更新：2022-11-13
渚町の川口(かわぐち)公園に設置されている
MEMORIAL TO WILLIAM ADAMS
William Adams, the Englishman known to the Japanese as Miura Anjin, was born in the Borough of Gillingham, Kent. As chief pilot (navigator) for a Dutch expedition to the Far East. He suffered great hardships during the voyage until at last his ship, "de Liefde", arrived at the province of Bungo, Kyushu, on 19 April 1600. He was the first Englishman to come to Japan.
Adams was interrogated at Osaka Castle by Ieyasu Tokugawa. After Ieyasu became Shogun in 1603, Adams was granted a house at Nihonbashi and served as a diplomatic adviser to the Shogun. In 1964 or 1605, he collaborated with Mukai Shogen, the commander of the Uraga Fleet, in building Japan's first Western sailing ships, one 80 tons and the other 120 tons. This was accomplished with the skilful assistance of excellent local shipwrights at the estuary of the River Matsukawa into Ito. (This is recorded in the "Annals of the Keicho Period.")
Ieyasu rewarded Adams for this distinguished service with a fief of 250 koku at Hemi (present-day Yokosuka). Later the larger of the two ships crossed the Pacific to Mexico and was used for trade with Manila. After working for English Factory at Hirado, Adams started to trade with the southern countries on his own account. He died at Hirado on 16 May 1620, at the age of 56.
Ito City, wishing to promote international friendship, erected this memorial on 28 July 1948, to commemorate the deeds of this Englishman.
It was unveiled by Lieut. General Sir HCH Robertson, the commander in chief of the british Commonwealth Occupation Force.
ウイリアム・アダムスの記念碑
ウイリアム・アダムスこと日本名三浦按針（英国ケント州・ジリンガム市生まれ）は オランダの東洋遠征隊の航海長として苦難の航海の末 デ・フリーテン号で １６００年４月１９日 九州豊後に漂着した最初の英国人です 大阪城で徳川家康の取り調べを受けた後 １６０３年将軍となった家康から日本橋に一軒の家を贈られ 外交顧問にとりたてられました
１６０４年か１６０５年頃 浦賀水軍の総帥向井将監とその部下と共に 伊東市松川河口で わが国初の８０トンと１２０トンの洋式帆船二隻を伊東の優れた船大工の助けを得て建造しました（この史実は慶長見聞録に記されています）
アダムスはこの功績で横須賀市逸見に２５０石の領地を与えられました やがて１２０トンの船は日本から太平洋を横断してメキシコに渡り マニラ貿易に使われました アダムスは英国平戸商館に勤務した後独立し南方貿易にも従事しましたが １６２０年５月１６日病気のために平戸の地で５６才の生涯をとじました 伊東市はアダムスの事蹟を顕彰すると共に国際親善を願い１９４８年７月２８日にこの碑を建て 英連邦軍サー・ロバートソン中将により除幕されました
（竣工 昭和２３年７月２８日 建立伊東市）
参考Webサイト
川口(かわぐち)公園 伊東市役所サイト