Posted on 02/22/2026 8:06:15 PM PST by SunkenCiv
A British expat has solved the mystery of a pirate ship that appeared off the Tokushima coast in forbidden Edo-era Japan (1603–1868) -- and reconnected the past to the present.
Expat Brit solves pirate ship mystery -- NHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS | 4:33
NHK WORLD-JAPAN | 3.46M subscribers | 43,793 views | February 13, 2026
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YouTube transcript reformatted at textformatter.ai follows.
It was either this, or "a British tar"...The Mikado If You Want To Know Who We Are | 2:53
dilammermoor35 | 600 subscribers | 69,854 views | January 5, 2012
TranscriptDuring the Edo period, when Japan was closed to the outside world, an unknown ship arrived off the western part of the country. Details were few, but one British resident has solved the mystery. NHK World's Yoshoka Akari reports.
Tbajima is a peaceful island off the southern coast of Tokushima Prefecture. About 50 residents live here. Nicholas Russell is deeply drawn to the island. After buying a house here about 12 years ago, he began researching local history.
The ship arrived around here. He learned that during the Edo period, a mysterious foreign ship approached the island. A local samurai left behind an account of the incident. The government had ordered that any foreign ships that arrived should be driven off. Using gestures, the samurai demanded that the foreigners sail away. The ship was eventually driven away by gunfire.
Looking at the illustration of the ship, Russell's attention was drawn to the flag. It's a flag of the UK where he is from. Seeing the British flag, I felt I absolutely had to investigate this mystery. I thought maybe it's my destiny.
He carefully studied related historical materials. He says it was quite a challenge. [laughter] It was very difficult. Different kanji characters were used with different meanings. The calendar at that time was different as well.
After about two years of research, Russell identified the ship as a Cyprus, a British vessel. It had been seized almost 200 years ago by convicts in Australia who sailed across the Pacific in search of freedom. Details he found about the ship, including the time of its arrival and its size and crew, matched the records preserved in Tokushima's prefectural archives.
Following his discovery, Julie Fendley, a descendant of one of the pirates on the Cyprus, visited Takushima with her family. You see that's the island thing over there. That's where the ship sailed to. That's where great great great great grandfather was on that ship on the pirate ship. I feel very lucky to be in the same area that he was sailing through. It's amazing. Incredible.
Russell introduced the family to Yamamoto, a descendant of the samurai who once guarded the coast. I'm grateful that she could welcome us after, you know, how long it's been. Yeah, it's incredible. I think they would be surprised, grateful that we could have that connection. I had a wonderful time. Thank you. I hope we can stay connected.
It was a moving experience. The ship was driven away by gunfire 195 years ago, and now we're enjoying tea together. It's wonderful. By reconnecting the past and the present, a new chapter in friendship has begun.
[Yoshio Akari, NHK World]
“It had been seized almost 200 years ago by convicts in Australia who sailed across the Pacific...”
Maybe the Edo policy regarding ships landing was a sound one.
Edo missed the boat that day he left the shack, but that was all he missed and he ain't comin back.
She was the Dutch ship “Erasmus” piloted by Englishman John Blackthorne. Everybody knows that. Sheesh.
Grok:
I 200 words or less, please summarize https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRXWF3sppZA
Video Title: Expat Brit solves pirate ship mystery — NHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
Channel: NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Length: 4:34
Summary (198 words):
In 1829, during Japan’s Sakoku isolation, a strange foreign ship approached Tabanoshima island in Tokushima Prefecture. Samurai records describe it nearing shore, receiving warning gestures, and being fired upon until it retreated. Its identity remained unknown for nearly two centuries.
British expat Nicholas Russell, living in the area for 12 years, noticed a drawing in historical documents showing a British flag on the ship. After two years of research—overcoming challenges with old kanji and calendars—he identified it as the Cyprus, a British convict transport seized by mutineers in Australia in 1829. The pirates, seeking freedom, had sailed across the Pacific and accidentally entered forbidden Japanese waters. Details matched Tokushima accounts.
Julie Fendley, a descendant of one of the Cyprus pirates, visited the island with her family. She pinpointed the exact spot where her ancestor stood, expressing astonishment at the connection. Russell introduced her to Yamamoto, a descendant of the samurai who fired the warning shots. They shared tea, turning a hostile 195-year-old encounter into a moment of friendship and reconciliation.
The story, told through interviews and archival images, highlights how historical research bridges past and present.
I don’t need to see that.
The Japanese can’t be too thrilled that a gaigin — especially one who deigns to live among them — could have made a significant discovery regarding their history.
Given the circumstances I can see why a descendant of the samurai might be friendly to a descendant of one of the pirates.
I don't think I would like to meet any descendant of the pirates who raided the village where my ancestors lived in 1571 and killed or enslaved the majority of the inhabitants.
😁
Good one...LOL!
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