Just days ago with much aloha and fanfare the Emperor and Empress of Japan visited Hawaii after their recent trip to Canada. We're reminded of the long, shared history between Japan and America. Part of that history centers around the 19th century whaling industry and a man named Manjiro who journeyed to the Hawaiian Islands and the United States, then back to Japan.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts has a superb online historical exhibit entitled Pacific Encounters: Yankee Whalers, Manjiro and the Opening of Japan.
It is available in both English and Japanese language (no audio). We highly recommend this exhibit for use in the classroom.
