Yasuke The Black Samurai In A Fly

From Northeast Africa, the first foreign-born samurai Yasuke journeys far from his roots in the Dark Continent to reach Japan. From being a slave traded off to the Arabs and the Portuguese, to become a legendary black samurai in the history of Japan, Yasuke’s story is a riveting tale. When Yasuke set foot in Japan in the late 1500s, the country was in the throes of civil strife known today as the Sengoku Jidai period, a seminal period in the history of the nation. It was a time when different powerful clans were dueling with each other for hegemony. Yasuke’s arrival in Kyoto, the spiritual capital of the country caused a stampede with the frenzied mob thronging the streets to catch a glimpse of the first black man that had ever set foot on their country. From being subjected to a humiliating bathing ceremony to wash off the color of his skin to fighting in duels alongside the legendary samurai Oda Nobunaga, Yasuke’s life is nothing short of a legend. Lord Nobunaga, belonging to the most powerful Oda clan was so impressed and intrigued by Yasuke’s height, physical stamina, and strength that within two years Yasuke was bestowed with a samurai title. Although much of Yasuke’s life before arriving in Japan and after Lord Nobunaga’s death is little known, the African samurai’s story is a compelling read. If you are a history buff and if you liked The African Samurai book, this book on Yasuke will not disappoint you.