Captain John Mathews James (1838-1908): The Cornish Seaman who Became Known as the First Western Nichiren Shu Buddhist in Japan in the Nineteenth Century

Abstract

This critical note outlines research to date on the history of John Mathews James, part of an ongoing project. During my research so far, I have found only one published article in the UK and further private research undertaken by Nichiren Shu Buddhists in Japan and the UK. Captain James seems to be unknown to academic researchers in the field of Buddhist studies. I shall outline the life events that led Captain James towards embracing Nichiren Shu Buddhism in Japan and highlight some of the social and political contexts of his life. He does not appear to have participated in international Buddhist networks, and possibly this is the reason why he does not appear in English-language discussions of early Western converts. However, his memory has been kept alive and honoured by the Nichiren Shu community, who always refer to him respectfully as ‘Captain James,’ and I shall refer to him similarly throughout this article.