Background
Tokube Tenjiku was born in Sendo-machi, Takasago-cho, in today's Hyōgo Prefecture in 1612. His father was a salt wholesaler.
A 1634 Japanese Red seal ship. Tokyo Naval Science Museum.
徳兵衛 天竺
Tokube Tenjiku was born in Sendo-machi, Takasago-cho, in today's Hyōgo Prefecture in 1612. His father was a salt wholesaler.
Tokube Tenjiku became secretary to Seibe Maebashi, a ship captain in the employ of a famed trader, Yoichi Summokura, at the young age of 14 (1633). He accompanied his master on a voyage to South India, sailing from Fukuda Harbor (Nagasaki Prefecture). They brought back many Buddhist scriptures which were donated to Jiirinji Temple at Harima.
On his second voyage to India, which was made on a bigger vessel, with 80 oars and a crew of 300, they took for export mosquito netting, fans, lacquer ware, umbrellas, guns, copper ware and many kinds of swords, and brought back in exchange cloth, rape-seed, shark's teeth, coral, incense, sandal wood and leather.
Upon his return to Japan, and after the introduction of the Seclusion policy (Sakoku), Tokubei wrote an essay titled "Tenjiku Tokai Monogatari" (天竺渡海物語, "Relations of sea travels to India") on his adventures in foreign countries, which became very popular in Japan.
He died around the age of 80 in his home town of Takasago.