Hasekura Tsunenaga, a Christian Samurai

Junko Nagata ©Japanbyweb.com

The statue of Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (1571–1622) at Aoba Castle, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. He was a Christian samurai and retainer of Sendai daimyo Date Masamune. In the years 1613 through 1620, Hasekura headed the Keicho Embassy, a diplomatic mission to Pope Paul V and traveled to Spain and Rome at the behest of Masamune.