A samouraï at the Vatican

In 1613, a samurai fuedal lord, Masamune Date delegated a Japanese Embassy to sail off to Europe to negotiate with the Pope and the King of Spain the opening of a new sea route. Led by the samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga and the Franciscan monk Luis Sotelo this expedition spent seven years traveling one third of the globe before reaching their final destination.

Watch their epic adventures unfold from Japan across Mexico, all the way to Seville and the Vatican. Find out about this forgotten chapter of History, revealing the twist and turns of this extraordinary Japanese expedition to the Western World. And discover the fate and legacy of these men caught up in the first ages of globalization as they faced secret ambitions, religious and political tensions.

ARTE France
GEDEON Programmes
NHK

with the support of
Procirep
Société des producteurs et de l’Angoa
Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge
Casa Kafka pictures
Belfius”