Artifacts of Diplomacy: 

Smithsonian Collections from 

Commodore Matthew Perry's 

Japan Expedition (1853-1854) 

CHANG-SU HOUCHINS 

SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY • NUMBER 37 
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I. Michael Heyman 

Secretary 

Smithsonian Institution 
SMITHSONIA N CONTRIBUTION S TO ANTHROPOLOG Y • NUMBE R 37 

Artifacts of Diplomacy: 

Smithsonian Collections from 

Commodore Matthew Perry's 

Japan Expedition (1853-1854) 

Chang-su Houchins 

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS 

Washington, D.C. 

1995 
ABSTRAC T 

Houchins, Chang-su. Artifacts of Diplomacy: Smithsonian Collections from Commodore 

Matthew Perry's Japan Expedition (1853-1854). Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, 

number 37, 155 pages, 143 figures, 2 maps, 1994.—Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry's 

Japan Expedition (1853-1854) not only began a tradition of "gunboat diplomacy" so often 

associated with mid-nineteenth century American expansionism, it also initiated a new 

collection of "artifacts of diplomacy"—historical, scientific, and ethnological materials that 

would become the first acquisition of Japanese artifacts by the former United States National 

Museum, now the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. 

Commodore Perry practiced traditional diplomatic gift exchanges. The ethnological artifacts 

described in this catalog are, in the main, the reciprocal gifts to the United States government, 

President Franklin Pierce, the Commodore himself, and other members of the expedition party 

by Japanese government commissioners and by officials of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. They were 

received prior to and following the signing of The Treaty of Kanagawa on 31 March 1854. Also 

included are artifacts purchased at bazaars in Hakodate and Shimoda by some members of the 

expedition party for the specific purpose of expanding the collections of the United States 

National Museum. Descriptions of all known materials collected by individual expedition 

members as well as expedition-related graphics now in the Smithsonian Institution collections 

also have been included here. 

This study of the Japan Expedition collection, through the compilation of a catalog, provides 

a comprehensive chronicle of the collections. The chronicle records the expedition party's 

collecting activities, scenes of gift exchanges, and the assessments of the gifts, both positive and 

negative, made by Commodore Perry and others. It includes a history of previous exhibitions of 

portions of the collection. The catalog contains extensive documentation of the artifacts, with 

full descriptions based on both published and archival sources in English and Japanese. These 

descriptions, combined with the provenance of each object, provide a unique profile of 

mid-nineteenth century, preindustrial Japanese material culture. 

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is 

recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. COVER DESIGN: line drawing 

reproduction of decorated letter paper (ECC 294, catalog entry 24) rendered by James J. Cho. 

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 

Houchins, Chang-su. 

Artifacts of diplomacy : Smithsonian collections from Commodore Matthew Perry's Japan Expedition (1853-1854) / 

Chang-su Houchins. 

p. cm.—(Smithsonian contributions to anthropology ; no. 37) 

includes bibliographical references 

1. Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858—Ethnological collections—Catalogs. 2. United States Naval Expedition to 

Japan, 1852-1854—Catalogs. 3. National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). Dept. of Anthropology—Ethnological 

collections—Catalogs. 4. Ethnological museums and collections—Washington (D.C.)—Catalogs. 5. Material culture—Japan—Catalogs. 6. Japan—Antiquities—Catalogs. 

I. Title. II. Series. 

GN1.S54 no. 37 [GN36.U62W18] 301 s—dc20 [952'.025] 94-42474 

® The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American 

National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48—1984. 
Contents 

page 

Introduction, by Paul Michael Taylor iv 

Acknowledgments vi 

Chronicle of the Perry Collection 1 

Notes 10 

Catalog 13 

List of Abbreviations 13 

Lacquerware 14 

Textiles and Paper 32 

Ceramics 53 

Fans, Umbrellas, and Tobacco Pipes 68 

Graphics 88 

Bamboo, Wood, Straw, and Fiber Products 95 

Metalware 107 

Swords and Arms 112 

Tools 116 

Miscellany 127 

Appendixes 136 

I. List of the Articles Received from the Japanese Government on 24 March 

1854 136 

II. List of Presents Received from the Emperor of Japan and His High Ministers 

for the Government of the United States and Others 138 

III. List of Japanese Reception Commissioners' Gifts Presented to the American 

Expedition Party on 9 June 1854 139 

IIlA. List of Official RyOkyuan Gifts Presented at Nana on 8 June 1853 140 

IIlB. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented to the American Expedition 

Party at Naha on 11 July 1854 141 

IHc. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented to Commodore Perry at Naha on 

12 May 1853 142 

HID. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented to Commodore Perry at Naha on 

17 June 1854 143 

IV. List of Articles Purchased by Dr. James Morrow 144 

V. List of Articles Desired by the Americans, Submitted by the Reception 

Commissioners to the Roju [Senior Council] on 24 May 1854 [AWL] . . 146 

VI. 1953 Accession List: Division of Ethnology List of Presents Given by the 

Emperor [sic] of Japan to Commander [sic] Mathew [sic] C. Perry, 

March, 1859 147 

VII. List of American Presents Brought Ashore in Japan on 13 March 1854 . . 149 

VIII. List of American Presents to the Queen Dowager, Regent, and Treasurers 

of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, and to Individual Japanese 150 

IX. List of Japanese Personal Names 151 

Literature Cited 153 

in 
Introduction 

The "artifacts of diplomacy" so admirably researched in this volume constitute the 

little-known incunabula of Japan-United States trade relations, i.e., the Japanese materials 

brought back from Commodore Matthew Perry's historic voyage to Japan. This study 

documents for the first time a group of artifacts whose individual origins and collective 

meaning often have been poorly understood. These "first offerings" of Japan, as Perry 

called them, were considered by Perry and his lieutenants to be a disappointing and 

mediocre lot, although some later scholars lavished praise on these presumed "Imperial" 

gifts that had been transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. Until Chang-su Houchins 

compiled this work, there was little to resolve such disparate opinions about the so-called 

"Perry Collection," for no one had undertaken the extraordinary detective work necessary 

to distinguish the collection's various components and to sort out the provenance of each 

item. 

The original documentation for this collection, as for so many others, has been widely 

scattered. The objects themselves have been through a rather confusing set of 

administrative transfers. Sometimes the name of the caretaking branch of the Smithsonian 

Institution was changed, although the objects did not move. The very first list of 

Smithsonian ethnology accessions in our oldest ledger is a list of these artifacts from 

Japan. Registrarial problems are evident as early as this list, for the clerk accidentally 

included gifts received in 1857 from the King of Siam among the list of the Japanese 

accession! Subsequently, labels fell off, objects got renumbered, and names were changed. 

People looked at a cup with a cover and saw a dish and a bowl, then renumbered and 

renamed them again. In order to resolve these questions, the existing paper trail, in the 

form of internal Smithsonian documents as well as journals and other archival information 

from Perry's time, had to be examined. In addition, the collection could only be sorted out 

by examining it in its entirety, as Houchins has done here. 

The study that has resulted is part of a wider recent effort, now underway within Asian 

ethnology collections at the Smithsonian, to reinterpret old anthropological collections in 

light of two components: what they tell about the culture that produced the artifacts, and 

what they tell about the collecting culture. The topic chosen for this study is one of great 

potential iconicity because of the historic nature of Perry's voyage. One can read 

conflicting evidence about initial United States-Japanese attitudes or the perceived 

importance of future trade, as expressed in these earliest exchanges of gifts. There is little 

premonition here of later developments that made the United States and Japan the two 

greatest powerhouses of world trade just over a century later. By contrast, the roughly 

contemporaneous gifts brought back from Thailand (Siam), some of which were 

inadvertently cataloged with Perry's artifacts in the first ledger, show the enormous 

importance Thailand's King Mongkut placed on gift-giving and diplomacy with America 

to help preserve through this alliance his kingdom's independence against encroaching 

European colonizers. Quite apart from the historic significance of Perry's collection, one 

can admire the foresight of the collectors, who supplemented materials they were given 

with the everyday handicrafts and personal objects available in the Japanese markets, and 

who later included such material in the Smithsonian transfer. Today, these objects 

constitute a unique snapshot of preindustrial Japan's technology. 

In making such assessments it is important to keep in mind the boundaries of this study. 

Houchins has systematically tracked down the existing artifacts from Perry's expedition 

that are in the Smithsonian collections. This includes gifts given to Perry personally (which 

he correctly understood must be transferred to the government), return gifts given to the 

United States government by (or on behalf of) provincial leaders within Japan, and also 

objects purchased for the government by Perry and his crew members. This does not 

include natural history specimens (which were transferred to the Smithsonian separately), 

and it also does not include later diplomatic gifts conveyed during the First Japanese 

Mission (1860). Thus, Japanese historians might focus on those later gifts and on that later 

IV 
NUMBER 37 

occasion as a delayed but complementary part of the gift-exchange initiated by Perry; but 

that component has been studied elsewhere. 

In this book on the Japan Expedition artifacts, Houchins has used all the available 

evidence to separate purchases from gifts and to suggest the provenance and intended 

destination of each. She also has speculated on the criteria of selection involved, including 

her judgment that some of the collection may represent a "primitive example of market 

research." Although individual Perry objects have been discussed and illustrated 

elsewhere, this is the first comprehensive catalog of the collection. It also includes quite 

new information on some supplementary materials, such as the previously unpublished 

Dudley collection of prints and artifacts assembled on this voyage and donated in 1977 to 

the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. The data and illustrations Chang-su 

Houchins has assembled here will make accessible an important collection of preindustrial 

Japanese artifacts and will provide welcome new information for a continuing assessment 

of this historic cross-cultural contact. 

Paul Michael Taylor 

Curator of Asian Ethnology 

Department of Anthropology 

Smithsonian Institution 
Acknowledgments 

I am particularly grateful to Dr. William Fitzhugh, former chairman of the Department 

of Anthropology, who initiated the Smithsonian's Perry Collection catalog project in 1978. 

The members of the Department of Anthropology Publications Committee, namely 

William Fitzhugh, Ives Goddard, Ruth Selig, William Sturtevant, Douglas Ubelaker, 

Herman Viola, all of the National Museum of Natural History, and Felix Lowe, of the 

Smithsonian Institution Press, reviewed the first draft manuscript in early 1980 and made 

very useful critical comments and suggestions. The manuscript also was reviewed by 

Gordon Gibson, Adrienne Kaeppler, and Wilcomb Washburn. The firm guidance of Ives 

Goddard, William Sturtevant, and especially Paul Michael Taylor was extremely helpful 

at various stages of the project. 

In recent years, a number of colleagues assisted me with expertise in their various areas 

of specialization. Although their family names are appropriately noted within the catalog's 

text, I extend special thanks to Tanabe Satoru, Chief Curator of Ethnology and Director, 

Yokosuka City Museum; Patricia Fiske, former Director of The Textile Museum, now 

Assistant Director of the National Museum of African Art; Amanda Stinchecum, Japanese 

textile specialist; Ann Yonemura and Louise Cort, The Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art; 

Okada Shigehiro, National Museum of Japanese History; Komatsu Taishu, Tokyo 

National Museum; Sahara Makoto, Nara National Research Institute of Cultural 

Properties; Gibo Eijiro, member of the Okinawa Cultural Properties Protection Committee; 

and Takako M. Hauge of Falls Church, Virginia, specialist in folk traditions in Japanese 

art. I am equally grateful to Katagiri Kazuo, Aoyama Gakuin University, and Honda 

Shozo, The Library of Congress, for their expert assistance in the interpretation of obscure 

terminology so often encountered in official documents of the Edo period. 

I especially wish to express my gratitude to Georgia Reilly, Annamarie Rice, Barbara 

Watanabe, Johanna Humphrey, and Norman Wibowo for their assistance with the final 

draft of the manuscript, to Shobayashi Ikuko for preparing the Japanese script for printing, 

Marsha Bakry for stripping the Japanese script onto the camera-ready pages, Victor E. 

Krantz for photography, and James J. Cho for drawing the front cover illustration. Thanks 

also are due to Diane Tyler who edited and designed the monograph with great care. 

vi 
Artifacts of Diplomacy: 

Smithsonian Collections from 

Commodore Matthew Perry's 

Japan Expedition (1853-1854) 

Chang-su Houchins 

Chronicle of the Perry Collection 

Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry's Japan Expedition, 

1853-1854, was more than a successful diplomatic mission. 

