Tateishi Tokujuro

• Japanese: 立石 得十郎 (Tateishi Tokujuurou)

Tateishi Tokujûrô was a Dutch-language (and later, English-language) interpreter for the Tokugawa shogunate who traveled to the United States in 1860 as part of the first Japanese embassy to the US.

After serving for a time as a Dutch-language translator, translating books provided to the shogunate by the Dutch East India Company, he was ordered in 1859 to begin studying English under Americans then resident in Shimoda.

He traveled to the United States in 1860 as part of a large entourage of shogunate officials, accompanied by his 17-year-old adoptive son Tateishi Onojirô, who was then in training to become a professional interpreter as well.

The following year, after returning to Japan, Tokujûrô continued to serve the shogunate as translator and interpreter; his activities included some interaction with British diplomat Rutherford Alcock.

References

• Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 279; vol. 2, 300.; vol. 3, 259, 468.