent. Which was William Adams' birthplace.

Just started Shogun and along comes this video. Thanks.🎉

To those who haven't read the book. Do it. It's a real page turner, especially for those who have an interest in Japan.

John Rhys Davies character is my favorite. "Anjin-San!!"

Thank you for making this video, my wife and I are in Tokyo and just left the anjins stone. Thanks to you, finding it was really easy. I was totally geeking out getting to see it. Aragato

This is so awesome! Shogun affected my entire family when it came out! I have read that book about 20 times. Wish i had known about your awesome channel sooner!

Good day, my name is Peter Poth from Germany: I follow you for years and today is finally comment a video of yours. I am a historian professionally and I can tell you that James Clavell’s Novels have the ability to start love for other Asian cultures, like Chinese or Japanese. Is remarkable. Thank you very much for this video; you’ve made my day. Greeting to Japan :)

I will reorder Shogun...I have not read it in many years but know it is worth a reread. Thank you for jogging my memory. Edit: Ordered from Amazon for $5.88 paperback. I am SO looking forward to visiting this story again.

It means a lot to me. I love Shogun. Thank you for this. Respect from Romania.

This guy makes one of the best 'on Japan' youtube channels.

Shogun is a book that changes your life forever. A Masterpiece!

Just saw your video.. I live in Fukuoka, Kyushu and have been on the Adams trail for a while. I've been here in Japan 10 years, but as you did, read that book and watched the TV series back in the 90s. I just recently went to Hirado, in Nagasaki..I found the old British trade building that Adam's set up as well as Adams' house, which is still standing and visited his gravesite. Was a very special moment. Just a note, Adams first arrived on the coastline of Kyushu, now it is called Oita prefecture..the town's name is Utsuki..

Great seeing the marker on the spot where he lived. Shogun is a great classic.

That was great, Shogun really helped me understand some aspects of Japanese history and mindset.

Dude, love the historical themes on these streams. definitely hitting a unique point of view with the content your creating. nice work!

John is truly Japanese inside and not Japanese outside. For having been living in Japan for 20 years. Works and lives there and likes Japanese things so much and can speak the language fluently.

Wooooow man! Thanks for this amazing walk to the marker. Never thought I'd see this. Amazing

As a 9 yr old in early 80s I remember falling in love with lady Mariko in the shogun mini series lol RIP Yoko Shimada❤

James Clavell's Shogun is what piqued my interest in Japan more than 20 years ago. It was also on the tv with Richard Chamberlain I believe. Good to see someone else read it lol yeah, another geek! lol Anjinsan ;)

I just finished the book and I'm so happy for your video. Tks

Thank you for finding the marker of Anjin San's marker. Definitely will visit it the next time I in Tokyo. Read the book and watched the mini series so it definitely important to me. TKS a Million

just as soon as you mentioned william here i automatically thought nioh!! Awesome stuff!! =O

The Shogun miniseries with Richard Chamberlain was a huge hit in Sweden in the 80's. I haven't read the book.

its my absolute favourite book, THANK YOU for that video

Wow! I just watched the series!!! And you popped up! Thanks John!

Wow ! That is so cool I used to have the DVD set. I also lived in Japan as a missionary for 20 years.Thank you 🌺

I read that book a gazillion years ago. It was one of the thicker books that kept me reading. Thank you for bringing the book into reality.

I listened to the audio book version of shogun earlier this year, this is awwessooome. Next time I'm in Japan I'll be sure to go. Thanks John!

That awesome. I saw the original mini-series as a child. Read the book about 4x. So good

That was great to watch. Thank you for sharing it. Those videos about the little overlooked things are great to watch. Thank you for taking the time to make them!

I made a special visit to the Anjin san monument when I was in japan in May.😊 I stayed most of my visit in Nihonbashi. Quite a quiet area.

