Japan Rising: The Iwakura Embassy to the USA and Europe

by Kume Kunitake , Edited by Chushichi Tsuzuki , R. Jules Young

• ISBN13: 9780521513852
• ISBN10: 0521513855
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-04-27
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

In 1871 Japan sent a high-ranking delegation to the USA and Europe, to negotiate treaties and trading agreements and to investigate how it might modernise its political and economic institutions. Led by the Foreign Minister Prince Tomomi Iwakura, the 'embassy' of politicians, courtiers and officials travelled extensively around the USA for eight months, before spending a further year examining the British manufacturing industry, German armaments and French culture. The Iwakura Embassy helped change the course of Japanese history, for the official report of this journey, compiled by Prince Iwakura's personal secretary, the Confucian scholar Kunitake Kume, was to play a key role in Japan's transformation into a modern industrial nation. The report was translated into English in five large volumes in 2002. This carefully prepared abridgement makes it accessible to a wider range of scholars and students, and to all who are interested in the remarkable rise of modern Japan.

Table of Contents

Introduction Ian Nish; Volume I. The United States of America: Preface; 1. The voyage across the Pacific; 2. A survey of the United States of America; 3. A record of San Francisco, 1; 4. A record of San Francisco, 2; 5. The railroad journey in the state of California; 6. The railroad journey in the state of Nevada and Utah territory; 7. The Rocky Mountain railroad; 8. The Chicago railroad; 9. The railroad journey from Chicago to Washington, D.C.; 10. A survey of the District of Columbia; 11. A record of Washington, D.C., 1; 12. A record of Washington, D.C., 2; 13. A record of Washington, D.C., 3; 14. The journey through the northern states, 1; 15. The journey through the northern states, 2; 16. The journey through the northern states, 3; 17. A record of Washington, D.C.: epilogue; 18. A record of Philadelphia; 19. A record of New York City; 20. A record of Boston; Volume II. Britain: 21. A survey of Britain; 22. A survey of London; 23. A record of London, 1; 24. A record of London, 2; 25. A record of London, 3; 26. A record of Liverpool, 1; 27. A record of Liverpool, 2; 28. A record of Manchester, 1; 29. A record of Manchester, 2; 30. A record of Glasgow; 31. A record of Edinburgh; 32. A tour of the Highlands; 33. A record of Newcastle, 1; 34. A record of Newcastle, 2; 35. A record of Bradford; 36. A record of Sheffield; 37. A record of Staffordshire and Warwickshire; 38. A record of Birmingham; 39. A record of Cheshire; 40. A record of London, 4; Volume III. Continental Europe, 1: 41. A survey of France; 42. A record of Paris, 1; 43. A record of Paris, 2; 44. A record of Paris, 3; 45. A record of Paris, 4; 46. A record of Paris, 5; 47. A record of Paris, 6; 48. A record of Paris, 7; 49. A survey of Belgium; 50. A record of Belgium, 1; 51. A record of Belgium, 2; 52. A survey of Holland; 53. A record of The Hague, Rotterdam and Leiden; 54. A record of Amsterdam; 55. A survey of Prussia; 56. The journey by rail through western Prussia; 57. A survey of Berlin; 58. A record of Berlin, 1; 59. A record of Berlin, 2; 60. A record of Berlin, 3; with a supplement on Potsdam; Volume IV. Continental Europe, 2: 61. A survey of Russia; 62. A survey of Russian railways and St. Petersburg; 63. A record of St. Petersburg, 1; 64. A record of St. Petersburg, 2; 65. A record of St. Petersburg, 3; 66. A record of Northern Germany, first part; 67. A record of Denmark; 68. A record of Sweden, 1; 69. A record of Sweden, 2; 70. A record of northern Germany, second part, 1; 71. A record of northern Germany, second part, 2; 72. A record of southern Germany; 73. A survey of Italy; 74. A record of Florence; 75. A record of Rome, 1; 76. A record of Rome, 2; 77. A record of Naples; 78. A record of Lombardy and Venice; 79. A survey of Austria; 80. Travels by rail in Austria, and a survey of Vienna; 81. A record of Vienna; Volume V. Continental Europe, 3; and the Voyage Home: 82. The Vienna universal exposition, 1; 83. The Vienna universal exposition, 2; 84. A record of Switzerland; 85. Switzerland's mountain scenery; 86. A record of Berne and Geneva; 87. A record of Lyons and Marseilles; 88. Spain and Portugal; 89. Political practices and customs in Europe; 90. European geography and transportation; 91. The climate and agriculture of Europe; 92. European industry; 93. European commercial enterprise; 94. The voyage through the Mediterranean; 95. The voyage through the Red Sea; 96. The voyage through the Arabian Sea; 97. A record of the island of Ceylon; 98. The voyage through the Bay of Bengal; 99. The voyage through the China Sea; 100. A record of Hong Kong and Shanghai.