“Oh, would some Power give us the gift / To see ourselves as others see us!” wrote poet Robert Burns, it would from many a blunder free us, And foolish notion.” I cannot vouch for a being blunder-free, but reading historical accounts of our nation from foreign visitors does help to increase our worldly perspective, and hopefully question what often we take for granted. The 19th century was a particularly ripe time for the narratives, as oceanic commerce (and on its tail tourism) was making the world smaller than ever before.
So that it doesn’t seem as draconian as you might think, the first official Japanese visitors to the United States were members of the Japanese Embassy to the USA in 1860. This was a landmark event, as Japan had maintained a strict policy of national isolation (Sakoku) for over 200 years.
The delegation’s purpose was to ratify the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1858, which formally opened Japan to trade with the U.S. The way they were treated was generally one of immense fascination, curiosity, and lavish hospitality, though not without some cultural misunderstandings and occasional gawking from the public. There is much more to unfold, but watch the video above to get the full picture. There were, of course, terrible events and situations. Happily, it has been a much better situation since then as the world gets bigger and smarter. Lucky us for living in this day and age.
We’re fortunate now that much of the world is on the right path to peace, love and understanding. Make that your aim, too.
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