YASUKE (c. 1550), historical figure known as the first Black Samurai in Japan. Yasuke arrived in Japan as a servant or slave of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano in 1579, but little is known about his life before then, and scholars are divided between Mozambique or South Sudan as his place of birth.
Yasuke’s arrival in Japan coincided with a period of intense political upheaval known as the Sengoku period, characterized by civil wars and the rise of powerful warlords. Moreover, this period involved an intense exploration of global trade and travel. Yasuke’s dark skin and six-foot-two height reportedly attracted the attention of the powerful feudal lord Oda Nobunaga and caused several civilians to be crushed to death in their attempts to look at him. Nobunaga, impressed by Yasuke’s physical prowess and his eagerness to assimilate to Japan, took him into his service and eventually granted him the prestigious title of samurai. Scholars note that “[Yasuke] was unlike the Jesuits, who had a religious agenda.” Rather, he conformed to the culture, learning Japanese, the martial arts, and various arts and theater practices. Yasuke’s skill in combat and his loyalty to Nobunaga earned him respect and admiration among the samurai ranks. He became a figure of curiosity and legend, with tales of his exploits spreading far and wide. He served under Nobunaga during his military campaigns, including the famous Siege of Ishiyama Hongan-ji in 1580, where Yasuke reportedly fought valiantly alongside his lord; devotion extended so deeply that before Nobunaga committed seppuku (ritual suicide), he personally requested Yasuke to deliver his sword and head to his remaining son and successor. Following Nobunaga’s death, most accounts claim that Yasuke returned to the Jesuit mission and eventually left Japan altogether.
Yasuke is celebrated as a symbol of multiculturalism and the enduring human spirit, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. In recent years, Yasuke’s legacy has been commemorated in various forms of media, including novels, comics, and even a Netflix anime series (2021); most famously, an award-winning book titled Kuro-ske (“Kuro” meaning black in Japanese), published in 1968, embedded Yasuke’s life and adventures into the imagination of children for decades to come. The story ends with Kuro-suke/Yasuke returning to the temple following his daimyo’s death, dreaming of Africa.