Japan

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Yokohama

Japan, c. 1812

Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, Japan secluded itself from much of the rest of the world guided by myths. Japanese legend describes an early foray out of Japan and into Korea under Queen Jingo and her son Ojin. According to legend, the surprised and terrified Koreans surrendered at once and promised to pay homage and tribute to Queen Jingo until the sun rose in the west, rivers flowed backwards and stones turned into stars.

For a time Japan welcomed European interaction, and the Christian missionaries were able to convert the Japanese to Christianity. For forty-five years the Jesuits were the only missionaries in Asia; eventually Franciscans also began proselytizing in Asia. Christian missionaries were later forced into exile, along with their assistants. Some were able to stay behind, however Christianity was then kept underground as to not be persecuted

Foreign Business District, Yokohama Yokohama Kaigan Kakkoku Shokan Zu. Utagawa Hiroshige.

In 1638, closed its islands to Europeans, and they remained closed for over 200 years. During those two centuries it was forbidden to build any ship larger than a mere coasting boat. No Japanese could go abroad, and no European could enter the country.

Prior to closing her doors, William Adams, of Gillingham, Kent, became the most trusted European adviser of the Japanese, and showed them how to build big ships. There were voyages in Japanese-built ships to India and Peru.

Russia, Holland, and Britain followed in the wake of America. Foreigners entered the country, and conflicts between them and Japanese gentlemen of spirit ensued. With astonishing energy and intelligence the Japanese set themselves to bring their culture and organization up to the level of the European powers.

Never in all the history of mankind did a nation make such a stride as Japan then did.

An Early Steamship among traditional Japanese craft, watched by a warrior from the coast.

It was considered a small fishing village until 1853-1854 when Commodore Matthew Perry sailed in with American warships with the goal of opening ports for commerce. Initially Kanagawa-juku, one of the 53 towns along the Tokaido Road (connecting Edo to Kyoto and Osaka), was designated a port hub. However, the Tokugawa shogunate designated the village of Yokohama in the year 1859 to be the hub for foreign trade.

In joining the world powers in 1858 the shogun signed disadvantageous commercial treaties with the United States and several European countries. Tokugawa leadership was questioned, and numerous samurai attacks were made on the foreigners now allowed to enter Japan.

July 30, 1860, Daily Alta California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Japanese Items.

Foreign Mercantile House, Yokohama Yokohama Ijin Shokan No Zu Sadahide Utagawa

By late arrivals from Japan, we were enabled to lay before our readers, in detail, everything of interest occurring up to the departure of the vessels which brought the news. As the public, however, have already been informed, a number of gentlemen who here long been residents in the Empire came passengers on those vessels.

From one of these we have derived some additional items of information, which we have not heretofore seen in print. The Japanese are capital cooks, and few restaurants in our country display bills of fare more palatable. Our informant says that the most delicate sponge cake he ever saw was set before him in a Japanese public house. Their confectionery and pastry are delicious, and they infinitely surpass the Chinese in all matters pertaining to the culinary departments of the domestic household.

The Japanese are, furthermore, inveterate newsmongers. Whenever an American vessel enters the port of Kanagawa, they exhibit great anxiety in seeking out news, and at the earliest moment place themselves in possession of every item of interest which can be obtained.

Our informant has presented us with several of the "tempo" coin, a piece of money, oval in shape, made of topper, an inch and-a-half in length, by half an inch in breadth, and about the thickness of a penny, on either side are inscribed sundry Japanese characters. Sixteen of these cumbersome specimens make an itzebu, which is valued at thirty-two cents'. A respectable meal may be procured for a single "tempo."

At Yokohama there are both billiard and bowling saloons. There is also a hotel here, kept by a Hollander. The bathing houses are literally patronized by both sexes, and not the slightest repulsiveness is exhibited by the women whilst disrobing, to be seen by the masculines. The people are generally clean in their habits.

December 8, 1863, Daily Alta California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Japanese News.
Important Intelligence.

The following are the details of the latest Japanese news, to October 4th:

