Intelligence journey up the AmurRiver, 1809 :Mamiya Rinzo’s observations
東韃地方紀行 :上中下卷. 文化7年 [1810]
間宮林蔵口述; 村上貞助編簒.

Kuniko Yamada McVey, Harvard-Yenching LibraryEAJRS Lisbon, 2022

間宮林蔵 Mamiya Rinzo (1780-1844)• Born in Hitachi Province (Ibaraki prefecture) to a peasant family.
• From 1800 worked as a surveyor for the shogunal administration in Ezo(Hokkaidō) and the southern Kuril Islands 蝦夷地御⽤雇.
• Studied cartography under Ino Tadataka 伊能忠敬.
• In 1807 a Russian ship raided Etorofu (Iturup) island while he was on duty.
• In 1808 Matsuda Denjiro and Mamiya were dispatched to Kita Ezo(Sakhalin) to survey the region. They confirmed Sakhalin was an island.
• In 1809 Mamiya returned Sakhalin and crossed over the strait, then sailed
up the Amur River to the Qing outpost Deren.
• Official reports (including maps) on the survey trips were presented to theshogunal office in 1811.
• Contributed in Ino's mapmaking, and traveled extensively on various
assignments that were often related to national security at the time.

Vernacular title: 東韃地方紀行 : 上中下卷
Title: Tōdatsu chihō kikō : jō chū ge-kan
Attribution: 間宮林蔵口述; 村上貞助編簒. Mamiya Rinzō kōjutsu ; Murakami Teisuke hensan.
Variant title: Title at the end of text: Tōdatsu kikō
Title at the end of text: 東韃紀行Published: 文化7 [1810] Bunka 7 [1810]
Description: [49] double |. in case : col. illus. ; 27 cm.
Manuscript.

Accessioned on
November 9, 1960

According to 新日本古典籍総合データ
ベース, 16 copies of the manuscript“Todatsu chiho kiko” are publicly locatedtoday, including one held by the HarvardYenching Library.

HYLNIJL(Mitsui)
Tsukuba UL
They are roughly the same size (27x19 cm) with same 19 illustrations.

The final pages ⼤尾 of both the NIJL and Tsukuba copies have a map of the region; the HYL
copy has no map. No statements of copiers 奥書 are found in these copies.

National Archives of Japan 国⽴公⽂書館 holds three official
documents （献上本） in
manuscript and map based on
Mamiya's reports on his survey
missions to Sakahlin （北蝦夷）and East Tartar （東韃）in 18081809. They were finalized in 1810
and presented to the Tokugawa
shogunate in 1811.

「間宮林蔵北蝦夷等見分関係記録」（全14帖7鋪）Documents related to Mamiya Rinzo's expeditions in Sakhalinand other area (14 volumes and 7 sheets in total)
幕府の命により文化5、6年(1808、9)にかけて、樺太の西岸を北上し、黒竜江下流地域の東韃地方まで調査。林蔵の樺太探検および黒竜江下流域探検について口述したものを村上貞助（1780－1846）が編集・筆録したもの。文化7年(1810)成立。文化8年(1811)幕府に献上。

• 「東韃地方紀行」3帖 Travels in the region of eastern Tartary• 「北夷分界余話」10帖 Stories of northern borderland in Sakalin• 「北蝦夷島地図」地図7枚、凡例・里程記1帖 Maps of Sahkalin
island樺太沿岸の詳細な地図。縮尺は3万6千分の⼀。朱の点線で航路を⽰し、沿岸の会所・番屋・港湾等を図⽰。

HYL (dictated in 1810)

Kenjobon (presented in 1811)

「⽂化七年庚午季秋七⽉奉貞廉謹識」「文化八年辛末春三月」

Table of Contents
1. Jo: Report on thesailing trip fromSoya in Ezo to
Deren in Todatsu
2. Chu: Report ofDeren visit
3. Ge: Report on the
return sailing from
Deren to Karafuto
island• Supplement:
About theregion andlocal customs

