William Adams was born on 24th September 1564 in Gillingham, United Kingdom, and he died on 16th May 1620 (aged 56 years) in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. William Adams was an English navigator who was the first person of his nationality to reach Japan. He was one of the few survivors of the five ship expeditions. He settled there and decided to take on Japanese culture and became the first ever Samurai of western origin. He directed the construction of western style ships in the country and was helpful in establishing trade with the Netherlands and England and establishing trading factories in Japan.
Do you know: The character of John Blackthorne in the best-selling novel, Shogun, was based on William Adams.
