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Yasuke | The Black Samurai Who Escaped Slavery
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Jun 6, 2025
If you've ever played the video game Nioh, you might have noticed a tall, ax-wielding, black samurai named Yasuke. Maybe you're a fan of the Afro Samurai anime. Perhaps you're a Hollywood insider all about Lionsgate's Black Samurai film, which was announced in spring 2017. All of these projects are based on a real person. Yasuke was an African samurai who arrived in Japan with Jesuits during the Sengoku period.
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Between the years of 1467 and 1615
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Japan's Sengoku period was a time of war, political intrigue, and massive change
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Warriors were in high demand, and samurai served the daimyo who ruled the lands of Japan
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The period marked a shift in samurai culture and forever altered the course of Japanese history
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In 1579, an African man arrived in Japan, catching Oda Nobunaga's attention
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and rising through the warrior class's ranks. to become the first foreign samurai in its history
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Today, we're exploring the legendary story of Yasuke, one of the first foreign samurai in Japan
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Becoming a samurai in Japan was no easy feat. Samurai were a unique cast of warriors
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who served the Daimo of Japan and lived by the Bushido code
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They often trained during childhood onward, and by 1603, samurai only accounted
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for 10% of Japan's population. One couldn't just grab a pair of swords
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and decide to be a member of the elite warrior class. Yasuke came to Japan in 1579 as an attendant
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to the Jesuit missionary Alessandro Bellignano. His strength and robust stature made a massive impact
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on the famous warlord Hoda Nobunaga. By 1581, Nobunaga bestowed the rank of samurai on Yasuke
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making him the first non-Japanese citizen to receive the high honor. During the Sengoku period, Oda Nobunaga spent his entire adult life waging a campaign to unite
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Japan. He managed to bring half the country together under his rule, providing political
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stability to chaotic regions throughout the country. The country unified after his death
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primarily due to the events set in motion during his lifetime. According to scant historical records
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from the period, Nobunaga learned about Yasuke around March 23, 1581. Yasuke's arrival at a
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Jesuit church generated great interest among the Japanese locals who hadn't seen someone with his
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size and darker skin. The daimyo was holding court at the nearby Honoji Temple when the sounds of the
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crowd disturbed him. The commotion led to Nobunaga summoning Yasuke. According to Thomas Lockley
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the author of African Samurai, The True Story of Yasuke, a legendary black warrior in feudal Japan
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Nobunaga may have believed Yasuke to be either a guardian demon or a god of prosperity
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like the ones represented by black statues in temples. When Nobunaga first saw Yasuke's skin
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he assumed he was painted black. He ordered Yasuke to remove his shirt and made servants
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scrub the man's skin to remove what the warlord thought was black ink
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You are being unreasonable. Once Nobunaga realized Yasuke's skin wasn't painted, he immediately threw a feast in the man's honor
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Nobunaga was so impressed by Yasuke's stature and demeanor that he made Yasuke his vassal, retainer, and bodyguard
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Yasuke's arrival in Japan was sensational. It was rare to see anyone in Japan who had his height, stature, or skin color
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He drew a crowd simply because of his size and presence Since so many Buddhist statues were often portrayed with black skin many saw him as a divine visitor to their land Per some historical accounts buildings
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collapsed under spectators' weight, and Yasuke had to ride a horse through the crowd to escape
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When he arrived at Kyoto, things got more crowded. The crowd of curious people became so large
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people climbed over one another to catch a glimpse of Yasuke. A massive riot broke out in the city
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because people wanted to see him and simply be in his presence
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Yasuke had to take refuge from the crowd inside the Jesuit church, but the group grew out of control
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According to Lawrence Winkler, author of Samurai Road, several people were crushed to death
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while attempting to get a look at him. Valignano ensured his missionaries
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adapted to the culture they were visiting. So Yasuke already spoke some Japanese
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when he arrived in Kyoto. As he adjusted to his new life, he became fluent in the Japanese language and quickly learned his new home's customs
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It wasn't long before Yasuke had a private residence and a katana sword
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Nobunaga treated him like family and directed his nephew to give Yasuke money
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Yasuke eventually received a most prestigious honor when he was invited to dine with Nobunaga
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something rarely attainable for all but the most privileged samurai. Yasuke wasn't just a great warrior in the service of Oda Nobunaga
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He also met a few other critical Japanese figures as he traveled with Nobunaga
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Following the Battle of Tenmokuzan, the pair met Tokugawa Ieyazu, who would later be the
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founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate and would rule over a unified Japan from 1603 to 1867
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At the time, however, Nobunaga was Ieyazu's lord. Together, Nobunaga and Ieyazu were two of the great unifiers of Japan
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historical records are unclear on whether Yasuke met the third unifier, Iesu's predecessor
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Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It wasn't all pleasant meetings with famous historical figures though
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Yasuke had the misfortune of running into Akechi Mitsuhide, the general who rebelled against the
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Oda clan. Known as the Assassin of Nobunaga, Mitsuhide served a 13-day reign as shogun before
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being defeated by Hideyoshi in the Battle of Yamazaki. Shortly after their meeting
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written records of Yasuke disappeared from recorded history. Yasuke's true origins are uncertain. There are no contemporary accounts of his life before
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arriving in Japan, and very little information beyond what was recorded at the time. No one
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really knows where he came from or how he came into Vignano's service, but he was likely an
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attendant or slave to the priest. Some sources suggest he was a victim of the European or Arab
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slave trades. It's still the subject of speculation in books and stories about Yasuke today
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Some accounts from the period suggest he came from the Congo, Angola, or Ethiopia. He may have