Now I am interested to read the book. I love the random stuffs.. Ambulance.. Man Hole.. Gyoza restaurant..trendy shops hehe Thanks for sharing this informative vid John! You are the best! ^_^

Just found your channel, a treasure trove of everything Japan. I come there every year and I realize we are missing a lot of details and history you cover. My last visit was to Miyanoshita, just wanted a change from the city craziness. Great channel!

Thanks for taking us to that spot. Shogun, and other books by James Clavell have always been in the list of my favorite books. I remember when Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa was first translated into Indonesian back in the 80s, it was promoted as Japan's answer to Clavell's Shogun. I ended up reading both books and obsessed by all things Japan. I was finally able to visit Japan last March, and planning on going back in October. This is something I hope I would be able to include in my itinerary. I still have a copy of Shogun on my bookshelf, but bringing it to Japan is probably too much, it's too heavy! :)

Love it! Thanks brother. Shogun is one of my favourite novels. Read it as a teenager in the 90's. I appreciate the vid!

Loved watching the "Shogun" miniseries when it first aired, then read the book. Thank you for the tour and the information. I did not know there was a real person behind the Anjin-san of Clavell's book. Incidentally, I have always heard the author's name pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable of his name. No big deal, but thought you might like to know. Thank you so much for that very interesting history lesson.

Cool not one but TWO live streams to watch with my breakfast 🥐 😊 Haven't read the book but am old enough to recall watching the original mini-series. Glad there's a marker of his existence.

I LOVED that book and it really sparked my interest in Japan. The book, however is over 40 years old because I remember reading it in high school. Great video!!!

Thanks for sharing information or to everyone

Yesterday I realised I have a really cool photograph (in a book about Adams) of this street from 1870. I’m visiting Tokyo this week for the first time so I’ll definitely check the memorial out, and I’ll be reading the book on the plane, I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for this video so thanks a lot. I love the Shogun story, I’ve read it a few times and it enhanced my interest in japan massively.

Historically you will be remembered as THE Great Hitchhiker. Your Hitchhiking spots will be dedicated to you from one to other end of Japan.

I live just down the road from the place Will Adams was from (Gillingham,Kent). There is an annual festival in his honour, And A monument aswell as roads and a roundabout named for him.

Thank you for finding this hidden piece of Japanese history and sharing it with us.

Hi, John. I watched you on Tokyo eye and began following your channels. Glad you are making these videos for people like me who hope and, with the grace of luck, will one day visit Japan. Thank you.

That's my favorite novel! This is a cool find!

Nice video. I absolutely love that novel.

John thank you. I like history. I will visit there.

How weird is that... I just finished shogun yesterday.. Aug 10 17 and here you are standing at his house... Neet

I never read shogun but I read samurai William and it was terrific

Thanks very much for this Wonderful vídeo. I really love that novel.

I love your videos and live videos.

In my country we needed to know About the history of Tokugawa For our O/Ls which I really enjoyed learning

I have been reading this book for a couple of weeks. Thanks. Synchronicity!

Incredible ! Thanks for sharing this. I saw the tv series when I was a kid and never forgot it. Will check this place next time I visit Tokyo.

That book was a big part of my childhood. :)

I was at San Diego comic con this year and they are doing a mini series of that novel

I don't know if you are aware of, but there is one more, a Dutch sailor, his name was Jan Joosten van Loodensteyn was on the same ship, played a similar role. His was called Yayosu, which this name is still existing in the Tokyo station, Yaesu side where his mansion was located in that area. Also there is a memorial monument in Nihonbashi district in Chuo-ku.

Really great thing,it shows your dedication for the mingling of the western and eastern civilizations and your love for the rgeat tiger civ in Japan

I watched Shogun when it first aired on TV decades ago. Read the book as well, and studied the history of the period. I would have to say that Shogun was the inspiration for my interest in Japanese culture. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely I will ever be able to see it myself.

I love you for this video!!!

