For many people the link between Venice and Japan stops at Marco Polo. There is actually a more surprising one, and it has to do with religion.
Cipangu, the Japan of the Travels
In his Travels Marco Polo speaks of "Cipangu", a distant island rich in gold. He never went there, he only reports rumours gathered in China, but that page fuelled Europe's dreams for centuries and, according to many historians, even inspired the navigators of the Age of Discovery.
Four boys on a journey
In 1582 four young Japanese, Christians and pupils of the Jesuits, left Nagasaki, sent by Christian feudal lords of Kyūshū: this is the so-called Tenshō embassy. After a journey of years they reached Europe, were received by the Pope in Rome and, in the summer of 1585, arrived in Venice.
The Republic welcomed them with great honours: they were received by the Doge and the Senate and toured the city. Domenico Tintoretto painted a portrait of one of them, Itō Mancio, which can still be seen in Italy.
Why it matters
This story brings two worlds together: the Venice of trade routes and diplomacy, and the Japan of the first Christians and of an encounter with Europe that was later dramatically cut short. It is a perfect example of how religions have also been a vehicle for travel, diplomacy and cultural exchange.
On the Venice between East and West tour we follow exactly these threads: from Byzantine mosaics to Ottoman merchants, up to the young Japanese of 1585.