WAC Leaders Visit William Adams' Ancestral Temple and Memorial Grave in Yokosuka

From left: Hideko Hemmi (Chief Priest’s wife), Michio Hemmi (Chief Priest of Jodoji Temple), Simon Farrell (WAC Committee Member), Yasuhisa Tokugawa (Vice President & Treasurer), Robin James Maynard MBE (Founder & President Emeritus), Tim Minton OBE (Chair), Thomas Lockley (Committee Member), Michael Brooke (Secretary)

By Simon Farrell

On December 9, 2025, six leaders of The William Adams Club (WAC) were invited by Chief Priest Michio Hemmi and his family to visit Jodoji Temple in Hemi, Yokosuka, about 60 km south of Tokyo.

We gathered at the well-preserved Kashima Shrine (right), which co-hosts the annual Anjin Festival in September. Established in 1410, it was rebuilt by Adams’ son in 1636 before being moved to the current site in 1895.

The Hemmi family then warmly welcomed us to their nearby timber and gold-coloured temple and home. Jodoji Temple was built and dedicated to Adams on land granted by Tokugawa Ieyasu during Adams’ tenure as lord, and later generously donated to Hemi by Adams’ business network in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The single-storey main hall of the temple has been used for memorials and annual festivals since it was rebuilt in 1712 after being destroyed by fire in 1688.

WAC Founder & President Emeritus Robin James Maynard MBE formally presented to the delighted Hemmi family a painting of Adams donated by Somerset artist Nicky Farrell, along with a written explanation of its provenance taken from the WAC website (translated into Japanese by Vice President & Treasurer Yasuhisa Tokugawa). Committee Member Simon Farrell then handed Chief Priest Hemi a symbolic offering of British beer.

Chief Priest Hemmi then gave us a fascinating talk about Adams and his Hemi fiefdom as we enjoyed colourful snacks and green tea in a formal room overlooking the stunning garden with birds bathing in a small pond, after which we moved to the main hall of the temple, where the portrait we had donated had already been placed beside the posthumous tablets of Adams and his wife, which have a place of honor in the temple.

The Hemmi family see it as their divine duty to spread the great name of Adams, so the portrait was gratefully received and placed beside the posthumous tablets of Adams and his wife Oyuki, which have a place of honor in the temple.

The Hemmi family then proudly showed us the treasures of the temple including a Buddhist statue of the Boddhisatva Kannon and a sutra engraved on a palm leaf, both relics brought from Southeast Asia by Adams, and other National and Municipal Important Cultural Properties.

Chief Priest Hemmi expressed his deepest gratitude to us for the portrait, commenting that it would also be appreciated by the people of Hemi. He went on to say that the achievements of William Adams continue to connect Japan and Britain, even now, more than 400 years after his death, and that he and his family were committed to preserving the memory of Adams, someone who is still revered by so many in Japan.

Chief Priest Hemmi and his wife Hideko then escorted us in the steps of Adams up a steep hill to a National Historic Site of Adams' grave, located in a park. Bursting in cherry blossoms during the Anjin Festival each Spring, the site enjoys dramatic views of busy Yokosuka Harbor. More significantly, though, it holds the grave of Adams and his Japanese wife Oyuki.

In a sombre moment of silence, Chief Priest Hemmi prayed for the soul of Adams and his family as we respectfully bowed our heads. After having a good look around, we thanked the two-man maintenance crew before they securely locked the grave compound, and everyone headed home.