 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
@ |
1. "Open Port" - what does
it mean?
@You're right. Shimoda had been a harbor town long before the Black Ships
entered its bay at the end of the Edo Period. And in that sense, Shimoda
was already an open port.
@But the "Open Port" we're talking about in the "150th anniversary"
is a little different. In this historic case, it meant opening Shimoda's
harbor not only to Japanese ships but to foreign ships as well. And allowing
foreign ships to enter a Japanese port meant opening relations with foreign
countries.
Until then, the Japanese had mixed only with fellow Japanese living on this
small archipelago. Under its "Closed Door" policy, Japan had lived
in isolation from the world Đ with the exception of Nagasaki - for as long
as 215 years. By opening its ports, Japan resolved to end its Closed Door
policy and become a member of the international community, and to forge
friendships with people of other countries.
@This major transformation came about as a result of the Japan-U.S. Treaty
of Peace and Amity signed about 150 years ago on March 31, 1854. Under Article
2 of this treaty, Shimoda and Hakodate were to allow foreign ships to enter
their harbors. Shimoda Port was to be opened immediately, followed by Hakodate
Port in March 1855. So it was that our town Shimoda became the very first
Japanese harbor to be opened to the world, even though its open port status
lasted only for a short period of roughly five years and nine months, until
December 31, 1859. |
| @ |
@ |
@ |
 |
|
2. Why was Shimoda chosen?
@During negotiations over the treaty that took place between Japan and the
United States, U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry demanded the opening of five
Japanese ports (in the end, this was reduced to two ports). Uraga was one
of the ports originally included in Perry's demand. Uraga - today's Yokosuka
City - was located at the mouth of Edo Bay - today's Tokyo Bay, and its
name remains today in the Uraga Channel. From Uraga, Edo was within eyesight.
Wary of foreign countries wielding military powers much greater than itself,
there was no way Japan could agree to opening Edo Bay; it was far too close
to Edo, home of the Shogun. As an alternative, Japan's Shogunate government
recommended Shimoda Port as a location that was neither too close nor too
far from Edo. Of course, consideration was also given to the important historic
role Shimoda played earlier in the Edo Period.
@Let me give you a quick history lesson on this important harbor town. It
takes us back to 1616, to the reign of the second Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada.
This was a year after the Tokugawa period began, following the sacking of
the Toyotomi Camp's Osaka Castle and the deaths of Toyotomi Hideyori
and Yodogimi. Shimoda was recognized as a key location on the maritime
transport route, and the Shimoda Bugyo Magistrate was established for the
first time, along with a Lookout Inspection Post set up in Osse on Cape
Suzaki to inspect suspicious merchant cargo ships.
@Twenty years later, the Inspection Post was transferred to O-ura. There,
as the number of merchant cargo ships sailing to and from Edo increased,
a Ship Inspection Post was set up to conduct strict checks against Iri-deppo
(incoming guns) and De-Onna (outgoing women - escape attempts by wives of
regional Daimyo lords who were kept in Edo as hostages by the Shogun). @
Just as Hakone was a Sekisho of the land, so Shimoda became a Sekisho of
the sea. At the time, Shimoda prospered as one of Japan's busiest ports,
boasting three thousand incoming and outgoing vessels. The town remained
the site of the Shimoda Bugyo for as long as a century until 1721, when
the Inspection Post was transferred to Uraga.
@In 1842, the Shimoda Bugyo was re-established. However, this time it lasted
only for a short period until its closure in 1844, ten years before Shimoda
Port was opened to the world.
@So it was that the Shogunate government recommended Shimoda instead of
Uraga. Before signing the treaty, Perry dispatched two of his ships, Vandalia
and Southampton, to Shimoda to evaluate its appropriateness as an open port.