The Herald of Oct. 14th says: This afternoon, about 4 o'clock, information was received by all the various Consuls that the body of a foreigner had been discovered at a village named Hodongayah, about 3-1/2 miles from this settlement. Mr. Von Brandt, the Prussian Consul, with Lieutenant Apulian and the military train escort, immediately proceeded to the spot indicated, which is on the Tokaido, and the French escort likewise was sent to follow Mr. Yon Brandt. Mr. Blackman, of the French Legation, proceeded with two Choosers by the country road, and overtook Colonel Fisher, the U.S. Consul, and Dr. Jenkins, with some Japanese officers on horseback. They went on toward the same place, Hodongyah, when coining on the turning to Kanagawa, about one and a half miles from this settlement, and about 20 yards beyond the bridge, over the canal, they saw lying across the narrow pathway the horribly mutilated body of Monsieur Camus, a Sub-Lieutenant of the Third Battalion of the Chasseurs d'Afrique. It is difficult to describe the condition of the body; of the deceased, some twenty wounds having been inflicted, any one of which would have been sufficient to produce death. The arm (the bridle arm) was completely severed from the trunk, and, with a part of the reins yet in the hand, was found nearly ten paces from the body. The villagers profess the most profound ignorance on the subject; but we have heard that they have said that they observed two strangers (two-sworded men) in the neighborhood; and an old woman declares that, hearing cries, she looked out from her house and saw two men passing quickly by, one of them with his garments covered thickly with blood. The officials, of course, profess to have no clue to the dastardly murderer. Mr. Camus had gone out in the afternoon, as was his usual practice, for a ride. He was totally unarmed, not having with him even the small pocket pistol which he sometimes carried.

THE QUESTION AS TO FOREIGNERS.

The Herald states that on the 24th Sept. their Excellencies D. de Greaff von Polesbrock, the Minister for the Netherlands, and General Pruyn, the United States Minister, received an invite to attend, on the following Monday, a conference with the Gorogoio, at the house of the Governor of Yokohama near this place, and had, we believe, agreed to attend, but early on the following Sunday morning, were requested to allow the appointment to be transferred to Yedo. Accordingly on Monday the two Ministers proceeded to Yedo in H. N. M.'s frigate Medusa. Immediately after arrival they were conducted into the presence of the Gorogio, with whom were all the members of the Second Chamber, also the Governor of Nagasaki, (who has just arrived here,) and other high officials.

We hear that in the demeanor of these officials a marked change, a sort of dogged civility, rather than that apparently hearty courtesy which generally has hitherto been rather the noticeable feature, was prevailing throughout.

The conversation, commenced by a very important communication from the Gorogio: "The order of expulsion issued by and through Ongassawara was retracted." After some ordinary hesitation, however, the real gist of the sought interview came out. "But," said the Gorogio, "if trade continues to be carried on in Yokohama, a revolution will ensue in the country, therefore the trade must be transferred to Nagasaki and Hakodadi."

The Ministers naturally asked if the Government were not able to put down such revolution, which they said threatened the country. The Uorogio answered "it was a very great shame to Japan, but they could not."

The Gorogio further added that they had appointed two Plenipotentiaries (one of whom is Takamato Kai-no-kami, the other our informant did not know, but believes to be a very young governor) to tell the Ministers of Foreign Powers why foreigners must leave Yokohama, and to negotiate the terms of their leaving. The Ministers expressed their great surprise that on a subject of such vast importance the Gorogio had not communicated to the British and French Ministers, to which the Gorogio replied that they had communicated first with with the Representatives of Holland and the United States, because the country had first intercourse with those nations. The Ministers, upon this, both replied that they should, of course, report this conversation to their respective Governments. The Gorogio "But cannot the Ministers or any of them consent to give up the settlement at Yokohama, without consulting their Governments? Foreigners could go to Nagasaki, and then the treaties would remain in force. The treaties with foreigners had only been made as an experiment to see if trade with foreigners would answer for Japan." The Gorogio, being asked what steps had been taken towards bringing the Prince of Nangato to punishment for his recent attacks upon foreign vessels, answered, "Nothing yet was done, but they were busily engaged in this matter. In Japan these things could not be done at once, it was Japanese custom to do these things more quietly." The high officers present, were Midzoeno Idoemi-no Kami, Itakoela Soewono Kama, (who was the principal spokesman,) Mowoeye Kawasino Kamta, and Mima Tootomi no-Kami.

April 15, 1864, California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences

The Yokohama Squash

It will be recollected that Mr. Thomas Hogg of New York visited Japan, two years ago, on a botanical tour, and since his arrival there he has sent home a variety of seeds to his brother, among them were seeds of a squash. These were planted by Mr. Hogg, and very carefully cultivated, away from all other varieties. The vines made a strong and vigorous growth, running rapidly, and rooting at the joints. They blossomed abundantly, and ripened a large crop of fine squashes, which proved to be entirely unlike anything we possessed, and so strongly marked as to leave no doubt of its being a new variety. Its appearance is represented as round, corrugated on the rim, flat and dished at the stem like the scallop squash. Size, medium, about 8 inches in diameter, and 4 inches deep, weighing from6 to 8 pounds; stem long, woody, and angled like that at a pumpkin; surface strongly ribbed; skin warty, and of a dark green color, which often turns more or less to a dull orange; cavity lor the seeds, small, and placed near the blossom end, about the size of the Summer Crookneck squash; flesh very fine grained, sweet, sufficiently dry, and well-flavored. It keeps well.

