Tracing Yukichi Fukuzawa's Steps in America

January 1, 1998 / Published in "Juku" no. 209, 1998

Yukichi Fukuzawa traveled to America twice in his lifetime. The first time was in the first year of the Man'en era (1860) at the age of 27, aboard the warship Kanrin Maru. The second time was in the third year of the Keiō era (1867) at the age of 34, as an attendant to the shogunate's commission for receiving warships.
This article introduces some of the most representative historical sites related to Yukichi Fukuzawa that still remain in America today.

On January 23, in the third year of the Keiō era (1867), Fukuzawa made his second trip to America as an attendant to the shogunate's commission for receiving the warship *Fujiyama*. This time, he stayed longer than on his first visit aboard the Kanrin Maru and toured various cities, mainly in the eastern states of America.

He arrived in New York on the evening of March 19. During his stay in New York, Fukuzawa purchased a large number of books on topics such as Wayland's economics, Quackenbos's natural philosophy, history, geography, law, and mathematics, and brought them back to Japan.

Upon arriving in New York, Fukuzawa and his party stayed at the Metropolitan Hotel, which faced the intersection with Prince Street, for the duration of their visit.

Seven years prior to Fukuzawa's stay, on April 28 in the first year of the Man'en era (1860), the *Arlida*, carrying the Japanese Embassy to the United States, anchored off Castle Garden (now Battery Park) after arriving from Philadelphia. The delegation also stayed at the same hotel at that time.

Fukuzawa purchased what is said to be about 12 tea-chest-sized boxes of books from this bookstore. “A bookseller from New York came, keeping me busy all day. Appleton & Co.” (from his diary on April 5, third year of the Keiō era). He also purchased Wayland's book on economics at this time, which is known from the episode in "Reading Wayland's Economics." The Appleton & Co. bookstore was destroyed by a fire in February 1867, shortly after moving to a new building.

In 1899, it was purchased by the First National City Bank and is now the bank's building. The New York Custom House moved to this building in 1863 from Federal Hall (now a museum commemorating the founding era of the federal government). It later relocated to the Custom House in 1907.

Born in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture. He entered the Juku with his older brother Tokujiro in the first year of the Genji era (1864). In the fourth year of the Meiji era (1871), he went to study in America as an attendant to the former domain lord Masayuki Okudaira, but he died there of illness on January 29, in the sixth year of the Meiji era (1873). He was deeply trusted by Fukuzawa, who is said to have never forgotten him, even in his final years.

Born in Kochi Prefecture. A proponent of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement. He entered the Juku in the third year of the Keiō era (1867). He traveled to the United States in the 19th year of the Meiji era (1886) and died at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania on November 1, in the 21st year of the Meiji era (1888).

In January of the first year of the Man'en era (1860), Fukuzawa made his first trip to America aboard the warship Kanrin Maru, which was escorting the US steamship *Powhatan*. The *Powhatan* was carrying Buzen-no-kami Shinmi, who was traveling to exchange the instruments of ratification for the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan.

The Kanrin Maru departed from Uraga on January 19 and arrived in San Francisco Harbor 37 days later. After a stay of about one month, it departed from the port on the 19th day of the intercalary third month, returning to Japan in May via Hawaii.

On this trip, Fukuzawa and Manjiro Nakahama bought and brought back a Webster's dictionary. This is said to be the first time a Japanese person imported this dictionary.

A monument erected in Lincoln Park in the 35th year of the Shōwa era (1960) by the city of Osaka, San Francisco's sister city, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan in the first year of the Man'en era (1860).

Used during their stay at the International Hotel from March 29 to the second day of the intercalary third month. The photograph taken with the studio owner's daughter, Dora, is famous.

The grave of the Kanrin Maru sailors Gennosuke, Tomizo, and Minekichi. It was moved from Laurel Hill in San Francisco to its current location by the Japanese Benevolent Society of California.

In the first year of the Man'en era (1860), the Kanrin Maru anchored here. An article in a newspaper of the time (*Daily Alta California*) described the crew of the Kanrin Maru as having "a more intelligent cast of countenance than any of the Chinese we have ever seen."