His men reported it was indeed a safe harbor fit for the entry and exit
of ships. Satisfied, Perry accepted the recommendation, which led to the
opening of Shimoda Port. |
| @ |
@ |
@ |
 |
@ |
3. Perry's Fleet in Shimoda
@ Perry's fleet of seven ships carrying a total of 1,265 Americans entered
Shimoda Port on April15, 1854, and left 74 days later, on June28. The period
was marked with much incident, including the reestablishment of the Shimoda
Bugyo Magistrate, the landing of the Americans, the aborted stowaway plan
of Yoshida Shoin and Kaneko Jusuke, a preliminary survey of Hakodate Port
by five U.S. ships including the Powhatan, the signing of the Shimoda Treaty
(supplementary provisions to the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity),
the offering of essential supplies to the Americans and de facto beginning
of Japan-U.S. trade under its guise, among others.
@@
@ (1) Seven Black Ships Enter Shimoda Bay
@You may have heard of this kyoka (humorous poem) popular at the time: "Awoken
form a peaceful slumber by the Joki-sen (a play on words that means both
a strong blend of tea as well as foreign steamships). Only four glasses
(ships), and your nights are sleepless." The poem was created by worried
Edo townsfolk a year before the opening of Shimoda Port, when Perry entered
Edo Bay with four ships. But when Shimoda Port was immediately opened up
following the signing of the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity on March
31, 1854, not four but as many as seven U.S. ships appeared in its bay.
Imagine the surprise of the people of Shimoda! Today, the incident could
be compared to seven UFOs with varying shapes and sizes suddenly flying
over Shimoda from a planet in a distant galaxy. The arrival of the foreign
ships must have been such an incredible surprise that aroused both fear
and curiosity.
@On April 15, Southampton and Supply were the first ships to anchor at Shimoda
Bay, followed two days later on the 17th by Lexington and Vandalia. The
astonishment of Shimoda townsfolk must have reached its peak on the 18th,
with the appearance of the two giant steam frigates - Perry's flagship Powhatan
and the Mississippi. The last ship, Macedonian, arrived a little later,
on May 1. Why was it so late? The ship reportedly sailed to Ogasawara to
procure food for American sailors, and came back with a catch of 70 sea
tortoises and two large whales.
@In those days even the largest of Japanese sailing ships, the sengoku-bune,
weighed only 100 tons or so. To give you some idea of its size compared
with present day ships, Susquehanna, the tourist ship modeled after the
Black Ships that is in use today for cruising around Shimoda Bay, weighs
127 tons. With that in mind, let's look at Perry's Black Ships. Of the seven
American vessels, even Supply, which had the smallest tonnage, was more
than five times larger than the sengoku-bune, while Powhatan, the heaviest,
was over 24 times larger. The Japanese had never seen such giant ships in
their lives. (For your information, the vessel Azalea that currently sails
from Shimoda to Niijima Island and onto Kozushima Island weighs 1,460 tons.
Powhatan, Mississippi and Macedonian were all heavier than Azalea.) And
on top of it all, these ships were all fitted with cannons. They were, in
effect, moving batteries. For the Japanese, it was as if a battery of a
foreign country had suddenly been constructed in Shimoda Bay, right in front
of their eyes. And Powhatan alone had nine cannons onboard!
@By the way, this was not the first time the people of Shimoda saw Southampton
and Vandalia, which had previously visited its harbor to conduct a preliminary
survey before the Treaty was signed. And these two had been sailing ships.
But Shimoda folk had never seen anything like Powhatan and Mississippi,
which were steamships Đ the most advanced seafaring vessels of the day.
These steamships were colored an ominous black and had three masts - as
opposed to the single-mast sengoku-bune. They also carried large cannons,
had smokestacks that spewed out black smoke and large side-wheels that resembled
watermills. These features must have been awe-inspiring indeed for the townsfolk
of Shimoda, who must have also been flabbergasted by their gigantic size.
It marked the first time an advanced foreign culture that artificially generated
steam and used it to power large vehicles like ships and steam engines ever
entered Shimoda Port. And it was also accompanied by an overwhelming show
of military force.
