Sharing the Story of House Hosokawa with the World
Mr. Andrew Fischer
Guest Scholar at Kumamoto University
May 13, 2025
At Kumamoto University, researchers and students from diverse backgrounds engage in their studies every day. We had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Andrew Fischer, a guest scholar who is conducting research on the Hosokawa, a daimyo house deeply connected to Kumamoto Prefecture. Mr. Fischer is originally from Michigan in the USA, and after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, he matriculated at the University of Cambridge in the UK to study for a PhD in Japanese Studies. In order to complete his doctoral dissertation, he is engaged in research at the Eisei Bunko Research Center at Kumamoto University.
The Japanese History Class That Changed My Life: Being Captivated by Japanese History and Breaking the Language Barrier
What kind of research are you currently working on?
I am currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Cambridge in the UK; I am conducting research on the Hosokawa, who were elevated to lordship of Higo Province, which is now Kumamoto Prefecture, in the seventeenth century. I am fascinated by the close relationships that the Jesuit missionaries forged with various daimyo during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries—I explored this topic as an undergraduate. However, as I dove deeper into sixteenth-century Japanese history, I developed an interest in the Hosokawa, who established themselves as one of the most prominent daimyo families not by dint of military might, but by taking advantage of their personal connections, cultural knowledge, and ability to acquire information. That's why I decided to study at the Eisei Bunko Research Center, where most of the documents of the Hosokawa are held; I can directly engage with primary sources here. I’ve been in Kumamoto since last October and will remain here until this September. My research aims to elucidate how House Hosokawa served their lords—including the three unifiers—and how they managed to rise from mere shogunal officers to become daimyo of Kumamoto.
Did you originally have an interest in Japanese history?
My interest in Japanese history was sparked by a class that I took during my first year as an undergraduate. Until then, I only had passing interest in Japan—particularly anime and other forms of popular media—and I couldn’t speak Japanese. Unlike in Japan, at American universities, students are not assigned a particular major or department upon admission. During the first two years, students take a broad range of courses that interest them; they then choose their major by the end of their second year. When I first enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), I didn’t have a clear goal in mind. Since my mother earned her medical degree at WashU—both of my parents are retired medical doctors—I initially thought that I might follow the same path.
However, upon taking that Japanese history class, I was hooked. The more classes I took, the more I desired to dive deeper into Japanese history. When I consulted the instructor, she advised me that, if I wanted to study Japanese history professionally, it would be wise for me to learn Japanese and live in Japan for an extended period of time. I followed her advice—during my third year, I lived with a host family in Hirakata City in Osaka Prefecture for a year while studying Japanese language and culture in Kyoto.
Has your perspective on Japanese history research changed since studying in Japan?
Certainly. Before coming to Japan, I was primarily interested in the warlords and major political developments of the sengoku period, but during my first year in Japan, my focus shifted to the Jesuit missionaries. Preceding and during the ascendancy of Oda Nobunaga, the proselytization efforts of Jesuit missionaries like Francis Xavier were widely sanctioned. Some daimyo even converted to Christianity and became kirishitan (Christian) daimyo.
However, I don’t necessarily believe that the kirishitan daimyo were motivated to embrace Christianity because of faith. Some daimyo may have simply been fascinated with European culture, while others may have adopted the faith in order to gain easier access to Portuguese harquebuses and other weapons. Having developed an interest in sixteenth-century Japanese political and social history—particularly the relationships between the daimyo and the missionaries—I chose to write my senior honors thesis at WashU on the “Strategies and Motivations of the Key Figures of Japan’s ‘Christian Century.’
I heard that you worked as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in Ehime after graduating from university.
Yes—after graduating in 2019, I spent two years in the town of Ikata in Ehime Prefecture teaching English to elementary and junior high school students as an ALT. I hoped to spark in students an interest in foreign languages and cultures; after all, I had embarked on a journey to master the Japanese language and immerse myself in Japanese culture. I strived to emphasize to my students the importance of actually communicating in English; one cannot solely focus on grammar, reading, and writing.
What is the best way to acquire a new language?
In my experience, it is critical to learn a foreign language the same way that one learns one’s native language. Young children listen to their parents—initially without understanding what is being said—and emulate what they say. They eventually come to understand the meaning behind the words. I tried to do the same—at first, I listened to my host family and friends speak Japanese. I then tried using the same words and expressions, practicing every day, just like physical exercise. Once I was able to hold conversations in Japanese, I began focusing on acquiring proficiency in reading and writing. After about three years in Japan, I achieved fluency in Japanese.
Military might was not the only determinant of success. The rise of House Hosokawa was by virtue of their cleverness and loyal service.
Why did you return to research after working as an ALT?
I had long thought about pursuing graduate studies and earning a PhD. However, in 2020, my second year working as an ALT, I seriously began considering returning to academia. That year, the COVID-19 pandemic began, severely restricting my ability to travel. As such, I had quite a bit of time to reflect deeply on what path I wanted to take in the future. My desire to pursue a career in Japanese history grew even stronger, largely in response to the tedium of life during the pandemic.
