Nicholas McLeod
Encyclopedia
Nicholas McLeod was a native of the Isle of Skye, Scotland
.
He started his career in the herring
industry before emigrating to Japan
in 1867 or 1868. In Japan he worked as an accountant and later as a curio dealer, first in Nagasaki, then in Kobe
and Yokohama
. The last that is heard of him is that he left to Hong Kong
in 1889, after he possibly lost his business.
Beyond that is very little known for certain about him except that he published a book in 1878 in Nagasaki called Epitome of the ancient history of Japan (cover title: Japan and the Lost Tribes of Israel) and another in Kyoto
under the title Illustrations to the Epitome of the ancient history of Japan, including illustrations to the guide book.
The thesis of these extraordinary books was that the holy class of Japan
is descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel
. He claimed that the first known king of Japan was called Osee and came to the throne in 730 B.C., identifying him with Hoshea
, the last king of Israel
, who died in 722 B.C. The books contain extensive comparisons of the religious rituals of Judaism
and Shintoism as evidence of the links between ancient Israel and Japan.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
He started his career in the herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
industry before emigrating to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1867 or 1868. In Japan he worked as an accountant and later as a curio dealer, first in Nagasaki, then in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
and Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. The last that is heard of him is that he left to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1889, after he possibly lost his business.
Beyond that is very little known for certain about him except that he published a book in 1878 in Nagasaki called Epitome of the ancient history of Japan (cover title: Japan and the Lost Tribes of Israel) and another in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
under the title Illustrations to the Epitome of the ancient history of Japan, including illustrations to the guide book.
The thesis of these extraordinary books was that the holy class of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
is descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel
Ten Lost Tribes
The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria...
. He claimed that the first known king of Japan was called Osee and came to the throne in 730 B.C., identifying him with Hoshea
Hoshea
See also Hosea, who has the same name in Biblical Hebrew.Hoshea was the last king of the Israelite Kingdom of Israel and son of Elah . William F. Albright dated reign to 732 – 721 BC, while E. R. Thiele offered the dates 732 – 723 BC.Assyrian records basically confirm the Biblical...
, the last king of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, who died in 722 B.C. The books contain extensive comparisons of the religious rituals of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Shintoism as evidence of the links between ancient Israel and Japan.