Fortunately, the expedition also resulted in the introduction to 

the American people of a broad range of materials of lasting 

historical, ethnological, and scientific value. The Smithsonian 

collections of Japanese ethnographic artifacts, obtained by that 

memorable expedition, was the first major accession of 

ethnological materials by the United States National Museum 

(now the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian 

Institution) more than a century ago.1 It has and, hopefully, will 

continue to serve as a body of primary data on the material 

culture of traditional or preindustrial Japan. It is precisely with 

this hope that the compilation of a catalog of the Perry 

collection was undertaken. 

Although no record of Perry's pre-Japan Expedition connection with the Smithsonian Institution survives, his postexpedition contacts suggest that prior arrangements were made with 

Smithsonian officials for the collection of various specimens.2 

S. Wells Williams, Perry's chief interpreter, noted the 

Commodore's seriousness of purpose in the collection effort. 

Williams' diary entry for 26 July 1853, Naha, Ryukyu, states 

that "the Commodore wished particularly to get a great variety 

of articles—silks, cottons, lacquered ware, china-ware and 

other products—to put in a museum in Washington."3 At 

Perry's specific suggestion, Dr. James Morrow, the expedition 

agriculturist, purchased many samples of Japanese paper on 1 

Chang-su Houchins, Department of Anthropology, National Museum 

of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560. 

May 1854 at Shimoda.4 The Commodore's active interest in 

acquiring materials persisted until the expedition's last few 

days in Japan, as evidenced in the final entry (23 June 1854) in 

Morrow's Japan journal. 

I was ordered by Commodore Perry to pay Mr. Jones [Rev. George Jones] for 

some Japanese shrines [cf. catalog entries 77-79] and a few agricultural 

implements out of the fund of the Department of Interior5 which I had in 

hand The Commodore had bought the articles [via Mr. Jones] the day 

before, when on shore, at the Bazaar.6 

Also noteworthy are the Smithsonian Institution annual reports 

for the years 1854 and 1855. Both include sections that 

emphasize the importance of the Japan Expedition's accomplishments. The 1854 report notes the activities of Perry and 

Dr. James Morrow in the natural history field, including their 

collections of plants, seeds, reptiles, fishes, and birds.7 The 

1855 report cites additional acquisitions: "Commodore Perry 

has returned to the States, bringing with him copious journals 

of the voyage, with numerous drawings, and many collections 

illustrating the natural products and manufactures of Japan."8 

The 1855 notice apparently refers to Perry's return to the 

United States in January 1855; the February arrival at 

Brooklyn, New York, of the stores ship Lexington, carrying on 

board numerous plants, fruits, and other natural history 

specimens, together with "articles of presents from the Emperor 

of Japan;" and the arrival of the frigate Mississippi in April, 

with literary and scientific materials. The Lexington's specimens were forwarded to Washington, D.C, from Annapolis, 

Maryland. Perry had directed the Commander of the Lexington 

to sail for Annapolis, for the purpose of landing and 
SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Kawasaki 

Kanagawa 

Odawara Bay 

"False Bay'' 

Edo (Tokyo) Bay 1853 -1854 

'";. Areas surveyed by Commodore Perry 

Cape Susaki Statute Miles 

Edo (Tokyo) Bay, 1853-1854, showing areas surveyed by Perry. Redrawn from Pineau (1968, inside cover). 
NUMBER 37 

/ W 

Commodore Perry's East India Squadron 

Operations Area 1853 -1854 

(HOKKAIDO) 

TSUGARU STRATT 

CHINA 

"OShima 

Shi mod a 

* Hachijo 

mami O Shima 

Chichi 

BONINIS. ( p{X ) 

a " 

Nishino 

9 

Haha Jima 

(Coffin Is.) 

Perry's East India Squadron Operations Area, 1853-1854. Redrawn from Pineau (1968, inside cover). 

transmitting her Japan cargo "with the least possible delay" to 

Washington.9 

The natural history specimens, excluding the botanical 

materials, were delivered to the Smithsonian Institution 

between the spring of 1855 and the winter of 1856.10 Several 

historians11 have assumed that the Japan Expedition Ethnological collection was deposited at the Smithsonian Institution in 

the natural course of events; however, in late 1854 the final 

destination of the Japanese and Ryukyuan gifts had yet to be 

determined. When the first group of Japanese formal gifts were 

boxed, labeled, and sent on board the stores ship Supply in 1854 

for eventual forwarding to Washington, D.C, Perry left it to the 

Navy Department to decide "whether to forward them to the 

persons to whom they were given, or deposit them in the State 

Department, or sell them at auction for the benefit of the 

Treasury."12 Perry had either dismissed his earlier intention of 

collecting various objects for "a museum in Washington,"13 or 

had succumbed momentarily to his disenchantment with an 

array of objects he thought to be of little worth. Despite their 

lack of commercial value, the collections made by members of 

the naval expeditions were the lawful property of the United 

States government and were to be preserved and displayed in a 

national museum. Perry was well aware of these requirements. 

Most of the ethnological materials are presumed to have 

been initially deposited at the Patent Office as part of the 

"National Museum," or more precisely stated, the "National 

Cabinet of Curiosities," and the remainder at the White 

House.14 Although Perry informed the Secretary of the Navy 

that "various articles from the Emperor of Japan" were "mostly 

intended for the President's House,"15 no record has yet been 
SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

found of a large deposit at the White House. However, 

Muragaki Awaji-no-Kami (Lord of the Awaji district, modern 

Hyogo prefecture), a senior member of the first Japanese 

Mission to the United States in 1860, records the Presidential 

reception given in the East Room of the White House on 17 

May 1860. 

In front of a large mirror, there was a table on which were displayed a lacquered 

writing box with makie [sprinkled or strewn gold or silver dust] decoration and 

several other ornate objects. We were told that they were the articles brought 

back from Japan by Perry.16 

These objects probably were part of the Japanese items 

deposited at the Patent Office, which subsequently were 

transferred to the Smithsonian building. Most likely they were 

sent to the White House in preparation for that special occasion. 

The Japan Expedition materials that the Japanese envoy saw 

displayed at the White House in 1860 may have included 

articles sent on the store ship Supply, after the expedition's first 

Japan visit in 1853. Perry's 5 September 1853 letter dispatched 

from Macao "to the President of the United States" is 

noteworthy. 

Dear Sir, I send in by Lieut. Contee [Flag Lieutenant John Contee] a case 

containing the first offerings of Japan consisting of articles enumerated in the 

enclosed list.17 

The list is missing, but, according to Williams' journal entry for 

16 July 1853, two days after the delivery of President Millard 

Fillmore's letter of friendship and trade request to the Japanese 

officials, Kayama Eizaemon, the Governor [Assistant Magistrate] of Uraga brought "some presents" to Perry. They 

consisted of "5 pieces of brocade, 40 bamboo fans, 50 tobacco 

pipes and 50 lacquered cups."18 In his memoir, the expedition 

artist William Heine also has an account of the event. 

We received numerous gifts before we departed [Uraga]: fabrics (including 

gold brocade), over a thousand eggs, all sorts of lacquerware, saki, fans, and 

other things. The Commodore responded with gifts.19 

Francis Hawks, author of the official narrative of Perry's Japan 

expedition, covers the event and gives rather superficial, yet 

lengthy, descriptions, without mentioning quantities of the 

various articles received.20 It is doubtful that all 140 items were 

forwarded to the White House. 

It was not until after 1857 that the Japan Expedition 

ethnological materials actually were incorporated into the 

Smithsonian Institution collections. In that year, the "National 

Museum" at the Patent Office was transferred to the custody of 

the Smithsonian Institution, in accordance with the law that 

provided that the Smithsonian would be the depository for "all 

objects of art and of foreign and curious, and all objects of 

natural history ... belonging to the United States which may be 

in the city of Washington," namely, the National Institute 

collections of the U.S. Exploring Expeditions, which also had 

been housed in the Patent Office, and other National Institute 

collections.21 

The peregrinations of the Japan Expedition collection 

actually began in 1858, when it was removed from the Patent 

Office gallery to the newly completed Smithsonian building, 

where it formed the nucleus of the United States National 

Museum ethnology collections. It remained there for over two 

decades, under the direct care of then Assistant Secretary 

Spencer F. Baird, possibly with the assistance of John Varden. 

Varden had been in charge of the Japan Expedition materials at 

the Patent Office and was employed by the Smithsonian 

following the collection's transfer in 1858. The Varden diary 

entries for the entire month of June 1858 are monotonous 

recordings of his "packing and preparing to remove [the Patent 

Office collections] to the Smithsonian building." The first 

mention of the Japan Expedition collection at the Smithsonian 

appears in Varden's September 27th diary entry: "Jim 

[Campbell] cleaned case 82 for the Japan and Siam presents to 

the President of the United States."22 In late 1858, Varden 

wrote that he "placed many of the specimens of Japan from the 

Emperor... in case 82 and nailed the case up for the 

President."23 It is not clear, however, whether the "nailing up" 

was done for the purpose of transporting the case to the White 

House or merely as a normal security measure. These may have 

been the specimens displayed at the White House for the 

Presidential reception honoring the Japanese Mission to the 

United States. 

The first official Smithsonian record of the Japan Expedition 

ethnological collection is the Anthropology catalog book, 

number 1. Entry numbers 1 through 450 were made under the 

heading "Presents from the Emperor of Japan" and were dated 

March 9-12, 14, 1859. The catalog book was written in the 

hand of either Varden or an anonymous member of the staff. 

John Varden spent much of 10 March 1858 "at work 

arranging...[and numbering] specimens in the museum beginning on the N.W. gallery with the presents from the Emperor of 

Japan and Siam to Franklin Pearse [sic] President of the United 

States."24 Varden's entering of "every specimen in its 

appropriate record book and the ineffaceable attachment of a 

number" is officially recorded in the Anthropology catalog 

book as having been "done by Mr. Varden for the ethnological 

collections."25 It lists approximately 50 miscellaneous items 

from such other countries as Siam, the Philippines, and East 

India, along with several non-Perry Japanese specimens that 

were entered in error.26 Therefore, the number of Japan 

Expedition items transferred from the Patent Office must have 

been approximately 400. 

Following the formal establishment of the United States 

National Museum in 1876 and the 1881 reorganization of the 

Smithsonian Institution, the newly organized Department of 

Arts and Industries took custody of all ethnological materials, 

including the Japan Expedition collection. The National 

Museum building, now known as the Arts and Industries 

building, was completed in 1881. The Japanese ethnological 

collections were moved there at some point during the years 

1882-1884, when a large number of specimens were removed 

from the Smithsonian building. Following the creation of the 

Department of Ethnology and the appointment of Professor 
NUMBER 37 

Otis T. Mason as its curator in 1884, all of the ethnological 

specimens of the museum were reported as being "under 

complete management."27 More than a decade later in 1897, the 

Department of Anthropology was formed as a result of a 

general reorganization of the United States National Museum. 

It was then that the Japan Expedition collection was included in 

the department's Division of Ethnology collections, where it 

remains today. The wanderings of the Perry collection finally 

ceased when the National Museum of Natural History building 

was completed in 1911, and the collection has been housed 

there ever since. 

The items listed in the Anthropology catalog book were not 

formally accessioned until August 1953, when the accession 

number 199043 was assigned. At that point in time, the total 

number of Japan Expedition ethnological items was given as 

393, and they were cataloged as numbers 1 through 445 (cf. 

