As someone who has always taken an interest in Japanese history, James Clavell’s 1975 novel Shōgun is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s an enticing premise: the story of the first Englishman to reach Japan and his experiences within the country. A fight for survival leads to an actual important role, our adventuring lead ultimately rubbing shoulders with some of Japan’s most important and elite historical figures.
It’s an intriguing adventure that masquerades as a history book – or perhaps it’s the other way around?
The truth is, Clavell played fairly fast and lost with the actual history. Shogun’s protagonist John Blackthorne is directly based on William Adams, who was the first Englishman to reach Japan. Adams was an important figure – but Clavell takes it quite a bit further.
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