A Gentleman
from Japan
The untold story of an incredible journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth's Court — hidden from history for four centuries.
The Unofficial Prequel to Shogun
About the Author
Bringing Hidden Histories to Light
Thomas Lockley is an author, historian, and educator who has lived in Japan most of his adult life. His work shines a light on the remarkable individuals whose stories have been overlooked or erased from mainstream history.
His groundbreaking research into Yasuke — the first African to serve a Japanese lord — captivated readers worldwide and was published to international acclaim with coauthor Geoffrey Girard.
His most recent work 'A Gentleman from Japan' visits the forgotten history of when Japan first met England. In 1588, two young Japanese men arrived in London, and awed the populous and intelligentsia alike.
Thomas has appeared in numerous media outlets and documentaries, and his books have been translated into multiple languages. He is passionate about making history accessible, compelling, and relevant to modern audiences.
Published Works
Books
A Gentleman from Japan
The Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth's Court
2024
The extraordinary true story of a Japanese man who made the perilous journey to Elizabethan England at the end of the sixteenth century. An epic tale of adventure, diplomacy, and discovery, uncovering a remarkable moment of cross-cultural encounter hidden from history for four centuries.
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African Samurai
The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan
2019
The remarkable true story of Yasuke — the first African warrior in Japan. Arriving in 1579, he rose to become a trusted retainer and personal bodyguard of the most famous and infamous warlord in Japanese history, Oda Nobunaga. A sweeping, globe-spanning narrative of adventure, resilience, and identity across two continents.
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Yasuke
The True Story of the Legendary African Samurai
2019
WARRIOR. SAMURAI. LEGEND. The remarkable life of history's first foreign-born samurai, and his astonishing journey from Northeast Africa to the heights of Japanese society. A gripping narrative about an extraordinary figure in a fascinating time and place.
Learn MoreWhat People Are Saying
Reviews
"A readable, compassionate account of an extraordinary life."
African Samurai/Yasuke
"Yasuke is widely regarded as the first-ever foreigner to be given warrior status in Japan."
African Samurai/Yasuke
"So breathtaking and revelatory that one would believe the story to be fiction if it weren't true!"
African Samurai/Yasuke
"A superb dramatic recounting of the life of perhaps the first person from Japan to visit the British Isles."
A Gentleman from Japan
"A fascinating, visceral dive into a time of chaotic discovery — when the world was bigger and civilisations were meeting for the first time."
A Gentleman from Japan
"One of the most readable histories to grace the field of Japanese Studies in a while. Yasuke's story deserves as wide a readership as possible."
African Samurai/Yasuke
"Eminently readable. The solid scholarship on and imaginative treatment of Yasuke's life make this both a worthwhile and entertaining work."
African Samurai/Yasuke
"The best account in English of Yasuke. A delightful introduction to the vibrant and multicultural world of Asian maritime history. Written novelistically, with a light scholarly touch — exciting and informative!"
African Samurai/Yasuke
"A rich portrait of a brutal age."
African Samurai/Yasuke
"Lockley succeeds in focusing his history on the contributions of the 'oppressed, trafficked and marginalized' who have otherwise left no record. A fascinating look into 16th-century geopolitics."
A Gentleman from Japan
"Lockley draws on extensive research, combing through private diaries and letters, to depict Christopher's global odyssey. Recommended especially for students of geopolitical history."
A Gentleman from Japan
"A journey of firsts in the age of exploration — Lockley lays out how the world was far more interconnected than we have been led to believe."
A Gentleman from Japan
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Based in
Tokyo, Japan