Appendix VI). The 5 August 1953 accession memorandum 

notes the complexity of the collection itself, its approaching 

centennial status, and states that the formal accession action 

was for the record only.28 

A more recent Japan Expedition collection inventory, 

performed in 1969, superseded several earlier inventories and 

identified 203 items as Perry materials. It also restored the 

original catalog numbers by removing the new but duplicative 

numbers assigned in 1867. The 1969 inventory indicated that 

there were some 100-odd missing articles, including 19 

specimens that already were noted as missing in the 1867 

ledger. These were in addition to the printer's implements of 

seven plates [woodblocks], three brushes, one mallet, and a 

bottle of ink (catalog numbers 311-313), which had been part 

of the collections of the Division of Graphic Arts of the 

Department of Anthropology, but were transferred to the 

Department of the Arts and Industries in about 1920 and have 

remained unaccounted for ever since.29 The 1867 recording 

may have been warranted by the Smithsonian building fire of 

1865, which destroyed numerous objects from several early 

Smithsonian collections.30 One traceable loss, a piece of silk, 

was faithfully reported by Varden. He wrote that he "took some 

cutting from the many duplicante [sic] pieces of silk, for 

handkerchief, for wipping [sic] specimens with—" To Varden, 

who spent two full weeks in September and October 1858 

"cleaning and arranging" the Perry materials, the duplicate silk 

samples were useful conservation devices.31 

The sheer number of items listed in various documents as 

either present or missing is, however, misleading. Many Japan 

Expedition specimens consist of several separate parts. Covered bowls, for example, frequently and inconsistently have 

been counted either as one or two items. Interestingly, when 

Perry compared articles received with accompanying lists, he 

readily discovered missing items just a day following formal 

receipt of the main portion of Japanese presents. His 31 March 

1854 journal entry records that "on the following day [the 

presents] were examined and compared with the lists furnished, 

and a few articles were found to be missing abstracted probably 

by the Japanese servants."32 

Although the apparent shrinkage of the collection may be 

alarming, it should be noted that several specimens presently 

missing are not necessarily lost. Several Japan Expedition 

objects have been lent to, or exchanged with, other institutions, 

both domestic and foreign. A sample of Ryukyuan tobacco 

(catalog number 44) was sent to the Peabody Museum of 

Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 

1877. A tobacco pouch and a pipe (catalog numbers 119, 120) 

went to an unidentified public school museum in New South 

Wales, Australia, in 1919, and, in 1928, one small bamboo 

basket and one rattan work basket (catalog numbers 109, 110) 

were sent to the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of 

the Academy of Sciences, Leningrad, Russia.33 A "wood 

section" of an unidentified Japan Expedition object was 

formally condemned and destroyed in October 1971. 

There are also those articles that have been separated from 

the original 1859 listings, prepared following the transfer from 

the Patent Office, as the result of internal transfers within the 

Smithsonian Institution. Several permanent transfers apparently were made for exhibit, conservation, and administrative 

purposes. In 1916, a total of 22 specimens, including textiles 

and decorated writing paper, were transferred to the former 

Department of Arts and Industries. This department was 

absorbed by the Department of Arts and Manufacturers in the 

Museum of History and Technology when the latter was 

founded in 1957, and these have been housed in that museum's 

Division of Textiles of the Department of Applied Arts, a unit 

newly organized in 1969.34 But in 1979, the portion of 

decorated writing paper was returned to the original USNM 

ethnology collections. 

Having reviewed several aspects of the history of the 

collection, perhaps more commonly known as "the Perry 

collection," it is necessary to correct fundamental errors in the 

initial descriptions of the Japan Expedition ethnographical 

materials. They were first listed as "Japanese presents from the 

Emperor of Japan" or "the Japanese Imperial gifts."35 Some of 

them were indeed reciprocal gifts from the Japanese government, but neither the Emperor nor the Imperial household was 

involved. The return gifts were presented on behalf of the 

Shogun, the chief of Japan's military government, some of his 

councilors, and reception commissioners. Furthermore, fully 

one-third of the materials in the collection were purchased with 

United States government funds by either Morrow, the 

expedition scientist, or Perry himself. A third category are 

those items that were given as personal gifts to Perry by either 

known or unspecified Japanese officials. According to Williams' journal, Perry received numerous gifts on his four 

separate visits to Naha between June 1853 and July 1854 (cf. 

Appendixes IIIA-IIID). Among the Ryukyuan gifts were paper, 

cotton and silk fabrics, tobacco pipes and pouches, fans, 

lacquered articles, ceramics, and a temple bell. At Kanagawa, 

Shimoda, and Hakodate, in March-June 1854, Perry accepted 

such articles as swords, matchlocks, coins, silks, dresses, 

umbrellas, mats, lacquerware, shell-work, and a variety of other 

"little articles."36 
SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Curiously, the Commodore's journal records neither the 

informal gifts he received nor the several objects he purchased, 

and his "List of Presents Received from the Emperor of Japan 

and His High Ministers for the Government of the United 

States and Others" (cf. Appendix II) is at variance with the 

official list (cf. Appendix I) as published in Hawks Narrative. 

When compared with the official list, Perry's private journal 

list includes either additional items and donors or a higher 

number of identical articles. But when compared with the 

Williams account and a Japanese document, "Jing'ei nikki" 

(records of the [Kanagawa] encampment), Perry omits such 

articles as gold and silver coins and misidentifies the donor of 

other items.37 Williams reports that Perry received from 

Hayashi Noboru, chief reception commissioner, two swords, 

three matchlocks, and two sets of coins at Yokohama 

[Kanagawa] on 24 March 1854, but Perry lists only the swords 

and matchlocks as being the presents from the "Emperor."38 

According to the Japanese source cited above, the weapons and 

coins were presented by Hayashi at Perry's request. "Perry 

wanted these items for his government in Washington and the 

President of the United States."39 Both sets of coins consisted 

of five different denominations in gold and silver. Hayashi also 

presented Perry with The Points of a Horse, a two-volume book 

authored by Hayashi, which contains a large number of colored 

woodblock illustrations. Perry was reported to have been 

impressed with their subdued coloring and the artist's realistic 

adherence to nature.40 Lt. George Henry Preble reported that 

"among the presents received by Commodore Perry, was a box 

of obscene paintings of naked men and women."41 At any rate, 

Perry did indeed accept several informal gifts. 

Although seldom specific, Williams' journal also contains 

useful general information on the purchases of Japanese goods 

by Perry, his officers, and expedition sailors.42 A number of 

expedition journals record the common complaint that the 

Commodore invariably asserted the privilege of making his 

own selections at the Shimoda, Hakodate, and Naha bazaars 

before any other members of the expedition had a chance to 

make their purchases. The lower ranking expedition members 

found the situation especially unfair. An account by the 

Vandalia cabin boy, W.B. Allen, of the bazaar held at a temple 

in Shimoda is vividly descriptive. 

The things were got by lotery [sic]. You taking a ticket as you entered and upon 

entering the room you had a certain article marked on it which you immediately 

took if you liked it I was rather unfortunate not drawing a single piece of 

lacqaware [sic] which I wanted very much. I suppose there was system of 

favoring going on for certain officers and for no one else.41 

Available goods were lacquered bowls and boxes, cotton cloth, 

silk, hairpins, sashes, shoes, pipes, fans, coarse pottery, 

umbrellas, coarse baskets, and "items of Japanese art."44 At 

Hakodate, Perry purchased an illustrated book for children, and 

his reaction to the art work was again favorable. He observed 

that as evidence of the advanced state of their art, Japanese 

artists demonstrated a knowledge of perspective and that they 

produced their works with unusual rapidity and dexterity. Perry 

witnessed the work of an artist employed by Rev. [George] 

Jones at Hakodate to paint a set of bydbu (folding screens).45 

Kojima Matajiro, a Japanese shopkeeper who recorded the 

American expedition's Hakodate visit in his diary, which is 

accompanied by numerous drawings, is specific about the 

Commodore's and others' purchases. His 29 April 1854 diary 

entry reads: 

Commodore Berori [Perry] made purchases at the store of Juhei Yamadaya: a 

fine lacquered box in tiers, a lacquered medicine case, brocade, and other 

things. 

According to Kojima, the Americans bought, aside from such 

usual items as lacquerware, silks, and chinaware, ink and 

inkstones (cf. entry 126), children's parasols, tobacco pouches, 

wooden temple gongs, flower vases, wooden containers, chests 

of drawers, children's drums, and personal seals.46 Dr. Morrow 

compiled lists of his purchases at both Shimoda and Hakodate 

during the period April to June 1854 (cf. Appendix IV). 

Despite the 1858 Smithsonian annual report's accurate 

identification of the "collections of Commodore M.C. Perry, 

United States Navy, made while negotiating a treaty with 

Japan, and the presents to the United States government 

through him from the Japanese authorities,"47 the erroneous 

"imperial gift" ascriptions have been perpetuated in all existing 

Smithsonian internal documents. One unhappy result of this 

misclassification is that such a distinguished historian as 

Samuel Eliot Morison also refers to the Smithsonian collection 

of Japan Expedition materials as "the Imperial gifts," although 

he correctly states that Perry received personal gifts that were 

subsequently deposited in the Smithsonian collections.48 

The above survey of the informal or personal gifts accepted 

by Perry and of objects available for purchase49 serves to 

establish the provenance of the bulk of the specimens 

assembled from unspecified sources. It provides a glimpse of 

Americans collecting abroad in a unique setting, which resulted 

in the earliest United States National Museum acquisition of 

Japanese ethnological materials. It also helps to compensate for 

several unfortunate characteristics of the Japan Expedition 

collection: sparsity of documentation, uneven sampling of 

artifacts, and overemphasis on exotica. It is apparent that the 

collection was made unsystematically, in the absence of field 

collection guidelines, and without such restrictions as locality, 

quality, and quantity. Furthermore, although the collection was 

intended for museum deposit, it was also a primitive exercise in 

market research; Perry, knowing President Fillmore's desire for 

trade, naturally was anxious to collect samples of Japanese 

goods marketable in America. Following the signing of the 

Kanagawa treaty for peace, amity, and commerce on 31 March 

1854, Japanese officials allowed the Americans to purchase 

various items at shops and at the bazaars held at Hakodate and 
NUMBER 37 

Shimoda during April-June 1854. At Shimoda, authorities 

supplied a variety of goods in response to a list of the articles 

desired by the Americans (cf. Appendix V), which was 

prepared by the Japanese interpreters Moriyama Einosuke and 

Namura Gohachiro.50 The reception commissioners' joint 

memorandum forwarding the list contains an apology for the 

inferior quality of some of the merchandise previously sold to 

the Americans during their first visit to Shimoda. The 

commissioners also expressed concern with the local scarcity 

of high quality articles desired by the Americans and the 

resultant difficulties in remedying the situation.51 The items 

received as official return presents, on the other hand, reflect 

what the Japanese perceived to be representative cultural 

products and were felt by them to be barely suitable for 

presentation to a foreign government. They also subtly reflect 

Japanese perceptions, or misperceptions, of American or 

Westerner's wants and tastes. 

A brief review of the initial reactions to the Japanese official 

gifts by Perry and other members of the expedition party, as 

well as subsequent assessments by modern historians, adds 

another dimension to the uniqueness of the Japanese Expedition ethnological collection. The first and lesser-known Japan 

Expedition gift exchange took place at Naha in June 1853. 

Perry presented his gifts to the Queen Dowager, Regent, and 

Treasurers of the Ryukyu Kingdom on 7 June (cf. Appendix 

VIII). The following day, the Ryukyuan return gifts of paper, 

cloth, tobacco, fans, tobacco pipes, and lacquerware (cf. 

Appendixes IIlA, IIIC) were delivered to Perry. Neither Perry's 

private journal nor Hawks Narrative reports the event. But 

Williams' journal entry for 8 June lists the articles received 

with the comment that they were "a trumpery assortment with 

a few pieces of lackered ware." Some of these items are 

presumed to be included in the Smithsonian collection, but one 

cannot be certain because Perry purchased similar objects at 

Naha on his first visit there.52 

The second, less-formal gift exchange occurred at Edo Bay 

on 16 July 1853, as has been noted previously in connection 

with the earlier deposit of Perry-related objects at the White 

House. Although Kayama, the bearer of the presents, insisted 

that they were his own "personal favors," Perry quite properly 

declined to accept them as personal gifts from Kayama. Perry's 

judgment was correct: Kayama had merely carried out the 

rojffs53 decision to "give the foreigners the articles they 

wanted to put off sending an answer to the [President 

Fillmore's] letter."54 Perry forwarded them to the President as 

"the first offerings of Japan," adding that 

they are of little value, but may be acceptable as coming from a country which 

has of late excited so much interest... these are not by any means the best 

specimens of the work of the Japanese; with their usual duplicity they have 

doubtless kept the bulk of their finer products.55 

Perry was not impressed with Kayama's "trifling presents," but 

was pleased with having established the precedent of gift 

exchange (cf. Appendix VIII), a form of "reciprocity of 

courtesy."56 In the official Hawks Narrative, they were 

described as interesting specimens of Japanese manufactures, 

which were "credible evidences of mechanical skill," and 

whose "ornamental figures... [showed] the grotesque fancy of 

Japanese art."57 According to Bayard Taylor (1859), 

They brought a number of presents, as souvenirs of our visit... [the] fans [were] 

covered with hideously distorted and lackadaisical pictures of Japanese ladies58 

(cf. catalog entries 53-57). 