However, I did not yet possess all the necessary skills to begin doctoral-level research. In order to engage with primary sources in the field of Japanese history—especially premodern history—it is essential that one is able to read classical Japanese and kanbun (classical Chinese). I began acquiring these skills while working in Ehime, and after completing my contract with Ikata, I enrolled at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC), which offers a language program aimed at those aspiring to study Japan at the graduate level. I studied modern and classical Japanese and kanbun for a year while deepening my general knowledge of premodern Japanese history. I also applied to several graduate programs that year.
Why did you decide to pursue your studies at the University of Cambridge?
It goes without saying that the University of Cambridge is truly exceptional in every imaginable field, including Japanese Studies. Furthermore, my supervisor, Professor Mikael Adolphson, is a premier scholar of premodern Japanese history—I could not turn down the opportunity to study under him.
Moreover, I have long been fascinated by Europe. The US is a wonderful country to have grown up in, but I've always wanted to live in places with long and rich histories. This is why I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to study and live in the UK; the University of Cambridge itself is over three times older than the United States.
Are you studying the relationship between the Jesuit missionaries and the daimyo at the University of Cambridge as well?
Upon arriving at Cambridge, my research interests shifted a bit. My undergraduate research focused on Japan’s “Christian Century,” but as I progressed with my studies, I encountered a fascinating historical figure, Hosokawa Gracia. Through her, I became interested in the history of the Hosokawa family.
In Anglophone scholarship in the field of Japanese history, there are many studies on other daimyo houses such as the Shimazu, but there is almost no scholarship on the Hosokawa. This is one of the reasons that I decided to explore the largely ignored Hosokawa family as a doctoral candidate. My dissertation focuses on how the Hosokawa forged relationships with each of the unifiers (Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu) and rose to become one of the most powerful warrior houses in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
So it was Hosokawa Gracia who inspired you to research the Hosokawa family. What was it about Hosokawa Gracia that you found so fascinating?
If I had to put it concisely, it would be her “way of life.” Hosokawa Gracia was the daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide, and she is said to have been intelligent and curious from a young age. She was wed to Hosokawa Tadaoki, but after her father forced Oda Nobunaga to commit suicide at Honnōji, Gracia was sent to a village in what is now Kyoto Prefecture; she was a victim of the political turmoil of the age. Following her move to Osaka a few years later, in 1584, Gracia became interested in Christianity and was eventually baptized.
However, in 1587, the Catholic missionaries were ordered to leave Japan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Gracia faced new challenges—particularly her husband’s opposition to her faith. Even so, she remained steadfast in her beliefs. Just before the Battle of Sekigahara, rather than become a hostage of her husband’s enemy, Ishida Mitsunari, she was killed by one of her husband’s retainers.
I believe that if Gracia had lived in the modern era, she might have become an academic. She had a deep interest in a wide range of fields—culture, philosophy, religion, and the arts—and she remained true to her beliefs even in the face of adversity. I was deeply drawn to the resolve with which she lived her life.
What were the main factors that enabled the Hosokawa to rise to prominence as a prominent daimyo house?
The Hosokawa did not rise to prominence solely via military might. They solidified their status as daimyo by skillfully leveraging personal connections, cultural capital, and their remarkable ability to gather information. For instance, cultural capital—particularly their mastery of the tea ceremony and traditional Japanese poetry—enabled them to deepen their relationships with other warriors and aristocrats, read the flow of the times accurately, and make shrewd decisions, which allowed them to survive and, indeed, thrive.
Another particularly interesting aspect is how House Hosokawa approached loyalty. The word “loyalty” frequently appears in their documents, especially in the documents issued to them by Nobunaga. Loyalty is a concept that also applies to modern politics. President Trump explicitly demands the loyalty of his subordinates and allies. Across the centuries and the globe, loyalty has remained a major concern of leaders. The Hosokawa made sure to exert themselves in loyal service to the right lords, enabling their own success.
In this way, the success of the Hosokawa offers valuable insights that are very relevant to modern society. Even without money or power, one can achieve great success by leveraging one’s unique assets and connections. By learning about the Hosokawa, we can also gain valuable insights into the importance of relationships and the strategies of leaders, both of which are quite fascinating.
Among the many valuable materials entrusted by the Eisei Bunko to Kumamoto University, 9,346 items have recently been designated as Important Cultural Properties. What are your thoughts on this?
The Hosokawa continue to prosper even today; as a result, many documents have survived. The fact that such a large number of valuable materials still exist today is truly remarkable. As I mentioned earlier, the Hosokawa family thrived not thanks to military power but thanks to their unique abilities; they made shrewd decisions at critical junctures. Among Japan’s warrior houses, I believe that the Hosokawa stand out as perhaps the wisest. The recognition of the value of these materials and their designation as Important Cultural Properties is highly significant, as it reaffirms the historical significance of the Hosokawa.
I want to introduce the Hosokawa to both scholars and the general public in the West.
What are your future plans?
I recently completed my doctoral dissertation, which is largely based on my research at Kumamoto University. I intend to submit it after returning to the UK in October. Assuming that all goes well, I expect to earn my doctorate as early as February 2026.
After graduating, I intend to publish my doctoral dissertation as a book. I would like to present my research on the Hosokawa in an accessible manner such that many in the West will engage with it. However, since my dissertation is written primarily for specialists, I must revise it so that even those who have not been initiated into the complexities of Japanese history can easily understand it.
Related Link: Eisei Bunko Research Center