Rinzo's travel to Sakhalin (Kitaezo) and Eastern Tartar (Todatsu)• Departed Soya in Ezo on the 13th day of the 7th month in Bunka 5 (early September,1808), landed at Shiranushi in Sakhalin island.
• After reaching Riyonai, headed back to the south on the 14th day of the 9th month,and stayed in Tonnai through the winter.
• Departed Nodeto on the 8th day of the 5th month (in 1809), arrived at Nanio, far
north of Sakhalin, on the 12th day.
• Stayed with Koni, a Nivkh chief in Nodeto for several months, while learning local
customs and geography.
• Departed Nodeto on the 26th day of the 6th month (1809) joining Koni's tributary
visit to Deren in Todatsu with 6 others. They entered in Kiji Bay and navigated up
the Amur River and arrived at Deren, Qing trading outpost along the river, on the11th day of the 7th month. They headed back on the 17th day of the samemonth. Rinzo parted with Koni at Nodeto, and returned to Soya via Shiranushi on
the 28th day of the 9th month.

Vol. 1 Sailing From Soya to Deren• Departed Soya in Ezo alone on the 13th day of the 7th month in Bunka 5(early September, 1808), landed at Shiranushi in Sakhalin.
• Hired six Sakhalin Ainu guides at Tonnai, the northernmost Japanese fishery on
the west coast. At Riyonai they were attacked by Santan Ainu on the 16th of the8th month. Guides were too afraid to move other's territory.
• Because of a lack of provisions they headed back to Tonnai on 26th day of
the 11th month, and stayed there through the winter.
• Departed Tonnai on the 29th of the 1st month in 1809.
• Arrived at Nodeto in the 9th of the 4th month.
• Arrived at Nanio with the Santan boat on the 12th day of the 5th month, only toreturn to Nodeto due to rough weather and unwilling guides.
• Stayed with Koni, Nivkh chief, who shared local stories with him. Rinzo gained
friendship and trust from Koni who allowed him to join his tributary trip to Qing
outpost Deren.
• Before the departure to Deren on the 26th day of the 6th month, Rinzo sent a
written reports and draft maps to Tokugawa officials.

「北夷分界余話」1. Nature

Tonakai (Reindeer).

Rikunkamoi「凡そカラフト島中の事は前編（北夷分界余話）中既に記し出せば、紀行にあづかる事といへども、此巻略してしるす事なし。」

「北夷分界余話」
3. Peopleand life insouthern
Sakhalin「北夷分界余話」3. People and Life in the southern Sakhalin

「北夷分界余話」4.
Life with dogs

「北夷分界余話」7. People: ヲロッコ= Oroks

「北夷分界余話」8. People: スメレングル＝Giryak「北夷分界余話」8. People: スメレングル＝Giryak「北夷分界余話」8. People: スメレングル＝GiryakDeparted
Nodeto on
the 8th dayof the 5thmonth (in1809),arrived atNanio, far
north ofSakhalin, on
the 12thday.

• Rinzo stayed for twomonths in Nodeto,
where Koni, a Nivkh
chief taught him local
history, customs andgeography.
• Local Ainu leaders
like Koni received titles
haraida (head of thegroup), or gashanda(village elder) from
Qing officials and madetributary visits to theQing outpost.

Cape Tuiku, north of Nodeto village

「北夷分界余話」付録

ハラタ・カーシンタ満州入貢Eight members
including Rinzo andKoni departed
Nodeto for Derenon the 26th day of
the 6th month,1809. They landed
on Kiji Bay on thecontinent on the2nd day of the 7thmonth.

They camped on the beach using willow branches and tree barks. They portaged overthe mountain to reach the river. This land route was frequented with many visitors.
Rinzo spotted 8 or 9 boats parked on the river. They resumed sailing on the river andentered Kiji lake on the 6th day of the 7th month. On the 8th day, they reached theAmur river which impressed Rinzo by its scale. On the 11th day, they arrived at Deren.
Rinzo was the first shamo (Japanese in Ainu) many locals encountered, and they
showed intense interest in him by touching boldly.

Vol. 2. Seven days in Deren 満州仮府At this temporary trading post, many people from all over the region (current Korea andRussia) gathered and traded their products. Rinzo saw some 500-600 people staying there.
Qing officials were sent to open the post around June and close the place in the fall. Officials
would not stay year-round, but return to their home.

Rinzo met three Qing officials there.
They looked similar to Chinese people
he met in Nagasaki, Rinzo observed.

