First contacts between Poland and Japan. (English translation by Adam Radecki, approved by the author)
As many Europeans, Poles learned about the existence of Japan from the Marco Polo’s Livre des merveilles du monde (Book of the Marvels of the World, also known as The Travels of Marco Polo, c. 1300), the first mention of Japan can be found in Polish literature in ĩywoty ĝwiĊtych PaĔskich (The Lives of the Lord’s Saints, 1579) and Kazania sejmowe (Parliament sermons, 1597) , by the influential Polish Jesuit Piotr Skarga (1536-1612). Until now, we thought that the first closer contact between Poland and Japan took place only in the 17th century, and it was rather ill-fortunate, when in 1643, ,a Polish Jesuit missionary Wojciech MĊciĔski died the martyr's death on the Japanese land. However, a Russian academic and researcher prof. Liudmila M. Ermakowa discovered, that already in 1585 there was a very important direct meeting between the representatives of both countries. In March that , Japan's first foreign diplomatic mission to Western countries, the so-called "Tenshǀ Mission" (Tenshǀ is a traditional Japanese name of the era, covering the years 1573-1592) reached the Vatican. It was composed of four young men, Christians educated by the Portuguese Jesuits. The mission was prepared by the inspector of the Jesuit mission in Japan, Gen. Alessandro Valignano and it went in February 1582 from Nagasaki through Macau, Goa, Mozambique, Cape of Good Hope, Saint Helena, Guadeloupe, Madrid, Lisbon, Alicante, Livorno, Pisa, Florence, to reach Rome after three years. The youths were transporting a message from the then shogun Oda Nobunaga to Pope Gregory XIII. They were received with high honors by Pope Gregory XIII a week before his death, they watched the course of the conclave, and then they were received by the new Pope Sixtus V. The mission of four Japanese youth became known in Europe at that time, and