António da Mota was a Portuguese trader and explorer who, in 1543, together with Fernão Mendes Pinto and Francisco Zeimoto, became one of the first Europeans to set foot in Japan.

While traveling to Ningbo with a Chinese junk in 1543 (some sources say 1542), Mota and the rest of the crew were swept off course by a bad storm.

The Portuguese included were Francisco Zeimoto, António Peixoto, and Mota himself.

António da Mota and Francisco Zeimoto are recognized as the first Europeans on Japanese soil.

Mota and Zeimoto introduced handheld guns to Japan, which the Japanese found fascinating.