The small town of Coria del Río, located in southern Spain, carries a unique part of history with a special connection to Japan. Nearly 650 of the town’s 25,000 residents bear the surname “Japón,” a trace of the Japanese Samurai who settled here in the early 17th century. The bond between Coria del Río and Japan originates from an interesting historical event in 1613.
It all began when Date Masamune, the daimyo of the Sendai region in Japan, decided to expand diplomatic and trade relations with New Spain (now Mexico), Spain, and possibly even the Vatican. He appointed Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga, one of his closest Samurai, to lead this expedition. Accompanying Hasekura was Franciscan friar Luis Sotelo, who had lived and worked in Japan and hoped to establish a new diocese in northern Japan.
The expedition crossed the Pacific Ocean on the ship “San Juan Bautista,” before arriving in New Spain and continuing their journey across the Atlantic to Spain. In 1614, the group reached the town of Coria del Río, where some members decided to stay and integrate into the local community. Cristina Isla Palma, a cultural official in the town, noted that they may have enjoyed the peaceful life here and loved the local women. Other opinions suggest that the Samurai were drawn to fishing in the Guadalquivir River, which flows through Coria del Río.
. The bond between Coria del Río and Japan originates from 1613.
What makes Coria del Río special is its historical connection to Japan. In the 17th century, a group of Japanese Samurai settled here after undertaking a diplomatic expedition. Their descendants adopted the surname “Japón,” and this Japanese heritage remains evident in the town. Cultural traces of Japan are present through cultural events, activities organized by the Asociación Hispano Japonesa Hasekura de Coria del Río, and a statue of Hasekura Tsunenaga, who led the expedition.
After meeting King Philip III of Spain in 1615, the expedition continued to Italy to pursue religious goals. They were received by Pope Paul V in November of that year, but did not receive clear approval for their requests. When Hasekura and Sotelo returned to Spain, they found significant political changes in Japan. The Japanese government had issued a ban on Christianity, and several converted Catholics were executed. These events undermined the expedition’s original objectives.
Unable to achieve their goals, Hasekura decided to return to Japan with some of his men in 1617. However, according to local historian Víctor Valencia Japón, the number of Japanese who came to Spain and the number who returned did not match. This suggests that some Samurai may have died or chosen to stay. Coria del Río’s records first noted the surname “Japón” in 1642, indicating that the descendants of the expedition members adopted this surname.
Japanese Ambassador Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga in Rome. He was a Samurai and a retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyo of Sendai.
The fact that the descendants of the Samurai who settled in Coria del Río bear the surname “Japón” is a clear testament to the legacy of this historical encounter. The town has embraced its Japanese heritage through public spaces and cultural events. A statue of Hasekura Tsunenaga was erected as a testament to the strong bond between the town and its Japanese roots. The Asociación Hispano Japonesa Hasekura de Coria del Río also actively works to maintain and develop cultural relations between Spain and Japan.
Located by the Guadalquivir River, Coria del Río has a long and rich history.
Coria del Río is a small town in the Andalusia region of southern Spain, about 15 km southwest of Seville. Nestled along the Guadalquivir River, Coria del Río boasts a long and rich history intertwined with the culture and nature of the area. With a population of around 25,000, the town embodies the traditional charm of a Spanish village.
Questions about the true origin of the surname “Japón” may be answered through a research project led by Toshimichi Yamamoto from Nagoya University. Yamamoto plans to compare the DNA of residents bearing the surname “Japón” in Coria del Río with the DNA of individuals from Sendai, the area where the original expedition originated. At a special event, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan is expected to visit Coria del Río to meet those believed to be descendants of the 17th-century Samurai.
Statue of Samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga in the town of Coria del Río, province of Seville, Spain. The statue was gifted to Coria by the Sendai government in 1992.
Hasekura returned to Japan in 1620 and died two years later. Sotelo, in an effort to return to Japan, disguised himself as a merchant. However, the ban on Christianity was strictly enforced, and he was captured and burned at the stake in 1624. Subsequently, Sotelo was canonized. By that time, Japan had adopted a policy of isolation, prohibiting foreign entry and maintaining this status until the 19th century.
The story of the Samurai settling in Coria del Río is not only a part of the history of Spain and Japan but also a testament to rich cultural interaction. Their legacy continues to live on in the hearts of the town’s people and is recognized through various events and scientific research. Coria del Río, with its surname “Japón” and the statue of Hasekura Tsunenaga, exemplifies the strong connection between two seemingly distant cultures.