the portrait of young deputies was supposedly painted by Tintoretto, however to this day was not found. During their stay in Rome, the young messengers of Nobunaga visited the grave of Stanisáaw Kostka (1550-1568, a Polish novice of the Society of Jesus, later venerated in the Catholic Church as Saint Stanislaus Kostka) and reportedly listened with great emotion to the stories of this young Pole and his religious fervor. Visit at his grave was meant to awaken in the Japanese envoys the desire for monastic life, for which they did not obtain the initial consent.
On the other hand, at the request of the Polish deputy to Vatican, Bishop Bernard Maciejowski (later the Primate of Poland) they translated a fragment of one of the Psalms of David into Japanese and wrote it on paper. This piece of paper they gave to Bishop Maciejowski, who in later years presented it to the Krakow Academy (now the Jagiellonian University). The manuscript was forgotten in the Jagiellonian Library's repositories. Professor Ermakowa found a trace of the existence of this document almost accidentally several The document itself was discovered in August 2000, after long-lasting searches conducted by the scholar and staff of the Jagiellonian Library. The discovery made by Prof. Ermakowa puts the history of contacts between Poland and Japan in a new light, showing the mutual interest of Poles and Japanese in an era in which both countries had political ambitions and perspectives that we would now call "global" before Japan introduced a policy of self-imposed isolation, and Poland began to lose political influence .
Professor Liudmila M. Ermakova is affiliated with Kobe City University of Foreign Studies. The article on the discovery was published in Japanese language in the 27th issue of Bulletin of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Publisher by the Kadokawa shoten, March 2003.
