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''"Prosperity to the Lew Chewans, and may they and the Americans always be friends." - Commodore Perry, at Shuri, June 6, 1853.''

''"Prosperity to the Lew Chewans, and may they and the Americans always be friends." - Commodore Perry, at Shuri, June 6, 1853.''

Perry and his fleet of four ships (''[[USS Susquehanna|Susquehanna]]'', ''[[USS Mississippi|Mississippi]]'', ''[[USS Plymouth|Plymouth]]'' and ''[[USS Saratoga|Saratoga]]'') departed Norfolk, Virginia, on [[1852]]/10/13 (Nov 24). Before arriving in Japan proper in July of 1853, they first called at [[Naha]], the chief port of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, on May 26 (4/19), departing Ryûkyû more than a month later, on 5/26.

Perry and his fleet of four ships (the steamships ''[[USS Susquehanna|Susquehanna]]'' and ''[[USS Mississippi|Mississippi]]'', and the sailing ships ''[[USS Plymouth|Plymouth]]'' and ''[[USS Saratoga|Saratoga]]'')<ref name=edotokyo>Gallery labels, Edo-Tokyo Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/50223289193/sizes/3k/]</ref> departed Norfolk, Virginia, on [[1852]]/10/13 (Nov 24). Before arriving in Japan proper in July of 1853, they first called at [[Naha]], the chief port of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, on May 26 (4/19), departing Ryûkyû more than a month later, on 5/26.

Perry was met aboard ship by the Ryukyuan royal regent, ''[[Sessei]]'' [[Ozato Chokyo|Ôzato Chôkyô]], who attempted, unsuccessfully, to convince the Commodore to give up his intentions of entering [[Shuri castle]]. [[Makishi Chochu|Makishi Chôchû]], a high-ranking official in the royal government sent to serve as interpreter, further tried to refuse Perry and his men permission even to set foot on the island, but they did so anyway, over the protests of Makishi and the other Ryukyuan authorities. Makishi would continue to serve as interpreter and in a lead role otherwise throughout Perry's visits to Ryûkyû.<ref>Kerr, George, ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. Revised Edition. Tuttle Publishing (2000), 312.</ref> [[Bernard Bettelheim]], a British missionary who had already been living on the island for several years, also imposed himself upon Perry as interpreter. A few days later, Perry's men took over a schoolhouse in [[Tomari]], claiming it as their temporary residence on the island, while Perry himself led an exploration of some of the most nearby of the [[Ryukyu Islands]].

Perry was met aboard ship by the Ryukyuan royal regent, ''[[Sessei]]'' [[Ozato Chokyo|Ôzato Chôkyô]], who attempted, unsuccessfully, to convince the Commodore to give up his intentions of entering [[Shuri castle]]. [[Makishi Chochu|Makishi Chôchû]], a high-ranking official in the royal government sent to serve as interpreter, further tried to refuse Perry and his men permission even to set foot on the island, but they did so anyway, over the protests of Makishi and the other Ryukyuan authorities. Makishi would continue to serve as interpreter and in a lead role otherwise throughout Perry's visits to Ryûkyû.<ref>Kerr, George, ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. Revised Edition. Tuttle Publishing (2000), 312.</ref> [[Bernard Bettelheim]], a British missionary who had already been living on the island for several years, also imposed himself upon Perry as interpreter. A few days later, Perry's men took over a schoolhouse in [[Tomari]], claiming it as their temporary residence on the island, while Perry himself led an exploration of some of the most nearby of the [[Ryukyu Islands]].

==1854==

==1854==

[[File:Perry-tomari.JPG|right|thumb|320px|Monument commemorating Commodore Perry's landing at [[Tomari]] in [[1853]].]]

[[File:Perry-tomari.JPG|right|thumb|320px|Monument commemorating Commodore Perry's landing at [[Tomari]] in [[1853]].]]

Perry returned to Naha on 12/22 (Jan 20, 1854), this time with a fleet of ten ships, including his flagship the [[USS Susquehanna|USS ''Susquehanna'']], as well as the ''[[USS Powhatan|Powhatan]]'', ''[[USS Mississippi|Mississippi]]'', ''[[USS Plymouth|Plymouth]]'', ''[[USS Saratoga|Saratoga]]'', ''[[USS Macedonian|Macedonian]]'', ''[[USS Lexington|Lexington]]'', ''[[USS Vandalia|Vandalia]]'', ''[[USS Southampton|Southampton]]'', and ''[[USS Supply|Supply]]''. He stayed in Naha for only four days, during which time he forced his way into Shuri castle again, but again was refused audience with the king.

Perry returned to Naha on 12/22 (Jan 20, 1854), this time with a fleet of ten ships, including his flagship the [[USS Susquehanna|USS ''Susquehanna'']], as well as the steamships ''[[USS Powhatan|Powhatan]]'' and ''[[USS Mississippi|Mississippi]]'', and the sailing ships ''[[USS Plymouth|Plymouth]]'', ''[[USS Saratoga|Saratoga]]'', ''[[USS Macedonian|Macedonian]]'', ''[[USS Lexington|Lexington]]'', ''[[USS Vandalia|Vandalia]]'', ''[[USS Southampton|Southampton]]'', and ''[[USS Supply|Supply]]''.<ref name=edotokyo/> He stayed in Naha for only four days, during which time he forced his way into Shuri castle again, but again was refused audience with the king.

He then arrived at Edo Bay again in mainland Japan on 1/14 (Feb 11) with a fleet of seven ships.<ref>The ''Susquehanna'', ''Powhatan'', ''Mississippi'', ''Macedonian'', ''Vandalia'', ''Southampton'', and ''Lexington''. The ''Saratoga'' and ''Supply'' arrived later, sailing from [[Shanghai]] to join the fleet at Edo Bay on 2/6 and 2/21 respectively. ''Ishin Shiryô Kôyô'' 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 532, 548, 558.</ref> The [[Convention of Kanagawa]] was signed on 3/3 (March 31), opening the ports of [[Hakodate]] and [[Shimoda]] to American trading ships, obligating the Japanese government to provide provisions and good treatment otherwise for American or European castaways throughout Japan, and arranging for the establishment of formal relations in the Western/modern style, with a permanent American consulate to be established shortly afterwards. Perry also asked the shogunate about opening Ryukyuan ports for trade, but was rebuffed, with the shogunate telling the commodore that Ryûkyû was "a very distant country, and the opening of its harbor cannot be discussed by us."<ref name=hellyer163>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 163.</ref>

He then arrived at Edo Bay again in mainland Japan on 1/14 (Feb 11) with a fleet of seven ships.<ref>The ''Susquehanna'', ''Powhatan'', ''Mississippi'', ''Macedonian'', ''Vandalia'', ''Southampton'', and ''Lexington''. The ''Saratoga'' and ''Supply'' arrived later, sailing from [[Shanghai]] to join the fleet at Edo Bay on 2/6 and 2/21 respectively. ''Ishin Shiryô Kôyô'' 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 532, 548, 558.</ref> The [[Convention of Kanagawa]] was signed on 3/3 (March 31), opening the ports of [[Hakodate]] and [[Shimoda]] to American trading ships, obligating the Japanese government to provide provisions and good treatment otherwise for American or European castaways throughout Japan, and arranging for the establishment of formal relations in the Western/modern style, with a permanent American consulate to be established shortly afterwards. Perry also asked the shogunate about opening Ryukyuan ports for trade, but was rebuffed, with the shogunate telling the commodore that Ryûkyû was "a very distant country, and the opening of its harbor cannot be discussed by us."<ref name=hellyer163>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 163.</ref>