THE JAPON BOYE

The astonishing history of Asian-European relations in Shakespearean England.

It is November, 1588. A young Japanese man, whose name remains unknown, has arrived in London with British explorer Thomas Cavendish. He soon becomes a sensation, as word spreads that an exotic, erudite mystery man had arrived. Who is he, and why has he traveled around the world to visit Shakespeare's England? THE JAPON BOYE is more than an adventure story. It sheds a particular light on England in the 16th century. It reveals opinions of Asian culture during the time, showing a Western desire for contact with Japan and China, and also tells the stories of other Japanese merchants, mercenaries, and adventurers who were traveling the world at the time. Thomas Lockley is Associate Professor at Nihon University College of Law in Tokyo, where he teaches courses about the the international and multicultural history of Japan and East Asia. He's published research papers and articles, including the first in the world regarding the life of Yasuke. He has been a Visiting Scholar at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.