| He landed at [[Uraga]] near [[Edo]] for the first time on 6/3, shocking Japanese fishermen and the like who were the first to witness the smoke-belching "black ships" steaming into the bay. The shogunate took steps to mobilize local police, and warned the people of the possibility of war, sending much of the townspeople of Edo into a panic. The prices of rice and other commodities skyrocketed as people stocked up. Many fled the city in a hurry, while armorers, smiths, and the like, among others, began pumping out additional product to help arm the warrior class.<ref>William Steele, "Goemon's New World View: Popular Representations of the Opening of Japan," ''Ajia bunka kenkyû'' 17 (1989), 72.</ref> | | He landed at [[Uraga]] near [[Edo]] for the first time on 6/3, shocking Japanese fishermen and the like who were the first to witness the smoke-belching "black ships" steaming into the bay. The shogunate took steps to mobilize local police, and warned the people of the possibility of war, sending much of the townspeople of Edo into a panic. The prices of rice and other commodities skyrocketed as people stocked up. Many fled the city in a hurry, while armorers, smiths, and the like, among others, began pumping out additional product to help arm the warrior class.<ref>William Steele, "Goemon's New World View: Popular Representations of the Opening of Japan," ''Ajia bunka kenkyû'' 17 (1989), 72.</ref> |
− | Following his arrival, Perry soon afterwards met with Tokugawa officials, to whom he presented his formal credentials and formal communications from Pres. Millard Fillmore, and offered a number of gifts. These gifts, displays of Western/American technological superiority, included a 1/4-size [[railroads|steam locomotive]] with 370 yards of track, and [[telegraph]] equipment with three miles of lines.<ref>Martin Dusinberre, ''Hard Times in the Hometown: A History of Community Survival in Modern Japan'', University of Hawaii Press (2012), 34.</ref> While in mainland Japan, Perry's interpreters included Moriyama Einosuke, who had learned English from [[Ranald MacDonald]], and [[John Manjiro]]. These documents, incidentally, used the term "emperor" to refer to the [[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa]] [[shogun]]; it was only at some point after this time that it became standard to refer to the ''tennô'' as the "[[Emperor]]" in English.<ref>Ben-Ami Shillony, "Restoration, Emperor, Diet, Prefecture, or: How Japanese Concepts were Mistranslated into Western Languages," ''Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony'', Synapse (2000), 69-71.</ref> After delivering these letters, he departed Japan on 6/9, claiming he would return "in due course" to receive the emperor's reply. | + | Following his arrival, Perry soon afterwards met with Tokugawa officials, to whom he presented his formal credentials and formal communications from Pres. Millard Fillmore, and offered a number of gifts. These gifts, displays of Western/American technological superiority, included a 1/4-size [[railroads|steam locomotive]] with 370 yards of track, and [[telegraph]] equipment with three miles of lines.<ref>Martin Dusinberre, ''Hard Times in the Hometown: A History of Community Survival in Modern Japan'', University of Hawaii Press (2012), 34.</ref> A shogunate official was given a ride on this model train, which moved along the tracks at 18 miles per hour, and "was reported to be delighted at the ride."<ref>Andrew Gordon, ''A Modern History of Japan'', Oxford University Press (2013), 50.</ref> While in mainland Japan, Perry's interpreters included Moriyama Einosuke, who had learned English from [[Ranald MacDonald]], and [[John Manjiro]]. These documents, incidentally, used the term "emperor" to refer to the [[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa]] [[shogun]]; it was only at some point after this time that it became standard to refer to the ''tennô'' as the "[[Emperor]]" in English.<ref>Ben-Ami Shillony, "Restoration, Emperor, Diet, Prefecture, or: How Japanese Concepts were Mistranslated into Western Languages," ''Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony'', Synapse (2000), 69-71.</ref> After delivering these letters, he departed Japan on 6/9, claiming he would return "in due course" to receive the emperor's reply. |
| Perry then returned to Okinawa, arriving at Naha on 6/20 (July 25), and requesting to bury Hugh Ellis, a crewman of the [[USS Mississippi|USS ''Mississippi'']] who had died the previous day. Ellis was buried at the [[Tomari International Cemetery]] in Naha. Perry also requested to establish a coaling station on the island for American ships and was initially refused, but the Ryukyuans capitulated once Perry threatened to seize Shuri castle by force. The station which was built had a capacity for 500 tons of coal, but was emptied of coal once Perry found success in establishing relations with the shogunate; he expressed hopes at that time, however, that the building might still be maintained for American use.<ref>Hellyer, 163-164.</ref> Perry then departed Okinawa on 6/27 (August 1), and spent the next several months in Hong Kong, before returning to Okinawa in December, spending 11/15 (Dec 15) until 12/30 (Jan 28, 1854) exploring the various Ryûkyû Islands. | | Perry then returned to Okinawa, arriving at Naha on 6/20 (July 25), and requesting to bury Hugh Ellis, a crewman of the [[USS Mississippi|USS ''Mississippi'']] who had died the previous day. Ellis was buried at the [[Tomari International Cemetery]] in Naha. Perry also requested to establish a coaling station on the island for American ships and was initially refused, but the Ryukyuans capitulated once Perry threatened to seize Shuri castle by force. The station which was built had a capacity for 500 tons of coal, but was emptied of coal once Perry found success in establishing relations with the shogunate; he expressed hopes at that time, however, that the building might still be maintained for American use.<ref>Hellyer, 163-164.</ref> Perry then departed Okinawa on 6/27 (August 1), and spent the next several months in Hong Kong, before returning to Okinawa in December, spending 11/15 (Dec 15) until 12/30 (Jan 28, 1854) exploring the various Ryûkyû Islands. |