Original text by: Jadwiga Rodowicz-Czechowska ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻ᪥ᮏࡢ᭱ึࡢฟ࠸ -ᇳ➹㸸ࣖࢻࣦ࣭࢞ࣟࢻࣦࢳ. Translation to Japanese: Mayumi Zemeáa ࡇࡢグࡣࠊࣟࢩே᪥ᮏྂ௦ᩥᏛ◊✲⪅ࣜࣗࢻ࣑࣮࣭࢚࣐ࣛࣝࢥ࣮࣡ᩍᤵࡀⓎぢࡋࡓࠊ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻ᪥ᮏࡢึ᥋ゐ㛵ࡍࡿ㈗㔜࡞᪂ᐇࡘ࠸࡚ࠊᅾ᪥࣏࣮ ࣛࣥࢻඹᅜ㤋ࡋ࡚බᘧࡈ⤂ࡍࡿࡶࡢ࡛ࡍࠋ ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻேࡀ᪥ᮏࡢᏑᅾࡘ࠸࡚ึࡵ࡚▱ࡗࡓࡢࡣ࣐ࣝࢥ࣭࣏࣮ࣟࡢࠗᮾ᪉ぢ⪺㘓࠘ࡼࡿࡉࢀ࡚࠸ࡲࡍࠋࡲࡓ᪥ᮏ㛵ࡍࡿ᭱ึࡢグ㏙ࡣࣆ࣮ࣙࢺ࣭ࣝࢫ ࢝ࣝ࢞㸻ࣃࣦ࢙ࣥࢫ࢟ࡢㄝᩍ㞟ࡸ⪷⪅ఏࡢ୰ぢࡿࡇࡀ࡛ࡁࡲࡍࠋࡋࡋࡇࢀࡲ࡛ࠊ୧ᅜẸࡀึࡵ࡚ᐇ㝿᥋ゐࡋࡓࡢࡣࡼ࠺ࡸࡃ 17 ୡ⣖ධࡗ࡚ࡽࡢࡇ ⪃࠼ࡽࢀ࡚ࡁࡲࡋࡓࠋࡋࡶࡑࢀࡣ 1643 ᖺࠊ᪥ᮏࡢᆅ࡛ᐉᩍάືࢆ⾜ࡗ࡚࠸ࡓ࢚ࢬࢫఏ㐨ᖌࣦ࢛ࢳ࢙ࣇ࣭࣓ࣥࢳࣥࢫ࢟ࡢṥᩍࠊ࠸࠺ᖾ࡞⤖ᮎ ⤊ࢃࡿࡶࡢ࡛ࡋࡓࠋ ࡇࢁࡀࡇࡢࠊ࢚࣐ࣝࢥ࣮࣡ᩍᤵࡣࡑࢀࡼࡾ⣙ 80 ᖺࡶ᪩࠸ 1585 ᖺࠊ୧ᩥࢆ௦⾲ࡍࡿேࠎྠኈࡀ┤᥋㢦ࢆྜࢃࡏ࡚࠸ࡓࠊ࠸࠺㔜せ࡞ᐇࢆⓎぢࡋ ࡲࡋࡓࠋࡇࡢᖺࡢ 3 ᭶ࠊࣦࢳ࢝ࣥྐୖึࡵ࡚᪥ᮏࡢබᘧ⠇ᅋࡀ฿㐩ࡋࡓࡢ࡛ࡍࠋࠕኳṇ㐵Ḣ⠇ࠖࡀࡑࢀ࡛ࡍࠋࡇࡢ⠇ᅋࡣ࢚ࢬࢫࡢ࣏ࣝࢺ࢞ࣝ ேᐉᩍᖌࡽᩍ⫱ࢆཷࡅࡓ 4 ேࡢᑡᖺ࢟ࣜࢫࢺᩍᚐࡓࡕࡀཧຍࡋ࡚࠸ࡲࡋࡓࠋ᪥ᮏࡢ⠇ᅋὴḢࢆⓎࡋࡓࡢࡣࣞࢵࢧࣥࢻ࣭ࣦࣟࣜࢽ࣮ࣕࣀྖ⚍࡛ࠊ 1582 ᖺ 2 ᭶㛗ᓮࢆฟ ࠊᾏ㊰࣐࢝࢜ࠊࢦࠊࣔࢨࣥࣅ࣮ࢡࠊ႐ᮃᓠࠊࢭࣥࢺࣞࢼᓥࠊࢢࢻ࣮ࣝࣉࠊ࣐ࢻ࣮ࣜࢻࠊࣜࢫ࣎ࣥࠊࣜ࢝ࣥࢸࠊࣦ࢛ࣜࣝࣀࠊ ࣆࢧࠊࣇࣞࣥࢶ࢙ࢆ⤒࡚ࠊ3 ᖺࡢᚋࡼ࠺ࡸࡃ࣮࣐ࣟ฿㐩ࡋࡲࡋࡓࠋᑡᖺࡓࡕࡣᙜኳୗࢆᥱࡗ࡚࠸ࡓ⧊⏣ಙ㛗ࡼࡾ࣮࣐ࣟᩍⓚࢢࣞࢦࣜ࢘ࢫ 13 ୡࡢ⊩ ୖࡢရࢆᦠ࠼࡚࠸ࡲࡋࡓࠋᙼࡽࡣ࣮࣐ࣟᩍⓚࢢࣞࢦࣜ࢘ࢫ 13 ୡࡢᣏㅜࡢᰤᾎࡋࡲࡋࡓࡀࠊᩍⓚࡣ 1 㐌㛫ᚋᛴ㏽ࠊࢥࣥࢡ࣮ࣦ࢙ࣛࡢ୍㒊ጞ⤊ࢆ┠ ࡋࠊ᪂ᩍⓚࢩࢡࢫࢺࢫ 5 ୡࡢᡝෙᘧࡶ❧ࡕ࠺ࡇ࡞ࡾࡲࡋࡓࠋኳṇ㐵Ḣ⠇ࡣᙜࡢ࣮ࣚࣟࢵࣃከ࡞ࡿᙳ㡪ࢆ࠼ࡲࡋࡓࠋࢸࣥࢺࣞࢵࢺࡀᑡᖺ ࡓࡕࡢ⫝̸ീ⏬ࢆᥥ࠸ࡓࡶఏ࠼ࡽࢀ࡚࠸ࡲࡍࡀࠊࡑࡢ⤮ࡣṧᛕ࡞ࡀࡽ᪥ࡲ࡛Ⓨぢࡉࢀ࡚࠸ࡲࡏࢇࠋ࣮࣐ࣟᅾ୰ࠊࡇࡢಙ㛗ࡢ⠇୍⾜ࡣࢫࢱࢽࢫ࣡ࣇ࣭ࢥࢫ ࢺ࢝ࡢࢆゼࡡࡲࡋࡓࠋࡑࡋ࡚࠾ࡑࡽࡃࠊࡑࡢ᐀ᩍⓗ⇕⁄ࢀࡓⱝࡁ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻேࡢ≀ㄒࢆᾦ࡞ࡀࡽ⪺࠸ࡓࡇ࡛ࡋࡻ࠺ࠋࡇࡢヰᚰືࡉࢀࠊ୍⾜ࡶಟ 㐨⏕άධࡾࡓ࠸ࡢᕼᮃࢆᢪࡃࡼ࠺࡞ࡾࡲࡋࡓࡀࠊチྍࡣᚓࡽࢀࡲࡏࢇ࡛ࡋࡓࠋࡇࡢᅾ୰ᙼࡽࡀ⾜ࡗࡓ㔜せ࡞ࡇࡀࡶ࠺୍ࡘ࠶ࡾࡲࡍࠋࡑࢀࡣ࣏࣮ࣛࣥ ࢻேྖᩍ࣋ࣝࢼࣝࢺ࣭࣐ࢳ࢙ࣚࣇࢫ࢟㸦ᚋࡢ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻྖᩍ㸧ࡢ౫㢗࡛ࢲࣦࢹリ⠍ࡢ୍㒊ศࢆ᪥ᮏㄒ⩻ヂࡍࡿ࠸࠺ࡶࡢ࡛ࡋࡓࠋヂᮏࡣ࣐ࢳ࢙ࣚࣇࢫ࢟ ྖᩍ㉗ࡽࢀࠊᙼࡼࡾࢡࣛࢡࣇ࣭࢝ࢹ࣑࣮ᐤ㉗ࡉࢀࡲࡋࡓࠋᡭ✏ࡣࡑࡢᚋࠊࣖࢠ࢙࢛࢘Ꮫᅗ᭩㤋ࡢ᭩ᗜỌ࠸㛫ㄡࡶ㢳ࡳࡽࢀࡿࡇ࡞ࡃ╀ࡾ⥆ࡅࡿࡇ ࡞ࡗࡓࡢ࡛ࡋࡓࠋ ࢚࣐ࣝࢥ࣮࣡ᩍᤵࡣᩘᖺ๓ࠊࡇࡢྂᩥ᭩ࡢᏑᅾࢆ♧ࡍ࣓ࣔഅ↛⾜ࡁᙜࡓࡾࡲࡋࡓࠋࡑࡋ࡚ᩍᤵ⮬㌟ࣖࢠ࢙࢛࢘Ꮫᅗ᭩㤋⫋ဨࡼࡿ㛗ᮇ㛫ཬࡪㄪᰝࡢ ᮎࠊ2000 ᖺ 8 ᭶ࠊࡼ࠺ࡸࡃ⌧≀ࡀⓎぢࡉࢀࡓࡢ࡛ࡍࠋ ࢚࣐ࣝࢥ࣮࣡ᩍᤵࡼࡿⓎぢࡣࠊ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻ᪥ᮏࡢὶྐ᪂ࡋ࠸ගࢆᢞࡆࡅࡿࡇ࡞ࡾࡲࡋࡓࠋ࠸࠺ࡢࡶࠊ୧ᅜࡀ⌧௦࡞ࡽࡤࢢ࣮ࣟࣂࣝᚿྥྡ ࡅࡿࡁᨻⓗ㔝ᚰᒎᮃࢆᣢࡗ࡚࠸ࡓ௦ࠊ༶ࡕ᪥ᮏࡢ㙐ᅜᨻ⟇㛤ጞ๓ࠊ࣏࣮ࣛࣥࢻࡢ࣮ࣚࣟࢵࣃ࠾ࡅࡿᨻⓗᙳ㡪ຊࡀಖࡓࢀ࡚࠸ࡓᮇࠊ᪤࣏࣮ࣛ ࣥࢻே᪥ᮏேࡀ࠸㛵ᚰࢆᢪࡁ࠶ࡗ࡚࠸ࡓ࠸࠺ࡇ࡞ࡿࡽ࡛ࡍࠋ ࣜࣗࢻ࣑࣮࣭࢚࣐ࣛࣝࢥ࣮࣡ᩍᤵ㸸⚄ᡞᕷእᅜㄒᏛᩍᤵࠋࡇࡢⓎぢ㛵ࡍࡿグࡣࠗᅜ㝿᪥ᮏᩥ◊✲ࢭࣥࢱ࣮⣖せ࠘➨ 27 ྕ㸦ゅᕝ᭩ᗑࠊ 2003 ᖺ 3 ᭶㸧ᥖ㍕㸦᪥ᮏㄒࡼࡿ㸧ࠋ ᇳ➹㸸ࣖࢻࣦ࣭࢞ࣟࢻࣦࢳ https://tokio.msz.gov.pl/ja/bilateral_cooperation/politics/tokio_jp_a_284/tokio_jp_a_285/