@ |
 |
@ |
@(2) Establishment of the Shimoda Bugyo Magistrate
@ On April 21, 1854, the Bugyo Magistrate was hastily reestablished in Shimoda,
which had become the first open port in Japan. Former Uraga Magistrate Izawa
Mimasaka-no-kami was appointed to the post. Then on May 18 another man,
former Sado Magistrate Tsuzuki Suruga-no-kami, was also appointed to the
post, making the Shimoda Bugyo a two-man system. Their job was to maintain
order, but they were responsible first and foremost for negotiating with
Commodore Perry - in other words, with the United States of America. It
was also their job to provide the Americans with essential supplies such
as firewood, water, food and coal. It was a tough job, indeed. (Incidentally,
Izawa took his post on June 3, and until that time it was Kurokawa Kahei,
deputy magistrate of Uraga, who dealt with the Americans. It was Kurokawa
who was in charge when the U.S. ships Southampton and Vandalia paid their
visit to Shimoda on their preliminary survey, when the seven ships of Perry's
fleet entered the harbor one after another on April 15, when Perry and his
men landed and when Yoshida Shoin attempted to stow away on a U.S. steamship.)
After that, the Shimoda Bugyo was served by Okada Bicchu-no-kami, who was
succeeded by Inoue Shinano-no-kami, and was closed on July 3, 1860, making
Nakamura Dewa-no-kami the last to hold the post. All in all, the Shimoda
Bugyo remained in operation for about six years. It ended its role a year
after the U.S. Consulate at Shimoda's Gyokusenji Temple was closed and Azabu
Zenpukuji Temple in Edo became the new Consulate, and after the ports of
Kanagawa and Hakodate were opened to free trade and Shimoda Port was closed.
@Where was the Bugyo Magistrate's Office? A provisional magistrate's office
was first set up at Hofukuji Temple, and was eventually moved to Todenji
Temple. After these provisional offices, the Nakamura Bugyo Office was established
in 1855. The site is now a park located in the Higashi Naka area behind
the Shimoda Police Headquarters.
@@@ |
|
@ |
@(3) The Landing of the Americans
@ On April 21, 1854, the day the Shimoda Bugyo was set up, Commodore Perry
stepped ashore with only seven attendants and visited Ryosenji Temple to
have tea with Kurokawa Kahei. Perry and his men were treated to Homeishu
liquor, tangerines and sweets. That day, the whole place - from the temple
grounds to the backyard - was packed with crowds of men and women who came
to watch the spectacle. Records say the place was so packed there was no
space to move! The townsfolk had been told they could come and watch. But
only twenty days before, an official of the local Nirayama Daikan governorship
had dispatched a letter of "utmost urgency" in which he had written
as follows: "When foreigners are on land, all households must keep
their doors and shoji (paper) screens tightly shut. Shops must put away
their merchandise. No foreigners are allowed to enter a household. Cattle
must be kept out of sight from the foreigners. Women are absolutely forbidden
to go outside. Men should also exercise caution and refrain from going
outside to watch the foreigners."
But peeking through holes behind closed doors was hardly enough to satisfy
the burning curiosity of the townsfolk. And the people of Shimoda had already
defied the orders of the Shogunate government by attempting to communicate
with the Americans when the Southampton and Vandalia came on their preliminary
survey. The Americans, themselves curious about Japan, roamed the streets
of Shimoda, sought directions here and there from the townsfolk - though
it Ős questionable whether they were able to understand each other at all!
Sometimes they were even offered tobacco and tea, and often left their
buttons as a token of gratitude. Since no buttons are used on a kimono,
the Japanese treasured them as rarities. Right there and then, international
exchange had already begun.
@From the very next day following Perry Ős landing, many Americans came
ashore at Kakisaki. They wandered around town in groups of three or four,
and stopped by at Japanese homes. In Hongo, one American left a gift of
rapeseed instead of a button.
@The townsfolk quickly grew accustomed to the Americans. They began touching
the buttons on officers Ő uniforms and the swords they carried, and at times
asked for their English names using gestures.