His grave stone is still in the place where his country Estate was when he wasn't in Edo. The shogun also made him a samurai and give him a couple of villages and 80 retainers. So he was the only legitimate recorded samurai that wasn't Japanese.

I've read that book, and watched the series!! Thanks a lot man :D

Okay that was totally cool. I remember reading that novel, and watching the min series and loving it, finding it fascinating. If I ever get to Tokyo I will have to find that spot!

I read that book in it's first paperback edition. Clavell wrote a sort of trilogy, Shogun, Taipan and King Rat. The story of Yasuke who was foreign samurai under Nobunaga is also very interesting. Lionsgate Films announced the production of a movie about him in March.

awesome, that book was epic, did not care much for the miniseries but to this day, in my mind anjinsan looks like richard chamberlain...

LOVED IT.........

So interesting. This year a japanese developer made a videogame inspired by and starring William Adams called Nioh!

Thank you for all the information. It's really interesting. And thanks to you, I'll read the book someday...

Also check out the story of "Samurai William" by Giles Milton- man he went through hell at first.

rewatching this vid cause i'm getting addictied to boshin war again. 🤣🤣 instead of going near meiji restoration, i'm going backwards instead hahahaha history and it's perks. thanks John! ☺️

Another great video!!! I love the inscription "Built by some JPs" classic!

I'm Sean's dad. How we got on each other's account, I don"t know. But I spent three years in Japan, as a military dependant and active duty. I left Okinawa in 1975 and left a Okinawan girlfriend behind. In my travels with the military I passed through the Dallas , Texas airport in 1976 and picked up a copy of Shogun and couldn't put it down Thanks for doing this and I enjoy your videos. Perhaps you could go out to some former military bases in the Tokyo area and do some shoots.

Wow wo wo no way that is really awsome!

Visited this in 1987 which led me to read the book and watch the movie.

Shogun is grrrrrreat book! Thank you so much!

That is so cool. Thanks for showing it to us.

Thanks it was nice to learn a little about it :)

that's great thank you yes, super cool

I loooooooooove this video!!! Thank you thank you, for this!

Great vid and enthusiasm. FYI, A lecture on Adams' journey. All the finer details of it (2 hours' worth) in Japanese at Tokyo University Komaba campus on the 29th of Feb (2020). Get back to me if you'd like to go.

William was badass in Nioh the game. Also, you should check out Yasuke, the African samurai, as well. He was also seriously badass, served under the demon Nobunaga himself.

love that book!

Amazing!!!

Absolutely Amazing

I am reading Shogun for the third time (last time was probably 20 years ago) and will be searching out this spot on my trip in October for the rugby. But if YOU walked past it then I may find it v difficult. Bookmarked. Thanks!

I love hearing stories like these, do you think you could do a video about the Hachiko dog? Love all your videos Thx

Nice! I'd have to re-read the novel... ouch, it's been over a decade... perhaps 2 decades last I read. xD Shogun and Noble House.. Great find John, thanks for sharing!

your charisma is outstanding :)....this is my first watched video on this second chanell...Ill watch all of this live steams wen i'll have time :)

The name Tokugawa (spelled differently) was used as a character in the 2003 Astro Boy anime. There he was corrupt businessman. I don't know if they every gave him a first name, but in the fan fiction stories I've written, I used the name Iyeyasu. I never read the book (now I want to!), but I did see the TV mini series. I wonder if that stone was once part of the original house?

Very cool... TY

After seeing this video I borrowed the book from our public library. (Probably the longest book I've ever read!). Great read, and it's also a good lesson in Japanese with many words and phrases (in romanji). Now I want to find the TV mini series on DVD! I guess they changed some things around in the book, as Anjin's name there was Blackthorne.

Awesome video

Instant click when i seen the shogun book. I love that book so much

oh wow i been there so many times, and i never seen it! i love this book !

I read Shogun when I was 13. Ever since, yet never bothered to find out, wondered what happened to him after Ieyasu became Shogun. I have many questions about him and his life in Japan.