Shōgun

A devout priest, Alvito often finds himself at odds with his contemporaries who value gold over God.

A devout priest, Father Martin Alvito often finds himself at odds with his contemporaries who value gold over God. Alvito is a skilled translator who has spent most of his life in Japan; he serves as the official translator for the Council of Regents, acting as a diplomat between the Portuguese and Japanese.&nbsp;

The character of Father Alvito is based on the historical figure of João Rodrigues. Born in a rural town in Portugal, Rodrigues came to Japan in 1577 at the young age of 15 as a common sailor. He spent three years traveling in Japan with the Jesuits and decided to become a Jesuit himself in 1580. Probably due to his young age, he became fluent in Japanese. This did not go unnoticed by the other Jesuits and they began to use him as an interpreter. When the "Visitor General", Alessandro Valignano, visited Hideyoshi (the Taikō), Rodrigues was there to translate. He made such an impression on Hideyoshi that Hideyoshi called on him several times to inquire about Western affairs. The last time Rodrigues met Hideyoshi was on his deathbed, just a week before the almighty ruler of Japan died. Rodrigues' influence as an interpreter and negotiator for the Jesuits continued under Hideyoshi's successor, Tokugawa Ieyasu (Toranaga in Shōgun). For his skill in translation, he was called "tsūji" in Japanese (or "Tçuzu" in the Portuguese transcription of the time), which literally means "interpreter," much as William Adams (Blackthorne in Shōgun) was called "Anjin" or "pilot.” From his hand we have a Japanese grammar, Arte da lingoa de Iapam, a gigantic compendium of detailed descriptions of written and spoken Japanese, and an indispensable source for linguists today to reconstruct the spoken Japanese of the Sengoku period. With his knowledge of Japan, Rodrigues held an influential position as negotiator and treasurer within the Jesuit mission, close to Valignano.

Every legend begins with a story.&nbsp;Explore the vision and artistry behind FX's Shōgun's groundbreaking series. Join host and staff writer Emily Yoshida as she sits down with the creators, cast, and crew that brought Sengoku Era Japan to life.

Father Alvito | FX's Shogun

Historical Background

Explore the Shōgun Podcast

Explore Additional Characters

Kiku

Kiri

Daiyoin