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also been a member of the Dinka from South Sudan, as they are among the tallest men in Africa
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But it most likely he came from Mozambique according to information in a 1627 account published by Jesuit P Solier Solier account is also suspect however as the source of his information is unclear
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Yasuke's age and name are also a mystery. Various sources state his age to be anywhere between 16 and 28
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with several primary sources contradicting each other. As for his name, Yasuke may be a phonetic translation
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also called a Japanization of his birth name. Yasuke wasn't just a magnificent warrior
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He was also a giant among men, standing 14 inches taller than the average Japanese man
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Combined with his strength and stature, he was undoubtedly an intimidating warrior
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He measured 6 foot 2 inches tall, or 6 shaku 2 sun
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in the period's measurements. He towered above the average Japanese man, who typically stood around 5 feet
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To get an idea of how tall he was relative to the average Japanese person, consider this
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Today, the average American's height is around 5'9". Standing next to a professional athlete as tall
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as Shaquille O'Neal, who is 7'1", or LeBron James, who's only 6'9", would give you an idea of how tall
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Yasuke appeared to the Japanese. Fighting alongside Oda Nobunaga, Yasuke helped play a significant
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role in unifying Japan. Nobunaga's success as a military and political leader owed a great deal
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to his interest in foreign ideas and cultures. This interest directly influenced his positive relationship
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and immense respect for Yasuke, which in turn made Yasuke a significant player in Nobunaga's campaign
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Nobunaga was kind of obsessed with the West, and he had a taste for the finer things in life
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He liked to dress in Western style occasionally and use Western tables and chairs
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He also holds the distinction of being one of the first recorded Japanese men
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to have sipped wine from a goblet. I gotta pick up some goblets
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But his West obsession didn't stop there. Nobunaga's interest in the West also revolutionized warfare in Japan
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Not only did it bring Yasuke to fight by his side, but his adoption of a long gun
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known as an arc bus, ultimately changed some of his battle tactics
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He'd employ multiple rows of gunners to fire on the enemy while others reloaded
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giving him an edge in battle. Who said he shouldn't bring a matchlock to a sword fight
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In 1582, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Aeyasu's combined forces engaged in a significant battle
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against their bitter enemies, the Takeda clan. Led by Takeda Katsuyori, the clan resisted Nobunaga's
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unification efforts. Yasuke fought in the battle and helped bring victory to their combined forces
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Takeda set fire to the castle and escaped, only to die by his own hand as he took a final stand
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at another one of his strongholds. Later that year, Akechi Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga
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at the Honoji Temple in Kyoto. When Mitsuhide's army of 13,000 surrounded and attacked the temple
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Yasuke fought alongside the Daimo. One of Mitsuhide's men managed to shoot an arrow into Nobunaga's back
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He pulled the arrow out and because of the severity of the injury realized death was imminent Nobunaga then committed seppuku Yasuke fought to protect Nobunaga but ultimately escaped to Izuchi Castle
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with the daimo's son, Oda Nobutada. The samurai intended to serve Nobutada, but Mitsuhide's men ambushed them
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They were overwhelmed and lost the battle. Nobutada committed seppuku, just as his father did before him
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There are several theories as to why Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga. Perhaps it was ambition or a personal grudge
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Maybe he was protecting the imperial court or following secret instructions from outside influencers
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Regardless of why he did it, Mitsuhide had to face the music eventually
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Just 13 days after the coup, Toyotomi Hideyoshi allied himself with the Mori clan and rushed off to avenge Nobunaga's death
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With staunch allies from the Oda clan and an army of 20,000 men, Hideyoshi engaged Mitsuhide
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in the Battle of Yamazaki. Hideyoshi decimated Mitsuhide's forces, routing the enemy a mere
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two hours after the battle had begun. As Mitsuhide fled the battle, bandit leader Nakamura Chobe
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struck him down. Just goes to show, no one messes with the second great unifier of Japan
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and lives to tell the tale. The battle at Azuchi Castle ended in defeat for Oda Nobutada's forces
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After Nobutada committed seppuku, Yasuke was expected to do the same. Yasuke, however, didn't realize that
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Instead, Yasuke followed Western tradition and handed his sword over to the victors
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Mitsuhide was not impressed by the samurai and decided Yasuke wasn't forced to end his
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own life for two reasons. He wasn't Japanese, and he was ignorant of the ritual
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Mitsuhide also acted demeaningly towards Yasuke and did not treat him with the same dignity or respect
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he received from Nobunaga. Mitsuhide instructed his men to take Yasuke to the Jesuit
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Church, which he referred to as the Southern Barbarians Temple. Reports from the period indicate the Jesuits
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were grateful to see him alive, thanking God for his safe return
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Soon after, Yasuke disappeared from recorded history. The most potent legends endure through the years, and Yasuke's story still resonates today
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His legend found new life in the 20th century through an award-winning children's book
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Written by Kurusu Yoshio, Kurosuke creatively retells the story for a younger generation
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The book follows a fictional version of Yasuke named Kurosan Yasuke, or Kurosuke
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Kurosuke arrives in Japan and becomes an attendant to Nobunaga. The hard-working, cheerful hero follows Nobunaga
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and fights in the Battle of the Honoji Temple. At the battle's conclusion, Nobunaga commits seppuku
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a scene you probably wouldn't find in most modern children's books. The story ends with the poignant scene of Kurosuke silently crying
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as he dreams of his parents in Africa. Though the book is a fictionalized account of Yasuke's life
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it successfully brought the legend into the 20th century with an exciting and poignant tale based on an amazing historical figure
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