Yaesu — A Dutchman's Name Lives On at Tokyo Station
The residence Ieyasu granted Joosten near Wadakura Gate of Edo Castle came to be called "Yayosu Riverbank" — a Japanese corruption of "Jan Joosten." After the Meiji era, the name was written with the kanji 八重洲 (Yaesu), and today it is known as the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station. The name of a Dutchman who washed ashore in Japan over 400 years ago remains inscribed in the heart of Japan's capital.
Trading Voyages to Southeast Asia
Carrying Ieyasu's vermillion seal certificates, Joosten conducted trade voyages to Annam (Vietnam), Siam (Thailand), Patani, and other Southeast Asian destinations. Leveraging his Dutch navigation skills and knowledge of trade networks, he contributed to the expansion of Japan's vermillion seal ship trade. His activities exemplify how actively Japan engaged in international commerce before the era of national seclusion.
Arriving on the Liefde — Coming to Japan with Adams
The Liefde departed Rotterdam in 1598 on a grueling voyage to Asia via the Strait of Magellan. Of the five ships that set out, only the Liefde reached Japan. Just 24 of the original 110 crew survived, most too weak to stand. Joosten and Adams were brought before Ieyasu. Despite Portuguese and Spanish Jesuits urging that the men be executed as pirates, Ieyasu valued their knowledge and took them under his protection.