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Re: Today in History...
I spent some time researching the earliest person from Japan to come to Hawaii. It was in 1841 and is a fascinating story.
Manjiro Nakahama was the first Japanese to come to Hawaii and the US. In 1841, at age 14, he and several of his fellow fishermen were caught in a storm at sea and shipwrecked on a small deserted island far off the coast of Japan.
Nearly six months later, a whaleship, the John Howland, sailing out of the port of New Bedford, happened upon the island and rescued the stranded fishermen. Four of the five Japanese were put ashore in Hawaii, and stayed for a time at the Honolulu Fort (where the Amfac bldg. is today).
Manjiro had become friends with the commander of the ship, Captain William Whitfield of Fairhaven and sailed back to New Bedford with him. Thus he unwittingly became the first Japanese to come to the United States to live.
Manjiro (now known as John Manjiro or John Mung), lived with the Whitfield family and attended school in their hometown of Fairhaven. He was the top student in his class.
Eventually he finally found his way back to Japan after many adventures, including a stint as a Forty-Niner in the California Gold Rush. He was first jailed, as it was illegal to leave and re-enter Japan.
Comodore Perry was sailing to Japan, and Manjiro was soon called upon to consult and and interpret during the initiation of relations between Japan and the United States.
President Coolidge later said “When John returned to Japan, it was as if America had sent its first ambassador. Our envoy Perry could enjoy so cordial a reception because John had made Japan's central authority understand the true face of America.”
He was elevated to samurai, and served in the Kochi Castle, which is the model for Makiki Christian Church's building.
He became a professor at Kaisei College, the predecessor of today's Tokyo University and wrote the first Japanese-English dictionary. He died in 1898 at age 71.
Bob Sigall
(from an article by Prof. Tetsuo Kawasumi of Keio University.)
I spent some time researching the earliest person from Japan to come to Hawaii. It was in 1841 and is a fascinating story.
Manjiro Nakahama was the first Japanese to come to Hawaii and the US. In 1841, at age 14, he and several of his fellow fishermen were caught in a storm at sea and shipwrecked on a small deserted island far off the coast of Japan.
Nearly six months later, a whaleship, the John Howland, sailing out of the port of New Bedford, happened upon the island and rescued the stranded fishermen. Four of the five Japanese were put ashore in Hawaii, and stayed for a time at the Honolulu Fort (where the Amfac bldg. is today).
Manjiro had become friends with the commander of the ship, Captain William Whitfield of Fairhaven and sailed back to New Bedford with him. Thus he unwittingly became the first Japanese to come to the United States to live.
Manjiro (now known as John Manjiro or John Mung), lived with the Whitfield family and attended school in their hometown of Fairhaven. He was the top student in his class.
Eventually he finally found his way back to Japan after many adventures, including a stint as a Forty-Niner in the California Gold Rush. He was first jailed, as it was illegal to leave and re-enter Japan.
Comodore Perry was sailing to Japan, and Manjiro was soon called upon to consult and and interpret during the initiation of relations between Japan and the United States.
President Coolidge later said “When John returned to Japan, it was as if America had sent its first ambassador. Our envoy Perry could enjoy so cordial a reception because John had made Japan's central authority understand the true face of America.”
He was elevated to samurai, and served in the Kochi Castle, which is the model for Makiki Christian Church's building.
He became a professor at Kaisei College, the predecessor of today's Tokyo University and wrote the first Japanese-English dictionary. He died in 1898 at age 71.
Bob Sigall
(from an article by Prof. Tetsuo Kawasumi of Keio University.)
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