150th Anniversary: Japanese Embassy to USA Stopover in Hawaii 1860

This month marked the sesquicentennial of the stopover in the Hawaiian Islands in 1860 by the first Japanese Embassy delegation to the United States.

The Japanese Embassy was scheduled to visit San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and New York City. One of the ships was the U.S.S. Powhatan, which was one of Commodore Perrys Black Ships, and a Dutch-designed state-of-the-art steamship from Japan, the Kanrin Maru. On board the Kanrin Maru were the Japanese Minister of the Navy and Captain Katsu Rintaro along with American crew members from the Fenimore Cooper, which had been shipwrecked in Japan.

Nakahama Manjiro -also known as John Manjiro- was aboard the Kanrin Maru, too. Years before he was a young fisherman who had been shipwrecked at the age of 14, rescued by Captain William H. Whitfield and taken to the United States. Manjiro studied English, and after his return to Japan was assigned to the embassy and served as a translator.

Both the Powhatan and the Kanrin Maru encountered very rough seas. The Powhatan was in need to repairs. So as the Kanrin Maru continued on to San Francisco, California, the Japanese Embassy boarded the Powhatan and stopped in Honolulu for a visit that lasted almost three weeks. This visit was covered in the Honolulu press and caused quiet a sensation in the local community.

The Japanese Embassy -as well as Admiral Tattnall and his officers from the Powhatan- were received at the Hawaiian Royal Court in the old Iolani Palace by Kamehemeha IV, Queen Emma, and other members of the Hawaiian Government. A lavish ball was held. On March 18, 1860 they departed Honolulu on the Powhatan for California, then on to cross Panama for the trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City. On its return trip the Kanrin Maru stopped in Honolulu on its journey back to Japan.

The Consul-General of Japan in New York has a superb educational web site, though almost nothing is mentioned about the Hawaii visit. This official 150th anniversary web site is highly recommended.

When I found out about this anniversary I also discovered that none of the local historical and cultural organizations picked up on this. I decided to have my students at Hawaii Tokai International College take this on as a class project. The students produced a vodcast-style newscast. In addition, the students and I alerted members of the Hawaii State Legislature of this important anniversary.

The result was the Joint Declaratory Certificate pictured below, and I'd like to thank Hawaii Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and her staff for helping to produce this. My students and I presented the actual certificate to our Chancellor Naoto Yoshikawa.

As president of the History Education Council of Hawaii I am seeking partnering individuals and organizations to hold some kind of event to honor this anniversary, perhaps in late May or June. Please contact HECH at historyeducationhawaii@gmail.com with your ideas, support and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Bingham Mead

President, History Education Council of Hawaii

Hawaii State Coordinator, National Council for History Education

Adjunct Lecturer, Hawaii Tokai International College