ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an account, by the Japanese travellers, of various works built by King Philip, especially the work of the Escorial. Known as San Lorenzo de El Escorial, named after Philip’s victory over the French at St Quentin on 10 August 1557 (St Lawrence’s day), the Escorial was modelled on Solomon’s Temple of the Mount in Jerusalem. The palace/monastery was a powerful metaphor of Philip’s majesty and of his self-image as a new Solomon. The cornerstone was laid on 23 April 1563 and the building completed on 13 September 1584. The travellers left a short testimonial of their visit written in Japanese on Japanese paper saying that they had come from Japan to see ‘the things of Europe’ and had been sent to see the Escorial by Philip and that they were amazed and happy to view such a magnificent and marvellous building the sight of which had made their hazardous journey from Japan worthwhile.
