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A businessman descended from Benjamin Franklin<ref>[[Donald Keene]], ''Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912'', Columbia University Press (2002), 791n7.</ref>, Irwin was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and first traveled to Japan in [[1866]], where he was stationed for a time in [[Yokohama]] as an agent of the Pacific Mail Co., later becoming involved with the [[Mitsui]] Trading Company (est. [[1876]]). In [[1867]], he was appointed Vice-Consul of the Kingdom of Hawaii in Japan, becoming Consul General in [[1881]], and Minister Plenipotentiary for the Bureau of Immigration in [[1882]] during the visit to Japan of Hawaiian official [[John Kapena]]. In [[1884]], Irwin became Hawaii's Resident Minister in Japan, and special agent of the Bureau of Immigration.

A businessman descended from Benjamin Franklin<ref>[[Donald Keene]], ''Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912'', Columbia University Press (2002), 791n7.</ref>, Irwin was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and first traveled to Japan in [[1866]], where he was stationed for a time in [[Yokohama]] as an agent of the Pacific Mail Co., later becoming involved with the [[Mitsui]] Trading Company (est. [[1876]]). In [[1867]], he was appointed Vice-Consul of the Kingdom of Hawaii in Japan, becoming Consul General in [[1881]], and Minister Plenipotentiary for the Bureau of Immigration in [[1882]] during the visit to Japan of Hawaiian official [[John Kapena]]. In [[1884]], Irwin became Hawaii's Resident Minister in Japan, and special agent of the Bureau of Immigration.

After marrying his wife and becoming a naturalized Japanese citizen, Irwin remained in Japan the rest of his life, until his death at 81. He is buried at [[Aoyama Cemetery]] in Tokyo.<ref>"[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=48205530 Robert Walker Irwin (1844-1925)]," Find A Grave.com.</ref>

Takechi Iki was an adopted daughter of the Takechi family, and was 17 years old when she accompanied Irwin as he departed the Pacific Mail Co. for a job in [[Nagasaki]] in 1869. Marriage between Japanese & non-Japanese was first legalized in Japan in [[1873]], and the couple had their marriage officially registered in [[1882]]. Irwin then remained in Japan the rest of his life, until his death at 81. He is buried at [[Aoyama Cemetery]] in Tokyo.<ref>"[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=48205530 Robert Walker Irwin (1844-1925)]," Find A Grave.com.</ref>

His summer home in Ikaho (伊香保), [[Gunma prefecture]], still stands and has been designated a historical site by the city. In conjunction with his summer home being located there, Ikaho is host to an annual Hawaiian Festival, and was sister cities with the Hawaiian city of Hilo until Ikaho's merging into Shibukawa City in 2006.<ref>"[http://www.city.shibukawa.lg.jp/kankou/rekishi/hawaikousibettei.html Hawai ôkoku kôshi bettei] ハワイ王国公使別邸," Shibukawa City Official Site. Accessed 20 June 2014.</ref>

His summer home in Ikaho (伊香保), [[Gunma prefecture]], still stands and has been designated a historical site by the city. In conjunction with his summer home being located there, Ikaho is host to an annual Hawaiian Festival, and was sister cities with the Hawaiian city of Hilo until Ikaho's merging into Shibukawa City in 2006.<ref>"[http://www.city.shibukawa.lg.jp/kankou/rekishi/hawaikousibettei.html Hawai ôkoku kôshi bettei] ハワイ王国公使別邸," Shibukawa City Official Site. Accessed 20 June 2014.</ref>

==References==

==References==

*Franklin Odo and Kazuko Sinoto, ''A Pictorial History of the Japanese in Hawaii 1885-1924'', Bishop Museum (1985), 22.

*Franklin Odo and Kazuko Sinoto, ''A Pictorial History of the Japanese in Hawaii 1885-1924'', Bishop Museum (1985), 22, 24.

*John Van Sant, et al, ”Irwin, Robert Walker,” ''Historical Dictionary of United States – Japan Relations'', The Scarecrow Press (2007), 117.

*John Van Sant, et al, ”Irwin, Robert Walker,” ''Historical Dictionary of United States – Japan Relations'', The Scarecrow Press (2007), 117.

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