On 24 March 1854, at Kanagawa, the most celebrated 

"Japanese presents" were formally received by Perry on behalf 

of the government of the United States, himself, and a few 

selected members of his squadron. The presents (cf. Appendixes I, II) were displayed on benches inside the large audience 

hall, and the reception commissioners stood in a line abreast at 

the head of the audience hall, while "the chief interpreter called 

off from written lists the several presents, by whom presented, 

and for whom intended.59 Lt. George Henry Preble, who was 

detailed to escort the Commodore ashore to receive the 

Japanese presents, observed that the Commodore was received 

with more pomp and ceremony than on any previous occasion. 

Preble gives detailed descriptions of the articles received, along 

with his personal and others' reactions to them, including 

Perry's.60 

Perry thought that the lacquerware, silks, and other presents 

were of no great value. His disappointment must have been 

obvious. The Japanese officials were moved to explain that 

they "had not had time to prepare more suitable gifts" and 

assured him that additional articles would be forthcoming. As 

a result, Perry wrote: 

Before my departure from Shimoda, a collection better corresponding with 

those I had given would be provided.61 

To Preble, the assembled presents formed a "pretty display," 

but were "of not much value." He remarked further that 

[They were] not worth over one thousand dollars some thought. I am sure one 

of our presents of Audubon's Great Work on American birds was worth more 

than all we saw there, and our miniature railroad engine and car cost several 

times their value. Everyone, the Commodore included, remarked on the meagre 

display and the lack of rich brocades and magnificent things always associated 

with our ideas of Japan ... when exhibited in the U.S. I think these presents will 

prove a great disappointment to our people, whose ideas of Japan have been so 

exaggerated.62 

Preble's additional comments are of interest to both historians 

and ethnologists: 

It is to be regretted they do not include some of the rich brocades for which 

Japan is famed or any of their beautiful copper castings, or inlaid work of gold 

or silver... something also that would illustrate the daily life and habits of a 

people excluded from the rest of the world so many years. The supposition of 

their magnificence and immense wealth, will I think prove a mistake. And the 

splendor of their court exists only in the romances of the old travellers and 

Jesuits.63 
8 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

According to the report of Edward Yorke McCauley, Acting 

Master on the Powhatan, 

The Japanese presents consisted of lacquered wares, crapes, silks, etc., but 

nothing very remarkable, or which could not be produced superior in the United 

States.64 

Contrary to those who shared Perry's disappointment with 

the commonness and meagerness of the Japanese reciprocal 

gifts, others, including Williams, reacted favorably. Williams 

reported: 

[They] were spread out on the mats, lying in pretty trays, and making a pretty 

show in consequence, far more than ours did ... [ours] were in brown paper and 

rough boxes.65 

Referring to the quality of the articles displayed, he wrote that 

the articles were 

of rarity of Japanese manufactures some of the pieces of lacquered ware in 

raised gold figures were beautiful, and the silks rather fine, especially the heavy 

crapes; the pattern of which quite unlike anything made elsewhere.66 

Williams was not alone in finding the display of the Japanese 

presents and their quality superior to the manufactures of other 

nations. Midshipman John Glendy Sproston observed: 

The first objects that attracted my attention were lacquered boxes of different 

sizes and shapes, embracing several varieties of style... their quality was 

evidently very superior and beautiful, evidently excelling every other 

nation ... of more beautiful varieties, no other nation can produce them.67 

Dr. Morrow was realistically neutral: 

Some of them were very fine, though the number was not large nor the 

aggregate value very great.68 

Although a few of the expedition members' initial reactions 

to the Japanese return gifts were overwhelmingly negative, the 

overall assessments made by historians at a later date tend to be 

more generous and much less specific. Perry's early biographer, William Griffis, evaluated the presents as "delicate 

specimens" by Japanese artisans.69 Robert Tomes, who 

prepared the abridgement of the official Hawks Narrative, 

implied American generosity (cf. Appendix VII) when he 

stated that "the Japanese were not to be outdone in generosity 

of articles of the manufactures of their country as return 

gifts."70 Oliver Statler simply states that "a lavish exchange of 

gifts" took place between the American and the Japanese 

governments.71 It is evident that the additional articles 

presented at Shimoda in June 1854 (cf. Appendix III) 

considerably altered the American evaluation of the Japanese 

return gifts. The less-critical opinions expressed over the years 

probably are indicative of improved American appreciation of 

Japanese arts and crafts. Morison's recent, and probably 

definitive, biography of Perry contains a brief passage 

describing the Japanese return gifts, together with Morison's 

assessment: 

The imperial gifts ... are not worthy examples of Japanese art. The best are a 

brazen gong, two gold-lacquered boxes, a lacquered writing set, and about 

twenty bolts of silk ... many of the gifts are of coarsest sort. The entire lot could 

not have cost the Bakufu more than a few hundred ryo.

72 

It is doubtful that Morison examined in their entirety the 

articles included in the Japanese gifts presented at Kanagawa in 

March 1854 and the additional items delivered at Shimoda in 

June. Some of the best specimens of Japanese manufactures, 

such as the blue and white Imari porcelain pieces received at 

Shimoda,73 are missing from his list. Yet, his monetary 

evaluation is realistic. The bankrupt Bakufu government, with 

its preindustrial economy and in the face of national crisis, was 

in no position to reciprocate in value the American gifts (cf. 

Appendix VII). 

The second group of Japanese gifts was presented to Perry by 

the reception commissioners at the Ryosenji, a temple in 

Shimoda, on 9 June 1854.74 The Shimoda presents were clearly 

superior to the earlier ones. Hawks wrote that they were 

"handsome gifts... [consisting of] some choice articles of 

Japanese manufacture."75 Williams also was impressed. He 

thought that they were "fine specimens of manufacture... and 

fully equal" in value to the American gifts.76 Although 

Williams lists only a few sample articles, such as mats, dresses, 

and shellwork, the Japanese record (cf. Appendix III) lists some 

30 varieties of articles, including the polearms decorated with 

inlaid mother-of-pearl and gilt metal work (entries 95, 96), 

large blue and white Imari porcelain vessels (entries 43-46), 

and lacquerware. According to a contemporary Japanese 

specialist, the Shimoda presents were a group of "carefully 

selected, elegant Japanese manufactures."77 A special viewing 

of the additional presents to the President of the United States 

was held on 21 June, a few days prior to the American 

expedition's departure for home.78 

The final, and least-known, exchange of gifts took place 

early in the homeward voyage. The occasion was the 

conclusion, on 11 July 1854, of treaty negotiations at Naha with 

the Ryukyuan Kingdom. The Ryukyuan gifts consisted of a 

large temple bell, pipes, cups, jars, cloth, and other produce.79 

But a Japanese language list, which was recorded by a Satsuma 

hanm official stationed at Naha, contains a total of approximately 50 items in 17 varieties (Appendixes IIlB, HID). The 

large bronze Gokoku-ji temple bell was cast by a Japanese 

metalworker in 1456 for King Sho Tai-kyO, who reigned from 

1454 to 1461. The inscriptions on the bell have been reported 

to read: "Daiku Emon-no-jo Fujiwara Kunimitsu" (The 

[Japanese] Imperial Official Master Metalworker, Fujiwara 

Kunimitsu); "Keitai shichi-sai" (the seventh year of the Ming 

dynasty Ching t'ai period [1456]), along with a lengthy votive 

epitaph. In translation it is said to read in part: 

May the sound of this bell shatter illusory dreams, perfect the souls of mankind, 

and enable the King and his subjects to live so virtuously that barbarians will 

find no occasion to invade the kingdom. 

Upon Perry's explicit request, the Regent of the Ryukyuan 

Kingdom presented the bell to the Commodore. Curiously, the 
NUMBER 37 

temple bell does not appear in the list.81 Only a few of these 

articles have survived. Perishables, such as rice, wine, fowl, 

eggs, sheep, and pigs, as well as the botanical specimens and 

the plant seeds, are excluded from the above descriptions of 

Japanese gifts. Also excluded are the three large pieces of stone 

received at Hakodate, Shimoda, and Naha, which were in 

response to Perry's specific request for them for the Washington Monument, and the three spaniels for President Pierce. The 

stone from Shimoda is said to have been built into the 202nd 

level of the monument and bears an inscription that records its 

origin;82 however, U.S. Park Service records show that the 

Shimoda stone was built into the 220-foot-level and the 

Okinawa stone was put into the 210-foot-level. 

Although the Japan Expedition materials in the Smithsonian 

collections often have been cited as highly prized, they seldom 

have been exhibited to the public. The earliest showing was in 

May 1860, when a limited number of specimens were viewed 

in the East Room of the White House at a reception honoring 

the members of the first Japanese Mission. Some members 

recall that they saw "large mirrors on all the walls, and before 

them, tables of various sizes, on which were placed Japanese 

lacquered writing boxes and other articles, which had been 

presented to Commodore Perry on his visit to Japan."83 In the 

following month, five senior members of the mission, 

accompanied by two interpreters, visited the Smithsonian 

Institution, where Secretary Joseph Henry showed the guests 

various Japan Expedition articles, including a "collection of 

animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, and other curiosities."84 It is not 

clear, however, whether the objects shown on that occasion 

were on display in the exhibit hall, or were merely arranged 

temporarily for viewing by the special visitors. 

It was not until 1968 that a major exhibition of the Japan 

Expedition was held for a wider audience. More than thirty 

ethnological specimens85 were shown in the National Museum 

of Natural History, along with numerous items assembled from 

non-Smithsonian sources, emphasizing the Commodore's 

personal role and accomplishments. In 1969, 36 artifacts, 

including lacquerware, pottery, kitchen utensils, carpenters' 

tools, and agricultural implements, were shown as part of a 

Japan Expedition exhibit by the Japan Society at Japan House, 

New York City. The Japan House exhibition presented a 

broad-ranging sample of the Japan Expedition ethnological 

materials. A small group of Japan Expedition materials (a total 

of eight items), including a fan, lacquered box, bamboo 

canteen, shell spoon, draw knife, compass saw, carpenter's 

plane, and an umbrella, were shown at the Naval Historical 

Foundation's Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum in Washington, 

D.C, during 1975-1976. Supplemented by a few Japan 

Expedition graphics, the exhibit unit was titled "Perry's 

Journey to Japan"; it formed a major part of the "Men Who 

Made the Navy" exhibit. The National Portrait Gallery included 

several lacquered objects and picture fans in its modest 

"Mission to Japan" exhibit of 1978. A lacquered, decorated 

inkstone box (catalog number 72) containing an inkstone, 

together with a water-dropper, a writing brush, a gimlet, and 

paper was shown at an exhibit, "Writing and Reading," 

organized by the Cooper Hewitt Museum of Decorative Arts 

and Design in New York City, 15 September 1981-3 January 

1982. For the past several years a lacquered writing box, a 

ceramic cake box, and a sword and scabbard (catalog numbers 

71, 107,115, 116) were on view in the permanent exhibit of the 

Division of Naval History, National Museum of History and 

Technology. In October 1980, the unit was renamed the 

Division of Armed Forces History, National Museum of 

American History.86 

Miscellaneous related materials, in addition to the National 

Museum Japan Expedition ethnology collection materials, have 

been chosen for inclusion in this catalog. The additional items 

are a small selection from the National Anthropological 

Archives print collections and Japanese objects from the 

Thomas C. Dudley collection, a recent acquisition of the 

Museum of American History's Division of Armed Forces 

History. The Anthropology archives holdings of five original 

drawings by an anonymous artist portraying Japanese, Ainu, 

and Ryukyuan figures in native costume were formerly part of 

the National Museum ethnology collection. They were received 

from an unspecified source some time between 1908 and 1935, 

during which period Walter Hough was acting and subsequently head curator of the Department of Anthropology. 

Hough's handwritten annotations, signed "W.H.," on the 

reverse of each drawing read: "Sketch made by a naval officer 

in Japan apparently with the Perry Expedition." They possibly 

were accompanied by a photographic print of the painting of a 

Japanese village scene by William Heine, the expedition's 

principal artist, which was donated by the artist himself, 

certainly prior to his death in 1885. A signed notation on the 

reverse of the photo mount, reads in part: "The illustrations in 

my work are about four times this size." One can speculate that 

it was Heine's expressed wish either to sell or donate some of 

his unpublished works relating to the Japan Expedition. At any 

rate, the drawings and the photographic print described above 

were transferred to the archives' original print and photograph 

collections in 1965, following the organization of the archives 

unit within the Department of Anthropology. 