Such is the general description of this new variety. Those who have tried it pronounce it of superior quality. Its fine growth, early maturity end productiveness, give it a claim to our attention, and it seems likely to become a favorite and profitable variety. Mr. Hogg states that the Yokohama keeps until February, and he has little doubt it will keep till March. It is excellent for cooking when not larger than an ordinary Bush squash, thus affording a continual supply from July to March. Mr. Hogg calls it the Yokohama (Japan), the place where his brother resides, and from whence he forwarded the seeds.

1855 Map of Japan, showing prefecture boundaries. Mapmaker: Colton.

By 1864 most activists realized that the foreigners' military power prevented their exclusion, and they turned against the Tokugawa instead. In 1867 Japan's warriors finally forced the resignation of the shogun, and imperial government was restored under the young Meiji emperor in 1868.

The Courtesan Kashiku, 1814 Utagawa Kuniyasu (1794-1832) Ukiyo-e literally translates to "Pictures of the Floating World." Images of everyday Japan, mass-produced in the Edo period (1615-1868), represent one of the highpoints of Japanese cultural achievement. The art of ukiyo-e is most frequently associated with colour woodblock prints, popular in Japan from their development in 1765 until the closing decades of the Meiji period (1868-1912). The earliest prints were simple black and white prints taken from a single block. Sometimes these prints were colored by hand, but this process was expensive. In the 1740s, additional woodblocks were used to print the col ours pink and green, but it wasn't until 1765 that the technique of using multiple colour woodblocks was perfected. The glorious full colour prints that resulted were known as nishiki-e or "brocade pictures." The same artists who designed woodblock prints also created paintings for more affluent clients. "Pictures of the Floating World" refers to the licensed brothel and theatre districts of Japan's major cities during the Edo period. Inhabited by prostitutes and Kabuki actors, these were the playgrounds of the newly wealthy merchant class. Despite their low status in the strict social hierarchy of the time, actors and courtesans (high-class prostitutes) became the style icons of their day. Their fashions spread to the general populace via inexpensive woodblock prints. Japan has a long and rich tradition of folklore and storytelling. These tales of heroes and villains, monsters and demons, provided dramatic subjects for woodblock prints. Artists such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi and his pupil Kawanabe Kyosai used vibrant colours and striking compositions to create vivid prints full of movement and action. These captured the public's imagination. Victoria and Albert Museum Cromwell Road, London

During the final years of the feudal Edo period, remained secluded and had the least contact with the Western world.

During the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the area developed trade agreements with Great Britain mainly and Yokohama developed into an international city.

A Royal Navy Ship. Sailors waving goodbye to Japan, 1890

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Russian Views of Japan, 1792-1913: An Anthology of Travel Writing
David N. Wells

Before Japan was 'opened up' in the 1850s, contact with Russia as well as other western maritime nations was extremely limited. Yet from the early eighteenth century onwards, as a result of their expanding commercial interests in East Asia and the North Pacific, Russians had begun to encounter Japanese and were increasingly eager to establish diplomatic and trading relations with Japan. This book presents rare narratives written by Russians - explorers, official envoys, scholars and, later, tourists - who visited Japan between 1792 and 1913. The introduction and notes set these narratives in the context of the history of Russo-Japanese relations and the genre of European travel writing, showing how the Russian writers combined ethnographic interests with the assertion of Russian and European values, simultaneously inscribing power relations and negotiating cultural difference. Students of Japanese history, nineteenth-century Russia, literature and cultural studies will find this book an invaluable insight|into the contact between two civilizations at a time when they were particularly ignorant of each other.

Transpiration of Gods at Yokohama. Sadahide Utagawa

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1899. World's Fleet. Boston Daily Globe

Lloyds Register of Shipping gives the entire fleet of the world as 28,180 steamers and sailing vessels, with a total tonnage of 27,673,628, of which 39 perent are British.

Great Britain	10,990 vessels, total tonnage of 10,792,714
United States	3,010 vessels, total tonnage of 2,405,887
Norway	2,528 vessels, tonnage of 1,604,230
Germany	1,676 vessels, with a tonnage of 2,453,334, in which are included her particularly large ships.
Sweden	1,408 vessels with a tonnage of 643, 527
Italy	1,150 vessels
France	1,182 vessels

For Historical Comparison
Top 10 Maritime Nations Ranked by Value (2017)

	Country	# of Vessels	Gross Tonnage (m)	Total Value (USDbn)
1	Greece	4,453	206.47	$88.0
2	Japan	4,317	150.26	$79.8
3	China	4,938	159.71	$71.7
4	USA	2,399	55.92	$46.5
5	Singapore	2,662	64.03	$41.7
6	Norway	1,668	39.68	$41.1
7	Germany	2,923	81.17	$30.3
8	UK	883	28.78	$24.3
9	Denmark	1,040	36.17	$23.4
10	South Korea	1,484	49.88	$20.1
Total		26,767	87.21	$466.9