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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 (the steamships ''[[USS Susquehanna|Susquehanna]]'' and ''[[USS Mississippi|Mississippi]]'', and the sailing ships ''[[USS Plymouth|Plymouth]]'' and ''[[USS Saratoga|Saratoga]]'')<ref>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 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]].