The Dudley collection was received from his descendant, 

Eugenie M. Guilmette of Yonkers, New York, in 1977. Thomas 

C. Dudley was "purser's clerk on Commodore Matthew Perry's 

flagship, the Powhatan."*1 The Dudley collection consists 

chiefly of his personal effects and miscellaneous objects 

acquired during the years 1846-1855 in East India, China, and 

Japan, totaling 161 items.88 Eleven Japan-related objects have 

been selected for inclusion to supplement and enhance the first 

Smithsonian collection of Japan Expedition ethnological 

materials. 
10 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Notes 

'An earlier but minor accession of Japanese objects consisted of an 

assortment of 15 miscellaneous items (USNM Ethnology catalog numbers 

3914-3918, 3922-3925, 3927, 3931, 5796-5799) collected by Charles S. 

Wilkes in Honolulu, 1840, during his expedition of 1838-1842. They were 

received from Japanese sailors who had been shipwrecked off the Sandwich 

Islands. 

2

For Perry's postexpedition correspondence relative to the deposit and 

mounting of bird specimens, see Perry letter of 3 November 1855 to Assistant 

Secretary Spencer F. Baird and Perry letters of 2 and 25 October 1856 to 

Secretary Joseph Henry, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 52, 

United States Explorations and Government Reports, 1852-1860 (MS). 

Hereafter, these records will be referred to as SI Archives. 

*S. Wells Williams, "A Journal of the Perry Expedition to Japan 

(1853-1854)," edited by F.W. Williams, Transactions of the Asiatic Society of 

Japan, 37(2)(1910), page 72. Hereafter, this will be referred to as Williams 

Journal. Perry's "museum" is a reference to the Patent Office galleries where 

the National Institute collections of objects of foreign origin were housed, and 

which had been officially designated in 1846 as the National Cabinet of 

Curiosities. See G. Brown Goode, "The Genesis of the National Museum." In 

The U.S. National Museum Annual Report for 1891 (Washington, D.C. 1892), 

page 301. 

4Allan B. Cole, editor, A Scientist with Perry in Japan: The Journal of Dr. 

James Morrow (Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1947), page 172. Hereafter, this 

will be referred to as Morrow Journal. 

5Dr. James Morrow was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior and 

apparently was provided with funds for the purpose of collecting seeds, plants, 

and other items during the visit of the East India Squadron to Japan. See Cole's 

introduction to Morrow Journal. 

6Morrow Journal, page 203, for a reference to one of the several bazaars 

held in Shimoda. 

''Smithsonian Institution Annual Report for 1854 (Washington, D.C, 1854), 

page 9. Hereafter, all Smithsonian Institution annual reports will be referred to 

as SI-AR followed by the appropriate year. 

*SI-AR 1855, page 47. 

9

SamueI Eliot Morison, "Old Bruin" Commodore Matthew Calbraith 

Perry, 1794-1856 (Boston and Toronto, 1967), pages 415-416, 421. For the 

Lexington's cargo manifest, see Perry's letter of 9 October 1854 to the 

Secretary of the Navy, printed in "Correspondence Relative to the Naval 

Expedition to Japan," in 33rd Congress, 2nd Session, Senate Executive 

Document 34, serial 751, page 183. 

W

SI-AR 1856, page 62. 

"For example: William Elliot Griffis, Matthew Calbraith Perry: A Typical 

American Naval Officer (Boston and New York, 1890), page 369; Cole's 

introduction to Morrow Journal, page xxi; Clay Lancaster, The Japanese 

Influence in America (New York, 1963), page 19; Morison, Old Bruin, page 

424. 

,2Roger Pineau, editor, The Japan Expedition 1852-1854; The Personal 

Journal of Commodore Matthew C. Perry (Washington, D.C, 1968), page 

194. Hereafter, this will be referred to as Perry Journal. According to William 

Speiden, Jr., Perry's purser, the "Commodore ordered the rice to be sent on 

board the Supply and the other articles to the Powhatan," 24 March 1854 entry 

in the unpublished journal of William Speiden, Jr., titled Journal of a Cruise in 

the U.S. Steam Frigate Mississippi, 1852-1855. The journal is held at the 

Naval Historical Foundation, located at the Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 

(MS). Hereafter this will be referred to as Speiden Journal. 

^Williams Journal, page 72. 

I4A bill for the preservation of collections of natural curiosities furnished by 

the exploring squadrons, and for investing the custody of the specimens in the 

National Institute was passed on 27 July 1842. See Goode, "Genesis," pages 

310-318. The National Institute was established as the National Institution for 

the Promotion of Science and the Useful Arts in 1840. The name was changed 

in 1842, and the institute was dissolved in 1862 when its charter expired, ibid., 

pages 273-274,293. When the Smithsonian Institution was established in 1846 

the Patent Office collection was officially designated as the "National Cabinet 

of Curiosities." According to Goode, "Genesis," pages 301-302, 341, the term 

"National Museum" was not used between 1847 and 1851. After 1851, 

however, "National Museum" was used synonymously with the "National 

Cabinet of Curiosities." Secretary Joseph Henry of the Smithsonian Institution 

made the first public use of the term "National Museum" in 1855. 

15Perry's letter to the Secretary of the Navy, 9 October 1854, in 

"Correspondence Relative to Naval Expedition," page 183. 

16See Muragaki's diary entry for 17 May 1860 in Tanaka Kazusada, 

compiler, Man'en gannen kem-bei shisetsu zuroku [Pictorial Record of the 

1860 First Japanese Embassy to America] (Tokyo, 1920), unpaginated. 

"Perry letter of 5 September 1853, Macao, to the President of the United 

States, deposited in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Botanical Art 

Collection, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 (MS). 

liWilliams Journal, pages 67-68. 

19William Heine, With Perry to Japan, A Memoir by William Heine; 

Translated, with an Introduction and Annotations, by Frederic Trautmann 

(Honolulu, 1990), page 75. Hereafter, this will be referred to as Heine Memoir. 

20Francis L. Hawks, Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to 

the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years 1852,1853, and 1854 under 

the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry... (New York, 1856), pages 312-313. 

Hereafter, this will be referred to as Hawks Narrative. In Hawks Narrative, 

pages 262-272, Kayama is identified as "a Japanese official who spoke 

Dutch," and added to the items received is "mild tobacco." See also J. Willet 

Spaulding, The Japan Expedition; Japan and Around the World, an Account of 

Three Visits to the Japanese Empire (New York, 1855), page 169. Hereafter, 

this will be referred to as Spaulding Journal. For another account of the event, 

see also the 16 July 1854 entry in Speiden Journal. 

2,See especially Sections 5 and 6 of the final bill passed to establish the 

Smithsonian Institution, in Proceedings of the 29th Congress, 1845-1846, 

which was reprinted in William J. Rhees, editor, "The Smithsonian Institution: 

Documents Relative to its Origin and History," Smithsonian Miscellaneous 

Collections, number 328 (Washington, D.C, 1879), pages 471-472. See also 

SI-AR 1857, page 14 and Goode, "Genesis," pages 340-346. 

22See Varden diary 1857-1863, included in Varden Papers, 1829-1863, 

Record Unit 7063, SI Archives (MS). Hereafter, these will be referred to as 

Varden Papers. See also SI-AR 1858, pages 53, 56. 

"Varden's 2 October 1858 diary entry, Varden Papers. 

24Varden's 10 March 1858 diary entry, Varden Papers. 

25Catalog book number 1 is currently in the files of the Department of 

Anthropology Processing Laboratory. A close comparison with Varden's 

handwriting suggests that the catalog book is a copy of the 1858 original, 

reported in SI-AR 1858, page 56 as having been completed. 

26Three items, catalog numbers 322-324, identified as "copper pan in 

lacquer stand" [braziers] definitely are known to be the presents to President 

James Buchanan brought by the first (1860) Japanese mission to the United 

States. See Kazusada, Man'en gannen kem-bei shisetsu..., which lists and 

illustrates these three objects. See also Madoka Kanai, Man'en gannen kem-bei 

shisetsu shiryo shvsei (Tokyo, 1961), volume 6, page 29, for another list that 

includes these three items, "makie hibachi mittsu." This raises a question as to 

the accuracy of the dates entered in the catalog book. Consider also the articles 

temporarily deposited at the White House; these could not have been 

transferred to the Smithsonian Institution until after May 1860. 

27For changing status of ethnological materials, see SI-AR 1883, page 51; 

SI-AR 1884, page 57. 

28For accession memoranda and other historical facts regarding the 

collection, see the National Museum of Natural History Registrar's Office, 

accession number 199043. Hereafter, the National Museum of Natural History 

will be referred to as NMNH. 

29Ibid. 

30For an account of the Smithsonian fire of 24 January 1865 and resultant 

losses, see Goode, "Genesis," pages 273-274. 
NUMBER 37 11 

31See 14 October 1858 diary entry, Varden Papers, for the episode of cutting 

a piece of silk. 

nPerry Journal, page 194. 

"Records of early exchanges are missing. For partial information, see the 

ethnology collection card catalog. Identification of articles received in 

exchange are not recorded. The exchange program with the Museum of 

Anthropology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences, Leningrad, was 

initiated in 1928. See NMNH Registrar's Office, accession number 103666. 

According to the Peabody Museum records, the Japanese tobacco sample 

(Nicotiana tabacum) given to them by the Smithsonian is still in their 

collection, and its catalog number is 77-36-60/12945. See Collection 

Administrator Sally Bond's letter of 8 October 1982 to Paul M. Taylor, 

Department of Anthropology, NMNH. As for the two baskets sent in 1928 to 

the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences, 

Leningrad, Russia, they are presumably still in their collections. NMNH former 

director, Richard S. Fiske's letter of inquiry sent on 4 October 1982 received no 

response. The Bond letter and a copy of the Fiske letter are in the NMNH 

Registrar's Office, accession number 199043. 

34The intramural transfer records are in the NMNH Registrar's Office, 

accession number 199043. The Department of Anthropology Accessions 

Committee approved the intramural transfer from the Museum of History and 

Technology to the NMNH on 23 October 1979. In October 1980, the name of 

the Museum of History and Technology was changed to the National Museum 

of American History. 

3SSee, for example, anthropology catalog book, 1859; NMNH Registrar's 

Office accession number 199043; Perry letter to the Secretary of the Navy, 9 

October 1854, in "Correspondence Relative to Naval Expedition," page 183; 

Morison, Old Bruin, page 424; Oliver Statler, The Black Ship Scroll (San 

Francisco, 1963), page 29. 

^Regarding the U.S. government funds that were provided for purchasing 

objects, see Cole's introduction to Morrow Journal; also Morrow Journal, 

page 23 and Williams Journal, page 72. See Williams Journal, pages 24, 46, 

and 82 for dates and types of the informal gifts received at Naha, and pages 148, 

158,197-198,205-206, and 215-216 for the informal Japanese gifts. 

"For a close comparison of the respective lists, see Perry Journal, pages 

195-196 and Hawks Narrative, pages 429-430. 

nWilliams Journal, page 148. 

39"Jing'ei nikki" [Records of the (Kanagawa) Encampment], in Bakumatsu 

gaikoku kankei monjo (Tokyo, 1930), volume 5, pages 306-307, and cited in 

Tomio Hora, Peri Nihon ensei zuikb-ki (Tokyo, 1970), page 246, for conflicting 

reports on the coins. 

'"See Hawks Narrative, page 528, regarding the book Perry received and his 

reaction to it. 

41For Preble diary entry for 25 February 1854, see Boleslaw Szczezniak, 

editor, The Opening of Japan, A Diary of Discovery in the Far East, 

1853-1856 (Norman, Oklahoma, 1962), page 126. Hereafter, this will be 

referred to as Preble Diary. 

*

2Williams Journal, pages 78, 82, 246, and 248 for Ryukyu, and pages 193, 

195, 216-217 for Japan. 

43W.B. Allen's 2 May 1854 diary entry in Henry F. Graff, editor. 

Blue-jackets with Perry in Japan, the Diaries of Master's Mate J.R.C. Lewis of 

Macedonia and Cabin Boy W.B. Allen ofVandalia (New York. 1952), page 

154. 

"Williams Journal, page 82; Hora, 1962:751. 

*

5Hawks Narrative, pages 528-529. 

^Matajiro Kojima, Amerika ichijbsha [Commodore Perry's Expedition to 

Hakodate...] (Hakodate, Japan, 1953), pages26-27; English text, pages 16-17. 

41S1-AR 1858, page 53. 

48Morison, Old Bruin, page 424. 