@Such was the friendly attitude of the people of Shimoda, but the bureaucrats
prohibited them from receiving gifts from foreigners and began tailing
the Americans around to keep away townsfolk who tried to get close. Perry
strongly protested such measures. Gradually the tails got looser so Shimoda
folks no longer had to run or hide when the Americans came, and the town
returned to its usual bustle of activity.
@Meanwhile, Perry punished two sailors who landed without permission and
returned after drinking alcohol the day after their arrival - two days
before Perry himself went ashore Đ and ordered all his men to abide by
the rules. Perry wanted to avoid any trouble between his men and the people
of Shimoda once they had landed.
@The landing of members of Perry Ős Fleet was made possible under Article
5 of the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity, which granted them the right
of free movement within a 28 kilometer-radius of Inubashirijima Island
in the middle of Shimoda Bay. This made Shimoda the very first Japanese
town where free exchange with foreigners was allowed.
We should also add that at the time, the Americans collected various types
of seaweed as well as plants on land, which were taken back to the United
States as specimens and are preserved to this day.
@
|
 |
@ |
@(4) Young Man Ős Challenge to Venture Abroad
@ Today, any Japanese can travel abroad. But in those days, overseas travel
was forbidden as a violation of national law, and anyone who attempted to
do so was most likely beheaded. Japan had opened its door to the world,
but only very slightly. Even so, there were young men who attempted to see
the world on those terrifying steamships - it was Yoshida Shoin and his
student, Kaneko Jusuke.
@The two young men arrived at Shimoda on April 15, 1854, the day the first
two ships from Perry Ős Fleet entered Shimoda Bay. On April 24, they slipped
a letter into the jacket pocket of an American officer at Kakisaki and quickly
walked away. That night, they slept in a hollow at Kakisaki Benten, and
at high tide set out on the choppy seas for Shimoda Bay on a small boat.
Untrained at rowing, they finally approached the Mississippi at 2 A.M. on
April 25, and were told to row instead to the Powhatan. Once they got close
enough to Powhatan, Shoin jumped onto its ladder, followed by Jusuke. Their
boat was pushed away by an American sailor and was lost, giving them no
time to recover their swords or luggage. Having somehow managed to get aboard
the ship, Shoin requested transport to America through written communication
with the American interpreter Williams. Asked about his intentions once
in the United States, Shoin said he wanted to study. Having read his letter
delivered the day before, both Perry and Williams knew Shoin wanted to travel
around the world, that the two men were willing to take on any tasks in
exchange for transport, and that they may be beheaded if their plans were
discovered. However, the Americans couldn Őt ignore Japanese national law
at this important moment in their negotiations. And although Perry was deeply
moved by the two men Ős aspirations, he could not allow any Japanese to board
his ship without the permission of the Shogunate government. So he had the
two men escorted on a boat back to Fuku-ura before dawn.
@After sunrise, the two men searched the shores for the small boat carrying
their swords, the evidence of their attempted stowaway. But thinking it
would be shameful if they were caught searching for the boat, they turned
themselves in and were detained by the Shimoda Inspection Point. This marked
the beginning of a life of imprisonment and house arrest that continued
until their untimely deaths for two young men who attempted to stow away
out of a strong desire to save their country Japan from crisis and transform
it into a strong independent country.
@They were detained first at Shimoda Ős Chomeiji Temple, then at Hiraname
Prison, and again transferred over the Amagi Pass to the Denma-cho Prison
in Edo. Eventually, Shoin was sent to Noyama Prison in his hometown of Hagi,
in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Jusuke to Iwakura Prison across the street.
Two months later, on January 27, 1855, Jusuke died in detention of an illness,
ending his short life of 25 years. On January 1 of the same year, Shoin
was released from Noyama Prison and placed under house arrest at the home
of his father, Sugi Yurinosuke. Having survived thus far out of a passionate
hope for a new era, his life was put to an end on November 21, 1859, at
the Denma-cho Prison in Edo. Six years had passed since he set off from
Shimoda Bay for America. During those six years, Shoin taught at his Shokasonjuku
(Village School Under the Pines), and his spirit lived on in his students,
many of whom went on to become the architects of the new era of Meiji.
