https://ameblo.jp/nagaimasato/entry-12381072037.html
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(June 4, 2018)
It seems that the Franciscan monastery was founded in Uraga around 1608.
Did Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ruler at the time, understand and accept Christianity?
According to "Tokugawa Ieyasu's Diplomacy with Spain" (Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha: written by Kaoru Suzuki), Ieyasu accepted the Spanish demands in order for Uraga to continue to exist as an international trading port.
Former Catholic countries like Spain at the time viewed trade and the spread of Christianity as a package deal, and they asked Ieyasu, who desired trade, to allow the spread of Christianity within Japan. By this time, a chapel (cathedral) where Mass was celebrated had already been built in Edo in 1599 by Hieronymus de Jesus.
William Adams (also known as Miura Anjin), an Englishman, was the navigator of the Liefde when the ship drifted ashore in Usuki City, Japan (Dutch records state "arrival" because the objective of reaching Japan was achieved). After arriving in Japan, he was granted an audience with Ieyasu, who was reportedly impressed by Adams' scientific knowledge, his understanding of world affairs, and his character. Furthermore, the fact that England was a Protestant country and, unlike Spain, did not adhere to a policy of combining trade with Christian missionary work, is also cited as one of the reasons why Adams was appointed as Ieyasu's diplomatic advisor.
So, where exactly was the Franciscan monastery located?
While the exact location cannot be confirmed, it is presumed to have been on the hillside between Higashirinji Temple and Hōdōji Temple in present-day Higashi-Uraga.
When the monastery was built in Uraga, Don Rodrigo Vivero, the Governor-General of the Philippines (the Philippines was Spanish territory at the time), apparently presented various conditions to Ieyasu in order to submit this to King Philip III of Spain the following year, in Keichō 14 (1609). One of these conditions included the following clause:
"It should be permitted to build a Christian church and station teachers in the port of Kanto (Uraga Port), making it similar to Nagasaki."
Governor Vivero intended to build a church in addition to a monastery in Uraga Port, and to establish Uraga as a center of Franciscan missionary work comparable to Nagasaki, as a means of trade.
The trade route from Manila (Philippines) to Acapulco (Mexico) at that time was long, and being able to stop in Uraga to resupply food and fuel was a significant advantage. Therefore, Spain, aiming to develop Uraga into a full-fledged trading port, built a Franciscan monastery as a missionary base, and even planned to construct a larger church.
However, fearing the spread of Christianity, Ieyasu adopted a policy of national isolation, halting Uraga's development as an international trading port.
In fact, for several years now, there has been a movement between the Philippines and Mexico to include the Manila-Acapulco (Mexico) galleon route (the great sailing ship trade) as a World Heritage site. As part of the Philippines' preparations, news reports indicated that a meeting of experts was held at the University of Santo Tomas on April 23, 2015, to discuss the possibility of comprehensive inclusion.
I also heard that the city was approached by the embassy of either Spain, the Philippines, or Mexico regarding the erection of a monument commemorating Uraga's history as an international trading port. While the truth is still uncertain, the possibility that Uraga is being discussed in the context of such important international developments suggests that local efforts should be made to take significant action going forward.
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https://www.kanaloco.jp/news/life/entry-165774.html
(May 7, 2019)
A stone monument recording the history of Uraga Port, researched by a local history enthusiast, was erected at Higashi-Kano Shrine in Higashi-Uraga, Yokosuka. The idea came from a citizen group aiming to have the port recognized as a World Cultural Heritage site. By widely promoting the port's history, which is said to have thrived as an international trading port during the Edo period, they hope to draw many tourists and boost enthusiasm for the registration campaign.
The unveiling ceremony took place in the shrine grounds on April 25, and it was shown to local residents.
The completed monument is about 1.9 meters tall and 1.2 meters wide. At the top, it says 'Monument of the Japan-Spain-Mexico-Philippines Trading Port,' and below that, it details the port's history: it was a relay point in the trade route between Manila in the Spanish-colonized Philippines and Acapulco in Mexico. (Shogun) Tokugawa Ieyasu negotiated for ships to stop there to bring in new smelting technology from Mexico, and a notice was put up to protect Spaniards. At the end, it says, 'In Genna 2 (1616), trade ports were limited to Nagasaki and Hirado, and until William Adams was forced to relocate to Hirado, Uraga played an important role as the only international trading port in the eastern regions alongside Nagasaki.'
The text on the monument is based on the research of Kaoru Suzuki, a local historian who also serves as the representative of the civic group 'Association to Make Uraga Port a World Cultural Heritage Site.' At the ceremony, Suzuki expressed joy at the monument's completion, saying, 'The presence of this memorial will advance research, recognize Uraga as an international trading port, and will definitely spread across the seas,' and added, 'History and culture are sources of tourism. We hope many people from both Japan and abroad visit Uraga.'
The civic group was formed to have the port added to the list of great maritime trade routes from the Age of Exploration, which Spain, Mexico, and the Philippines are seeking to register as a World Cultural Heritage site. As part of their activities, they planned the creation of the monument and have been collecting donations since last autumn.
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-- Miura Anjin and the International Trading Port of Uraga
When the Tokugawa shogunate was established, the Miura Peninsula became a territory directly controlled by the shogun (tenryo), and the magistrate Hasegawa Nagatsuna set up a government office at the foot of Mount Atago, ruling over the whole peninsula. They also set up checkpoints and offices in Hayatsuki and Misaki to help defend Edo Bay.
Tokugawa Ieyasu thought about turning the port of Uraga, which was close to Edo, into a trading port by establishing foreign trading companies there. At that time, his diplomatic advisor was the Englishman William Adams (Miura Anjin), who was given land in Hemi, built a residence in Uraga, and carried out trade by attracting Spanish ships and others.
This went on for about ten years. Six Spanish ships visited during that period, and the area became lively with sailors who stayed for long periods, to the point that a church was built (there were only two other churches in Edo in the Kanto area).