49In addition to the description in the text, see Bakumatsu gaikoku..., volume 

8, pages 532-556, which includes a list, submitted by Ido Tsushima-no-kami 

to senior councilors of the Bakufu, of the articles prepared in April 1854 to be 

given as additional gifts to the American expedition party and the bazaars to be 

held for them at Shimoda 

30Ibid.. volume 6, pages 197-202, for the memorandum and the American 

want list dated 24 May 1854, submitted by the reception commissioners to 

senior members of the shbgun's council, Shimoda machi bugyb shoruisho-shu 

gaikoku jiken sho [Shimoda (city) Magistrate Records Relating to Foreign 

Affairs] and Appendix V for the English translation of the list. 

3

'For a list of the articles for sale reported to be coarse or inferior, see Fusui 

Mori, editor, Kurofune dansb [Collected Essays on (the coming of) Black 

Ships] (Shimoda, Japan, 1942), page 139. 

52Williams Journal, page 27. Hora, Peri Nihon, page 59, gives the Japanese 

translation of Williams' description of the gifts as "mikake taoshi no 

shina-jina" (showy but worthless articles). Cf. note number 42 for the assorted 

articles Perry purchased at Naha. 

53The rbju were councilors to the Shogun and officials of the Edo Bakufu. 

The rbju were elected from among the hereditary daimayo (lords). 

"Ernest Mason Satow, Japan 1853-1864, or Genji yume monogatari, 

(Tokyo, 1905), page 4 [The Japanese translation of Kaikoku shidan (History of 

the Opening of Japan), by Baba Bun'ei]. 

"Perry's letter of 5 September 1853, Maco, to the President of the United 

States, deposited in the Huntington Library (MS). 

56Perry Journal, pages 101-102. 

51Hawks Narrative, page 312. 

58Bayard Taylor, A Visit to India, China, and Japan in the Year 1853 (New 

York, 1859), page 438. Taylor was a civilian who joined the expedition party 

at Hong Kong. 

s9Perry Journal, page 190. 

^Preble Diary, pages 144-146, for his 24 March 1854 entry. 

6XPerry Journal, page 190. 

62Preble Diary, page 146. 

63Ibid., page 150. 

"Allan B. Cole, editor, With Perry in Japan: The Diary of Edward Yorke 

McCauley, Acting Master's Mate in Powhatan (Princeton, 1942), page 99. 

^Williams Journal, page 145. 

^Ibid. 

67Shio Sakanishi, editor, A Private Journal of John Glendy Sproston, U.S.N. 

(Tokyo, 1940), page 11. Hereafter, this will be referred to as Sproston Journal. 

^Morrow Journal, pages 145-146. 

69Griffis, Matthew Calbraith Perry, page 369. 

70Robert Tomes, The Americans in Japan: An Abridgement of the 

Government Narrative of the U.S. Expedition to Japan, under Commodore 

Perry (1857), page 232. 

7,Statler, Black Ship Scroll, page 12. 

72Morison, Old Bruin, page 424. The exchange rate imposed on the 

Americans in 1854 was 1 ryb to approximately $4.30; it was 1 ryb to 

approximately $1.35 for the Dutch at Nagasaki. See Hora, Peri Nihon, page 

347. 

73For the Shimoda gift list, see the document, an excerpt from "Kokui 

osetsu-roku" [The Reception Commissioners' Records Relating to the Black 

(ship) Barbarians (Americans)], in Bakumatsu gaikoku..., 1914, volume 6, 

pages 310-313 (cf. Appendix III). 

74"Kokui osetsu-roku," in Bakumatsu gaikoku ..., supplement volume 1, page 

573. Morrow Journal, page 193. 

15Hawks Narrative, page 556. 

16Williams Journal, page 205. The additional American gifts were four 

howitzers from the Powhatan and Mississippi. These were given to Ido and 

Izawa. The two cannons subsequently were presented to the shogunal 

government. See Morrow Journal, page 192. 

"Hora, Peri Nihon, page 341. For his assessment of the Shimoda presents 

see Tomio Hora "Kaikoku to Shimoda" [The Opening of Japan and Shimoda]. 

In Izu Shimoda (Tokyo. 1962), page 695. 

nWilliams Journal, page 216. 

^Williams Journal, page 245. Hawks Narrative, page 571, mentions only the 

temple bell; so does Speiden, see his entry for 12 July 1854, Naha, Speiden 

Journal. The episode goes unmentioned in the Perry Journal. 
12 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

80A han, literally hedge or palisade, was a fief or territory governed by a 

daimyb. 

8lSee Hora, Peri Nihon, pages 466-486. for the Japanese document entitled 

"Peri kantai Okinawa raiko kankei Satsuma han Naha zaiban bugyo todokesho" 

[The Reports Relative to Perry Squadron's Okinawa Visits by the Naha bugyb 

Appointed by Satsuma han]. For the list, ibid., 484-485. Installed in a specially 

constructed belfry, the bell stood at the entrance to Bancroft Hall at the U.S. 

Naval Academy until 22 July 1987 when the bell was returned to Japan. It is 

now housed in the Okinawa Prefectural Museum at Naha. Sources such as 

Okinawa bunka-shi jiten [Dictionary of Okinawan Cultural History] (Tokyo, 

1977), page 506; George H. Kerr, Okinawa: The History of an Island People 

(Vermont and Tokyo, 1965), page 337; and the records of the U.S. Naval 

Academy, identify the bell as coming from the Gokoku-ji temple. Other 

sources, such as Ryohei Tsuboi, Nihon no bonshb [Japanese Buddhist Temple 

Bells] (Tokyo, 1970), pages 234-235, 436; and Seiko Hokama, Ryukyu no 

bonsho ni tsute, in Bunkazai ybran [A Survey of the (Ryukyuan) Cultural 

Properties] (Naha, 1961), pages 97-98, consider it to be a bell from the Daian 

zen-ji. The apparent confusion stems from the fact that the Daian zen-ji, for 

which the bell was cast and hung originally, is no longer extant, and the bell 

subsequently was moved to the Gokoku-ji some time following the 

construction of Gokoku-ji in 1713. See Seimo Nakayama. editor, Ryikyu-shi 

jiten [An Historical Dictionary of the Ryukyus] (Naha, 1969), pages 484-486; 

also Okinawa Taimususha, editor, Okinawa daihyakka jiten [Encyclopaedia of 

Okinawa] (Naha, 1983), pages 640-641. The bell's dimensions are given by 

Tsuboi, page 235, and Hokama, page 98, as: height 76.2 cm; diameter 62.0 cm; 

weight approximately 100 kg. Mrs. Perry presented the bell to the U.S. Naval 

Academy in 1859, after the Commodore's death, in accordance with her 

husband's wishes. 

82Regarding the stone from Shimoda, see Yoshio Mori. Peri to Shimoda 

kaikb (Shimoda, 1969), page 141. which illustrates the Japanese inscription; 

see also Speiden's entry for 29 July 1854, Speiden Journal. 

83For a description of the White House showing, see Masao Miyoshi, As We 

Saw Them: The First Japanese Embassy to the United States (1860) (Berkeley, 

California, 1979), page 132. There is a probability that some of the Perry items 

may have been on public view prior to their transfer to the Smithsonian in 1858. 

The Maryland Institute for the Promotion of Mechanic Arts proposed to include 

"Japan Curiosities" in their annual exhibition to be held on 2 October 1855. The 

Commissioner of the Patent Office gave his approbation. See the 2 September 

1855 letter of Johan Vansard, President of the Maryland Institute to S.T. 

Shugert, Commissioner of the Patent Office. The letter is in the Huntington 

Library (MS). 

"The June 2nd Japanese visit to the Smithsonian was reported in an article 

headed "Movements of the Japanese," in the New York Herald, 4 June 1860. 

See Library of Congress newspaper collection, microfilm reel number 2128. A 

Japanese translation of the NYH article is in Kanai, Man'en gannen .... pages 

29-30. See also Varden Papers, diary entry for 2 June 1860. 

85The 1968 Smithsonian Institution exhibition catalog entitled "The Japan 

Expedition 1852-1855 of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry" lists these 

items under the heading, "Japanese gifts." Some items so listed have since been 

identified either as non-Perry materials or purchased articles. 

86See the ethnology collection card catalog file and loan record in the 

Department of Anthropology Processing Laboratory. See also the Naval 

Historical Foundation Registrar's files located in Navy Historical Center, Navy 

Yard, Washington, D.C. 

87Eugenie M. Guilmette letter of 22 July 1976 to Philip K. Lundberg, in the 

National Museum of American History Registrar's Office, accession number 

1977.0186. 

88The Thomas C Dudley Japan Expedition Journal is in the collections of the 

William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan. 
Catalog 

Entries uniformly begin with the closest equivalent English 

term, then the native Japanese term, including variants, if any. 

Collection identification, e.g., USNM Ethnology collection, 

NMAH Division of Naval History (now renamed the Division 

of Armed Forces), Dudley collection, etc., and catalog number 

are given next, followed by the object's dimensions in 

centimeters (D = diameter, H = height, L = length, T = 

thickness, W = width). 

The caption contents are intended to present the following 

information, generally in this order: (1) description of physical 

form, component materials, methods of construction, and 

decoration; (2) uses of the object, including identification of 

users, functions, and manner and condition of use; (3) 

elaboration of 1 and 2 in terms of relevant traditions, 

symbolism, historical origins and development, and typicality, 

plus supporting references to identical or similar specimens in 

other museum or private collections; (4) identification and 

interpretation of inscriptions, seals, and other marks; (5) variant 

and often erroneous identifications, which may be indicative of 

certain misperceptions of the times, in extant Smithsonian 

records (e.g., the original 1859 Smithsonian Anthropology 

catalog book number 1, the 1953 accession file number 

199043, and the current Ethnology collection [card] catalog), 

along with comparative entries in various published and 

unpublished sources; (6) name, location, and date of exhibition, 

if the object was shown in the past or is presently on display; 

and (7) donor's or purchaser's name, location, and date, if 

established. 

Japanese names are given following the native practice of 

giving surname first, before the given name. The modified 

Hepburn transliteration system is used for renderings of 

Japanese terms as well as personal and place names. 

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 

The following abbreviations identify various lists of Japanese presents; the list of Japanese objects wanted by members 

of the American expedition party; lists of merchandise prepared 

to give as additional gifts, for sale at bazaars, and those items 

actually purchased; select private and museum collection and 

exhibition catalogs of premodem Japanese artifacts; Smithsonian museums and administrative divisions; accession and 

catalog records; and dictionaries and technical and other special 

reference works cited. See "Literature Cited" for fuller 

descriptions. 

AWL 

BGKM 

BT 

CCJWA 

ECC 

HL 

HNL 

KORL 

ML 

NGL 

NKDJ 

NMAH 

NMAH-DAF 

NMAH-DT 

American Want List [containing various Japanese 

articles desired by the Americans, submitted by the 

Reception Commissioners to the Senior Council] in 

Bakumatsu gaikoku kankei monjo, volume 6 [cf. Appendix V\. [In the "Literature Cited" under Tokyo University Histographical Institute.] 

Bakumatsu gaikoku kankei monjo [Official Documents 

Relating to Foreign Relations in me Late Edo Period]. 

[In the "Literature Cited" under Tokyo University 

Historiographical Institute.] 

Bijutsu techb [Handbook of (Japanese) Art]. [In the 

"Literature Cited" under Tokyo bijutsu kurabu seinenkai, editor.] 

Descriptive Catalogue of General Horace Capron's 

Collection of Specimens of Antique Japanese Works of 

Art Temporarily Deposited in the U.S. National Museum 

[collection catalog]. [In the "Literature Cited" under 

Smithsonian Institution.] 

Ethnology Collection [Card] Catalog [Located in the 

Department of Anthropology, National Museum of 

Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.] 

Hora Tomio's list of Japanese presents in Peri Nihon 

ensei zuikb-ki [Japanese translation of A Journal of the 

Perry Expedition to Japan, by S. Wells Williams]. 

Hawks' Narrative list [of Japanese presents] in Narrative 

of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China 

Sea and Japan... by Francis L. Hawks. 

Japanese Interiors. [In the "Literature Cited" under 

Gakuyo shobo Editorial Board.] 

"Kokui osetsu roku" (The Reception Commissioners' 

Records Relating to the Black [Ship] Barbarians [Americans]) list [of Japanese presents] in BGKM, volume 5. 

