The British Embassy Tokyo William Adams Sculpture

The mainsail depicts a period navigator using a back-staff, the precursor of the sextant. This is not an illustration of Adams, because there is no reliable picture or record of what he looked like. This replicates a period drawing taken from John Davis’ 1595 book, The Seaman’s Secrets. Adams would have used such a basic device for navigation purposes, and likely knew Davis, who had a similar passion for navigating to Japan.

The crest of the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu who, in recognition of the services and value of Adams to him personally as interpreter, educator, European affairs adviser and ocean-going ship builder­ bestowed upon him Hatamoto (senior retainer) samurai status, along with an estate at Hemi on the Miura Peninsula.