Qing officials showed Rinzo their namecards which he copied as below.

Officials came to the temporary office every day and received tributary gifts, one fur of ⿊貂 (blackSables) per each household, presented by a group representative such as Koni. In return, heads of thegroup received a roll of 錦 (colorful brocade), and village elders received 繻⼦(satin); other attendants
received lesser items such as cotton cloth and needles.
Officials returned to their residential boat and the gates of the trading post were closed every night.

Visitors camped
around the tradingpost.

Rinzo describes trading activity, bothwithin and outside of the post, as lively,
noisy, almost chaotic. Typically,
Manchurians want animal fur brought in byregional tribe members, who in turn wantitems like alcoholic drinks, tobacco, cloth,and ironware.

In some cases, Manchurians were so eager to get fur that they traded the clothes they werewearing, as depicted here. Kenjobon (the official edition) modified the scene, somewhat.

Qing officials‘ residential boat is about 7-8 間 (13-14m) long and 1丈(3m) wide. Two thirds of theboat was for goods, the rest is living/sleeping. The open area in the back is a cooking space.

Rinzo was invited to the officials' boat where he was servedliquor, pork, eggs, river fish, and vegetables. All sat on
animal skins. Utensils and objects displayed in the room
struck Rinzo as similar to what came to Nagasaki fromChina. Communication was done by Chinese characters
written on paper. Officials were surprised that Rinzo wasable to write and read, and even suspected that Rinzo wasChinese. They asked if Japan sent a tribute. Rinzo reported
that their arrogance was beyond words.

Rinzo witnessed a farewell event for one of the Qing officials. The departing official hugged all attended as
if no hierarchy among them, which was quite shocking for him. When the official tried to hug Rinzo, hedeclined the hug telling "It's not a custom to hug each other in my home country." So the official only
lowered his body.
Rinzo observed that people there interacted rather casually, with little regard to social rank.

Qing official returning home.

Vol. 3. Sailingfrom Deren toSakhalin
Rinzo's group ofeight members
completed theirtrading. They
packed the boatand headed backon the 17th of the7th month. They
took the Mankoriver (mouth ofAmur) route to thenorth. On the 23rdday, they reached
Santangoe.

Fisherman using net to trap salmon from theupper stream.

Santangoe man heading to fishing spot.
Rinzo spotted many white whales near
the mouth of the Amur.

Rinzo’s expedition reports• From Rinzo’s dictation, his colleague and friend Murakami Teisuke wrote
and drew Rinzo’s expedition reports in 1810. Murakami had never been
to Sakhalin. The final documents (kenjobon) made by Murakami werepresented to the shogunal office in Edo in early 1811.
• It is said that Rinzo kept lengthy field notes (野帳) during hisexpeditions, but none of these have been located so far. It is most likelythat Rinzo’s field notes contributed to Murakami’s detailed and richdrawings, and writings throughout the process of making the final
documents. It was a miraculous collaboration.
• Rinzo’s assignment was to survey the border region between Russiaand Qing China, in Sakhalin island. It was at some personal risk that heentered the continent. He reported that most of Ainu and other local
tribal groups in Sakhalin sent tribute to Qing dynasty. This was new andcritical information for the Tokugawa regime.

Philipp Franz von Siebold "Nippon" Atlas volume (39 x 58 cm) Leyden: C.C. van der Hork, 1832.

Brett L. Walker, Mamiya Rinzo and the Japanese exploration of
Sakhalin Island: cartography and empire. 2007.
• Once alarmed, they [Tokugawa officials] sought to deploy maps andethnographies as a means to project national borders between Japan andthe Qing and Russian empires.
• Their travel literature - both cartographies and ethnographies - anticipatedJapanese empire-building in the early twentieth century.
• Because maps played a critical role in the establishment of Europeanempires, the creation of universally comprehensible cartographic renditionsof Sakhalin proved critical to the national security interests of Japan as wellas to the imperial ambitions of Russia and other European powers.
• Mamiya’s maps reveal Japan’s early commitment to modernization in theface of Western encroachment well before the Meiji Restoration and, in turn,
how cartography mastered in the periphery of calculation could be used tofoil Western imperial design.