Morrow list [of articles purchased at Hakodate and 

Shimoda] in A Scientist with Perry in Japan: The 

Journal of Dr. James Morrow, edited by Allan B. Cole. 

"Nyoze gamon" (As the Way I Heard) list [of Japanese 

presents] in BGKM, volume 4. 

Nihon kokugo daijiten (Encyclopaedia of Japanese 

Language). [In the "Literature Cited" under Nihon 

daijiten kankokai, editor.] 

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American 

History. 

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American 

History, Division of Armed Forces. 

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American 

History, Division of Textiles. 

13 
14 

NMNH 

NMNH-NAA 

OSL 

PJL 

SGL 

SML 

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural 

History. 

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural 

History, National Anthropological Archives. 

"Okinawa-ken shiryo" list [Historical documents relating to Okinawa Prefecture]. [In the "Literature Cited" 

under Okinawa-ken Okinawa shiryo henshusho, editor.] 

Perry Journal list [of Japanese presents] in The Japan 

Expedition 1852-1854; the Personal Journal of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, edited by Rodger Pineau. 

Shimoda gift list [containing additional Japanese gifts 

presented at Shimoda] in BGKM, volume 6. 

"Shimoda machi-bugyo" (city magistrate) list [of the 

articles assembled as additional gifts promised and also 

items to be sold at the bazaars held for the Americans 

May-June 1854 at Shimoda] in BGKM, volume 8. 

SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

UD Ueda's daijiten: A Japanese Dictionary of Chinese 

Characters and Compounds. [In the "Literature Cited" 

under Harvard University.] 

USKH Ukiyo-e no sekai-teki kyoshb Hiroshige ten (An Exhibition of Hiroshige's Masterpieces) [exhibition catalog]. 

USNM Collections of the former United States National 

Museum, now in the National Museum of Natural 

History, Smithsonian Institution. 

1859-ACB 1859 Smithsonian Institution Anthropology catalog, 

book number 1. 

1953-AL 1953 Smithsonian Institution Accession list (NMNH, 

Office of the Registrar, accession file 199043). 

1968-SIJE 1968 Smithsonian Institution Japan Expedition exhibit 

list in The Japan Expedition 1852-1855 of Commodore 

Matthew Calbraith Perry [exhibition catalog]. [In the 

"Literature Cited" under Smithsonian Institution.] 

Lacquerware 

1 Lacquered covered bowl (suimonowan $&%}$&) 

USNM ECC 6 

H: 8.4 cm, D: 11.5 cm 

2 Lacquered covered bowl (suimonowan) 

USNM ECC 180 

H:5.5cm,D: 10.8 cm 

Description: Black lacquer, conical, wooden soup bowl 

with cover and foot rim. 

Characteristics: A gold and silver thistle design of 

keshifun makie ffiffl^jfe (sprinkled or strewn gold or silver 

dust; for various other types of makie decorations and standard 

terms, see Komatsu, 1975:86) decorates the cover and one side 

of the bowl. The bowl interior is in red, whereas the bowl and 

cover rims are in gold. 

Remarks: This bowl probably was purchased at Shimoda. 

An entry for "akikusa no moyo suimonowan rokujimin-mae" 

^d^fUfcg^/fcHAj&AjfiJ (sixty lacquered soup 

bowls decorated with autumn grass design) is recorded in the 

SML (see BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 547, for entry) in 

response to the AWL (cf. Appendix V). The bowl was 

exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969 and 

also was included in the National Portrait Gallery's exhibit, 

"Mission to Japan," in Washington, D.C, in 1978. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 7, cover missing; ECC 13, 

cover missing; ECC 14, bowl missing (2 complete sets 

remaining). All have dimensions identical to the illustrated 

specimen. 

Description: Vermilion lacquer soup bowl with cover and 

foot rim. 

Characteristics: The interior and exterior surfaces of the 

bowl and the bowl cover are in vermilion with no ornamentation. 

Remarks: The bowl was not included in any of the official 

lists of Japanese presents. Most likely it was part of the 50 

lacquer cups [bowls] presented to Perry at Edo Bay by Kayama 

Eizaemon (Assistant Magistrate of Uraga) on 16 July 1853 

(Williams, 1910:67-68), which were sent subsequently to the 

White House (Perry letter of 5 September 1853, Macao, to the 

President of the United States). 

Additional Specimens: Eighteen sets (ECC 137-148, 

177-182), including two incomplete sets: ECC 148, bowl 

missing; ECC 178, cover missing. 
NUMBER 37 15 

USNM ECC 6 

USNM ECC 180 
16 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 8 

3 Lacquered covered bowl (suimonowan) 

USNM ECC 8 

H: 9.8 cm, D: 11.5 cm 

4 Lacquered bowl (suimonowan) 

USNM ECC 10 (not illustrated) 

H:5cm,D: 11.8 cm 

Description: Dark olive green lacquer, conical bowl with 

cover and foot rim. 

Characteristics: A design of stylized maple leaves in red 

and gold makie decorates the cover and one side of the bowl. 

The interior surface is red, whereas the bowl and cover rims are 

in gold. 

Remarks: It probably was purchased at Shimoda sometime 

during May-June 1854 (cf. entry 1 for references). The bowl 

was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969 and 

also at the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C, in 

1978. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 9, bowl only; ECC 11, bowl 

with cover; ECC 12 bowl only; all with dimensions similar to 

those of ECC 8. 

Description: Dark red lacquer, conical, gold rimmed bowl 

with foot rim and cover missing. 

Characteristics: Scattered gold dots decorate one side of 

the bowl. 

Remarks: This bowl definitely was not part of the 50 red 

lacquered covered bowls received in 1853 (cf. entry 2); 

furthermore, it is unlikely to have been part of an official gift. 

No reference to it has been found in the various lists. 
NUMBER 37 17 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0076-77 

Above, lacquered base and view of 

overturned bowl. 

Right, lacquered covered bowl on stand, 

side view. 

5 Lacquered covered bowl with stand (suimonowan) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0076-77 

H:8.4cm,D: 11.5 cm 

Description: Conical wooden soup bowl in black lacquer, 

with cover, foot rim, and stand. 

Characteristics: The footed and slightly grooved stand has 

a recessed (D: 12.7 cm) center into which the bowl's foot rim 

fits. A rose-colored botan £t # (peony) in gold makie decorates 

the exterior cover, and an outline of leaves in gold is on one 

sector of the bowl's exterior. The interior surface is in ochre, 

whereas the bowl and cover rims are in gold. 

Remarks: This probably was purchased at one of the 

several bazaars held in Shimoda in 1854. "Kiku makie 

suimonowan rokuju-nin mae" ^^^(R^J^B^A^Ami 

(sixty sets of soup bowls with floral makie decoration) were 

included in the items prepared for the bazaars to be held in 

Shimoda for the Americans (BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 

540). The bowl, a gift of E.M. Guilmette, a descendant of the 

collector, was received in 1977. 
18 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 158 

6 Lacquered shallow bowl (nurizarawan 

USNM ECC 158 

H:6.2cm,D: 18 cm 

M) Additional Specimens: ECC 156, H: 4.8 cm, D: 14.9 cm; 

ECC 157, H: 5.5 cm, D: 16.3 cm. These two bowls and ECC 

158 nest together to form a set. 

Description: Shallow, wooden, dark red lacquered bowl 

with low foot rim, used for serving food. 

Characteristics: The interior is decorated with gold makie 

design of auspicious symbols. Depicted are three figures of 

long-tailed minogame flU, (lit. straw-raincoat tortoise), a 

longevity symbol that is derived from the legend of the 

messenger from the Sea God, whose tail is said to grow when 

it is 500 years old (Dower, 1971:100; Boger, 1964:24; 

Newman and Ryerson, 1964:56, for legend and symbolism). 

The minogame rest onshore above the waves, which are 

symbolic of power and resilience (Dower, 1971:44), among 

clusters of pine needles. Common symbolic attributes for pine 

are longevity, morality, and constancy (Casal, 1961, glossary 

25). The bowl rim is in gold. 

Remarks: There is an entry for "nurizarawan" in the AWL 

(cf. Appendix V), and the bowl was described as one of three 

"wooden highly ornamented red bowls" in the 1953-AL (cf. 

Appendix VI). Black-and-white photographs of this bowl 

previously were published by Lancaster (1963:18) as an 

illustration of Japanese presents to Perry. The caption described 

it as a "bowl in red and gold lacquer." 

7 Covered lacquerware bowl (shiruwan H' #ij ) 

USNM ECC 15 (bowl) and ECC 17 (cover) (not illustrated) 

H: 5.5 cm, D: 10 cm 

Description: Dull black lacquered bowl slightly tapered 

toward the foot and cover, with foot rim in dull black lacquer, 

used for serving soup or food prepared in broth. 

Characteristics: A shiruwan (lit. soup bowl; also bowl 

used for serving various nondry dishes) is somewhat smaller in 

size but less shallow than the common suimonowan (soup 

bowl) (see Janata, 1965, entries 372e, 373, for similar 

specimens; NKDJ, 1976, volume 11, page 81. for varied uses). 

The finish is in the style of tsuya-keshi fft ffl L (sheenextinguished) and hakeme-nuri fiilj \~j @ ^ (lacquer paint that 

shows traces of the brush strokes) (Casal, 1961:14-15, for the 

techniques used to produce this particular type of lacquered 

finish). 

Remarks: This bowl possibly was from Hayashi Daigakuno-kashira. According to a PJL entry, there was "1 box of 3 

lacquered cups"; and an HNL entry reads: "1 box, set of 3, 
NUMBER 37 19 

USNM ECC 16 

lacquered goblets." Possibly it was a purchased item because 

the AWL includes zenwan $|#H (tableware, food serving 

bowls) (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 201). The 1859-ACB 

identifies it as a wooden black bowl. It was exhibited at the 

Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 

Additional Specimens: Two additional bowls each without 

a cover, both with dimensions of H: 7 cm, D: 10.5 cm. One 

bowl has duplicate number ECC 15, the other has duplicate 

number ECC 17. 

8 Covered lacquerware bowl (shiruwan) 

USNM ECC 16 

H: 7.2 cm, D: 10.7 cm 

Description: Lacquered wooden bowl and cover, both with 

foot rims. 

Characteristics: The rust-colored finish is produced by 

combining the sabiji If #|j (rust-ground) and hakeme-nuri 

methods. The bowl's size is somewhat smaller but taller than 

the common suimonowan (soup bowl) (for descriptions and 

uses steNKDJ, 1976, volume 11, page 81; Janata, 1965, entries 

372e, 373). 

Remarks: This bowl may have been received from Hayashi 

Daigaku-no-kashira, if it corresponds to a PJL entry for "1 box 

of 3 lacquered cups" and an HNL entry for "1 box, set of 3, 

lacquered goblets." The AWL also includes zenwan for the 

bazaars to be held in Shimoda (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 

201). The bowl was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York 

City, in 1969. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 19, bowl with cover missing; 

H: 7.5 cm, D: 10.8 cm. 
20 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 71 (gold lacquered box with lid on) 

9 Lacquered stationery box (rybshi-bako Sfsf jjg jj£g ) 

USNM ECC 71 

L: 40.5 cm, W: 33 cm, H: 17 cm 

Description: Black, rectangular, covered lacquer box with 

shallow interior tray, used for storing paper, brushes, inkstones, 

and other writing paraphernalia. 

Characteristics: The box cover ornamentation is in the 

traditionally auspicious shbchikubai ¥&¥r$$ (pine, bamboo, 

and plum) design of makie decoration in relief against the 

nashiji %L ^ (lit. golden pear-like color finish; gold flecked 

surface) lacquer finish. The nashiji exterior finish is obtained 

by sprinkling gold flakes, made from compressed coarse gold 

fillings, onto the surface and applying a final coating of lacquer. 

Additional decoration includes such other equally auspicious 

symbols as clouds and waves in burnished gold. The interior 

surface is finished in black lacquer. Boxes of this size and 

construction generally are known simply as rybshi-bako 

(stationery box) (Young, 1973:112, 206, for the term and 

similar specimens). 

