Page 206 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

10 Searching for the San Francisco (1609), a Manila Galleon … 177

Juan Cevicos had to cut the main mast, and leaking became a serious problem,
which led to the decision to try to drift to the coast of Japan. They thought the ship
was sailing northward somewhere off the southernmost end of Japan (likely modern
Noshimazaki at the end of Boso Peninsula in Chiba). However, a miscalculation of
the latitude meant the actual position of the ship was at least one degree farther
north, around 33.5°N. They came in sight of land at the distance of a quarter
leagues around 10:00 in the evening on September 30, 1609, the ship suddenly
struck a reef about two leagues from the shore near Yubanda (likely modern
Iwawada in Onjuku town, in Chiba). Vivero and other crew retreated to the stern
section. Eventually the hull was broken up, and the bow sank. Fortunately, quite a
number of people survived on the wreckage. Although !fty-six people drowned,
some could swim, while others clung to floating timbers, and a few were on the
remaining part of the stern of the San Francisco. By the morning the survivors had
managed to get to land; they thought they had landed on an inhabited island rather
than the mainland of Japan. A few sailors shortly found rice paddy !elds not far
inland, and local people appeared. The survivors found that the villagers were from
the hamlet of Yubanda (known as Iwawada in Japan), located about one and a half
leagues away. All the survivors seem to have been taken to the village.
It did not take long for Vivero to be recognized as an ex-capitania general de
Filipinas, and later he was granted an audience with Ieyasu Tokugawa. This
meeting followed their previous written exchanges conducted during the two years
Vivero was governor of the Philippines. During their meeting in Japan there were
diplomatic negotiations that established a new trading relationship between Spain
and Japan. The San Buenaventura, which had not been used after its construction
under William Adams’s guidance, was given to the survivors to sail back to Spain.
After almost one year Vivero left Japan on August 1, 1610, and anchored at
Acapulco on November 13, 1610.

10.3 Impacts of the Wreck Event and Material Evidence

As noted, the unexpected loss of the San Francisco led to the successful voyage of
the San Buenaventura to Spain. The ship is recognized as the !rst Japanese-built
vessel ever to cross the Paci!c Ocean. Onboard were twenty-three Japanese, who
were of!cially the !rst Japanese to arrive in America. The ultimate fate of the San
Buenaventura is not entirely known, but she made the westbound trip to Cavite and
thus crossed the Paci!c twice (Gil 1991). Further records of the San Buenaventura
are worth pursuing in future.
A Spanish return delegation commanded by Sebastián Vizcaino visited Japan
with the aim of investigating the commercial prospects for mining metals in the
country. In 1611 the viceroy of Mexico sent Sebastián Vizcaino to Japan. Vizcaino
brought a number of gifts to present to Ieyasu Tokugawa from Felipe III of Spain,
which are now in the museum of Mt. Kuno Toshogu, dedicated to the memory of
Ieyasu Tokugawa. One gift was a clock, which is still in the museum collection