@We must never forget these brave young men who tried to take off from Shimoda
Bay, dreaming of a new world and a new era.
@ |
 |
@ |
@(5) The Shimoda Treaty
@ Negotiations for the Shimoda Treaty (supplementary
provisions to the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity) began on June 8,
1854, the day after Perry returned from his survey of Hakodate Port. The
Treaty was exchanged between Perry and the eight Japanese plenipotentiaries
led by chief negotiator Hayashi Daigaku-no-kami on the 20th at Ryosenji
Temple. Based on the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity, the Shimoda Treaty
consists of 13 provisions. The main contents were: guaranteed freedom of
movement within a 28 kilometer-radius; designation of three landing points
including Shimoda and Kakisaki; designation of Ryosenji and Gyokusenji temples
as resting places and Gyokusenji Temple as a burial site; method of trade
in essential supplies and organization of pilot boats inside the port.
@On June 8, the first day of negotiations, Perry fired a 17-gun salute to
shock the Japanese before setting off in a procession of boats to land in
Shimoda. His elaborate parade consisted of more than 300 Americans led by
artillery troops pulling four cannons, followed by a marching band and officers
carrying bayonets. Interpreter Williams recorded the events of that day:
"Crowds of people lined the way from the landing point to Ryosenji
Temple, and as we began marching they started to talk loudly among themselves.
The ensuing commotion was as if a honey bee's nest had been overturned."
@During negotiations that took place in the main hall of Ryosenji Temple,
the Japanese delegation sat with legs folded on top of several layers of
tatami mats piled high so they could see eye to eye with the Americans,
who were sitting on chairs - an amusing episode that illustrates different
customs.
@ |
| @ |
@ |
@
@ (6) Market for Essential Supplies (Ketsubosho)
@
Once Shimoda became an open port, Americans were allowed to purchase water,
food, fuel and other supplies necessary for their voyage under Article 2
of the Japan-U.S. Treaty of Peace and Amity. Not only that, but anything
else that the American side required could also be traded through negotiations
with the Japanese side under Article 6. Payment for such trade was to be
made in gold and silver coins or in goods under Article 7, and one U.S.
dollar was exchanged for 16-monme (3.75 grams) of Japanese silver in Shimoda.
The exchange rate between Japanese and U.S. money went on to change with
the times.
Do you want to know what Americans purchased in Shimoda?
Well, Americans wanted Japanese works of art like shell-works, lacquer-ware,
chinaware, bamboo-works and colored crepe textiles to take home as souvenirs.
In fact, they bought everything from Japanese rice paper and wooden geta
sandals to janome (bull Ős-eye pattern) umbrellas and even fire bells. They
must have felt intoxicated by the exotic scent of Japanese culture!
But when the Japanese sold these goods, merchants were not allowed to hand
them directly to their American customers in exchange for the money. Trade
with Americans were strictly controlled by public officials under Article
8 of the Treaty. When an American wanted to buy something, the Japanese
merchant would first hand it to the official, who gave it to the customer.
The customer would then pay the official, who went back to pay the merchant.
That was how trade was done in those days.
All seven ships of Commodore Matthew Perry Ős fleet set sail from Shimoda
on June 28, 1854. Perry Ős ships such as Susquehanna, Southampton and Mississippi
all carried back loads of lacquer-ware, pottery and bamboo-works, as did
Lady Pierce, an American commercial vessel that paid a visit to Shimoda
in July of that same year.
The Shimoda Ketsubosho marketplace was closed after the ports of Kanagawa,
Hakodate and Nagasaki were opened to free trade in June 1859, ending its
short five-year history. |
| *Reference
provided by Ryosenji Temple, Shimoda |
@ |
@ |
|
|
|