Remarks: This stationery box was presented as a gift to the 

President of the United States from the Bakufu (the military 

government under the shogun; also known as the Shogunate 

Government, 1603-1868) at Kanagawa in March 1854. An 

entry for ''nashiji makie shbchikubai rybshi suzuri-bako'1 

Qi&mfeftVrmm&ffim appears in the NGL (BGKM, 

1912, volume 4, page 556), and "Rybshi suzuri-bako, shbchikubai taka-makie" is recorded in the SML (BGKM, 1916, 

volume 8, page 546). 
NUMBER 37 21 

USNM ECC 71 (detailed view of front of box) 

USNM ECC 71 (three-quarter view of front and side of box, lid removed) 
22 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 71 (view of underside of box lid) 
NUMBER 37 23 

USNM ECC 72 (inside view of lacquered inkstone box) 

10 Lacquered inkstone box (suzuri-bako) 

USNM ECC 72 

L: 24.5 cm, W: 20.5 cm, H: 4.5 cm 

Description: Square covered lacquered box with nashiji 

finish. 

Characteristics: The interior surface of the box cover is 

decorated with figures of minogame, a legendary, long-tailed 

tortoise (cf. entry 6 for symbolism), in makie relief design. 

Encased in the box are a rectangular black inkstone, a round 

metal mizu-ire TKAtl (water-dropper) decorated with a 

carved pine tree design, a writing brush, and a gimlet with a 

small book of note paper. The lower interior surface of the 

inkstone box has additional floral makie ornamentation in a 

dandelion design. An inkstone box also is referred to as a 

writing box, and it usually is placed on a scholar's desk. 

Remarks: This suzuri-bako probably was received from 

Ido Tsushima-no-kami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami at 

Shimoda (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 311 for entry) in 

response to a want-listed item included in the AWL (cf. 

Appendix V). There is another entry for suzuri-bako in the 

KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, page 310), in which case this 

inkstone box was included in the Reception Committee's 

official list of Japanese gifts. The box was included in the 

Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Decorative Arts and Design's 

exhibit, "Writing and Reading," New York City, during 15 

September 1981-3 January 1982. 
24 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 72 (detail of top of lid) 
NUMBER 37 25 

iggjp——I—p 

USNM ECC 152 

11 Lacquered waiter (ken'gai; suzuri-buta $fr H ) 

USNM ECC 152(a,b) 

L: 24 cm, W: 22.5 cm, H: 2.5 cm; L: 23 cm, W: 21 cm, 

H: 2.5 cm 

Description: Two sets (with identical dimensions) of 

nested square trays, each set with two trays having rounded 

comers, lacquered black exteriors, and lacquered red interiors. 

Characteristics: Trays such as these are used for serving 

fruit or sweets (pers. comm. Hauge, letter, 23 July 1992), and 

for presenting flowers (NKDJ, 1969, volume 11, page 431). 

Ken'gai or suzuri-buta literally means the cover of an inkstone 

box, but its usage is equivalent to that of a tray or waiter. 

Remarks: The HNL (cf. Appendix I) enters them as "1 set 

[of] waiters" for the "Government of the United States of 

America, from the Emperor," and also as "2 boxes lacquered 

waiters, 4 in all" from Ido, 2nd Commissioner. But the PJL (cf. 

Appendix II) enters them as "1 set of two lacquered trays." 

Assuming that one set normally consists of two trays, these two 

sets, "4 in all," may be the ones given by Ido. They initially 

were translated as "urushinuri-kyitjibon" ^^fcotti k (lacquered waiters), but this was corrected to read "ken'gai or 

suzuri-buta" in the HL (Hora, 1970:242). They were listed as 

"black working box" in the 1953-AL. One set was exhibited at 

the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 
26 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 20 

12 Lidded lacquerware box (meshi-bako $i$f ; bento 

ft%) 

USNM ECC 20 

L: 23 cm, W: 24.3 cm, H: 6.8 cm 

Description: Square wooden black lacquered meshi-bako 

(food box) or bento (lunch box), locally called by Okinawans 

"hatssun-jubakd" A^}"£| | (8 ssun [1 ssun = 3.3 cm], 

~24 cm x -24 cm size tiered food box) even when not tiered 

(pers. comm. Gibo, conversation, 16 January 1990). 

Characteristics: The lid border is ornamented with a 

lacquered painting of shbchikubai motif in red. An additional 

floral design of red chrysanthemum blossom decorates the 

center of the lid and the four sides of the box. The interior is 

finished with red lacquer, whereas the bottom of the box is 

covered with clear lacquer, revealing the dark, wood surface. 

Remarks: This probably is one of the assorted lacquerwares (cf. Appendixes IIlB, HID) that was received at Naha 

(Hora, 1970:59; also Williams, 1910:27, for his 8 June 1853 

journal entry). Both the 1859-ACB and 1953-AL identify it as 

"Loo Choo wooden work box." 
NUMBER 37 27 

USNM ECC 21 

13 Lidded lacquerware box (meshi-bako; bento) 

USNM ECC 21 

L: 20 cm, W: 21.5 cm, H: 6.5 cm 

Description: Shallow, square, wooden box with lid. 

Characteristics: Although both the interior and exterior of 

the box are vermilion, the bottom is in black lacquer. This style 

of box is used as a lunch box for cold dishes or sweets, or 

for delivering such articles to friends and relatives. Faint traces 

of the imprint: "Chow Chow Box Loo Choo" is apparent on 

the lid. 

Remarks: This box was received at Naha and was recorded 

in Williams' journal as "meshibako" (lit. rice box) (Hora, 

1970:484), and as "bento" (lunch box) (Hora, 1970:470). It also 

is known as "rokssun-jubako" ^ TJ- jr |§ (6 ssun, -20 cm x 

-20 cm size tiered food box) (pers. comm. Gibo, conversation, 

16 January 1990; cf. entry 12 for usage of the term). It probably 

was included in an "assortment of lacquerwares" received (cf. 

Appendixes IIIB, HID) and was so identified by Williams 

(1910:27, for his 8 June 1853 journal entry). 
28 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

14 Lacquered boxes (kobako 'Ml ; tebako # $f) 

USNM ECC 154, 155 

L: 14 cm, W: 14 cm, H: 8.7 cm 

Description: Small, square, wooden, covered box with low 

foot rim in black lacquer finish with raden $& £jf] aogai (blue 

shell) and nacre inlay decoration (Casal, 1961:25; Komatsu, 

1975:86, for the raden method of ornamentation) combined 

with the fuse saishiki {£ ^ fe (application of pigments over 

shell inlays) method of embellishment (pers. comm. Komatsu, 

conversation, January 1989). 

Characteristics: Lacquered boxes such as these are popularly known as a tebako (handy box), kobako (small box), or a 

cosmetic box. They are used to store small, precious objects or 

small articles for everyday use. The tops of the covers are 

ornamented with a floral design of magnolia (ECC 154) and 

camellia (ECC 155) blossoms in shaded pink, with branches 

and leaves in iridescent lavender and blue-green. The four sides 

of each box have painted nacre inlays of plum blossoms and 

petals. According to legend (local legend of Aomori Prefecture), the mokuran -fc gjff or magnolia is a symbol of spring and 

of feminine sweetness and beauty, whereas the camellia or 

tsubaki $? symbolizes success in love (Joya, 1958:235, for the 

legendary tsubaki yama j#[l| (camellia mountain) in Aomori). 

Remarks: Komatsu Taishu (pers. comm., conversation, 

January 1989) identified these as Nagasaki-mono H l£f $J , the 

typical souvenir lacquerware produced in Nagasaki for export. 

They probably were received from Ido at Shimoda in June 

1854, and they are listed in the KORL as "raden-bako" (cf. 

Appendix III). ECC 155 was included in the "Men Who Made 

the Navy" exhibit at the Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum, 

Washington, D.C, in 1975-1976, and later in the exhibit 

"Mission to Japan" at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, in 1978. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 153, with a floral design of 

magnolia on the cover top, similar to that of ECC 154. 
NUMBER 37 29 

USNM ECC 154 

USNM ECC 155 
30 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 23, 162 

15 Lacquerware picnic box (bentb-bako # ^ $1 ; sagejubakoTMffi ) 

USNM ECC 23, 162 

L: 14 cm, W: 22.5 cm, H: 21.5 cm 

Description: Sageju style (layered containers fitted into a 

box with carrying handle) rectangular wooden (oak, pers. 

comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) box with clear 

lacquer finish. 

Characteristics: The box has a sliding front panel, copper 

fittings on the front exterior corners, and two round escutcheons in front and back of the loop handle on the box top. Fitted 

inside are five boxes (two are lidded) of various sizes in red 

lacquer, a box-shaped pewter wine bottle (Boger, 1964:94, for 

Japanese use of pewter) with a spout and covered opening at the 

top, and a small conical cup (3 cm in diameter). All five box 

exterior bottoms are in black lacquer (for varied styles of 

construction, ornamentation, uses, and the popularity of the 

sageju style picnic box during the Edo period, see Young, 1977: 

125-126; also Okamura, 1946, fig. 80, a "shunuri bentb-bako" 

(sageju style lunch box in vermilion lacquer) for an Okinawan 

type). 

Remarks: During the 19th century, Westerners often 

referred to this type of picnic box as a "tea chest," and this piece 

is so identified in the 1859-ACB and 1953-AL. It is not 

included in the PJL nor in the HNL. It was received from 

Hayashi if it is the item identified as "chow-chow box" (Hora, 

1970:242, for HL; cf. Appendixes I, II). One small lidded box 

top is numbered 162 in error. 
NUMBER 37 31 

USNM ECC 163 

16 Lacquered picnic box (bentb-bako; sageju-bako) 

USNM ECC 163 

L: 14 cm, W: 24 cm, H: 21.3 cm 

Description: Sageju style rectangular wooden (oak, pers. 

comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) box with clear 

lacquer finish. 

Characteristics: The picnic box has a sliding front panel 

and a looped copper handle at the top. In front and back of the 

handle two round copper escutcheons are attached. Four 

covered bowls are fitted inside; two cylindrical vessels on the 

lower shelf and two smaller, somewhat globular, vessels on the 

upper shelf. The bowl exteriors are decorated with an ochre 

finish of suki-urushi &it$ mokume-nuri Tfc @ j£ (tinted clear 

lacquer finish to show the wood grain), and the interiors are 

covered with red lacquer (Casal, 1961:14-15, especially for the 

type of lacquer finish). This type of finish that shows the wood 

grain also is known as shunkei-nuri # j§[ i^ , the technique 

developed during the Muromachi period (1392-1569) by 

lacquer artist Shunkei (pers. comm. Komatsu, conversation, 

June 1979). Note that this type of sageju is used not only for 

outings but for the social and commercial delivery of prepared 

foods (NKDJ, 1976, volume 8, page 696). 

Remarks: This picnic box is not included in any published 

or unpublished lists of Japanese presents. It was received from 

Hayashi if it is the item referred to as "chow-chow box" (Hora, 

1970:242, for HL; Appendixes I, II). 
32 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Textiles and Paper 

17 Silk (kempu $f 7f? ; kinu H ) 

NMAH-DT E4097, E4099 (original nos. unknown) 

W: 35.5-41.0 cm, L: 5 rolls (1 roll = ~2l/i yards) 

Description: Kohaku hira-ori S^Ifi^Pltfe (evenly balanced, plain weave silk) taffeta with multicolored yoko-jima 

$t M (horizontal stripes) design. 

Characteristics: Yoko-jima designs are woven with ikat 

dyed weft (pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979). E4097 

(41.0 cm wide) has horizontal stripes in blue, tan, brown, red, 

and yellow; E4099 (35.5 cm wide) has horizontal stripes in 

blue, red, tan, and grey. The kohaku-ori 3£I&$£ (lit. textile 

with smooth-as-amber texture) (NKDJ, 1976, volume 4, page 

223, for the term) silk taffeta was introduced to Japan in the 

16th century by immigrant Chinese weavers in Sakai *$ (then 

a major port and center of commerce; now a suburb of modem 

Osaka), who contributed greatly to the development of 

Japanese weaving techniques (Shively, 1968:250). Stripes as 

woven design were said to have been known to the Japanese 

first as tbzan Hf U (Chinese wood lattice work) and later as 

shima % (lit. island; homonym of shima ^ , stripes and 

checks), which is derived from the term for shima-mono % fy) 

(articles of south-sea island origin). By the late 17th century 

and early 18th century, stripes were the most popular textile 

pattern (see Hauge and Hauge, 1978:26, for the history of 

stripes, especially as woven designs in cotton). Because 

Tokugawa law prohibited the possession of silk by commoners, 

silk fabrics were worn exclusively by persons of high station. 

Rich silk costumes were in heavy demand with actors in the 

aristocratic no t| drama; the dandara-jima $t f$t W\ (multicolored stripes) design was reserved for a type of no silken 

costume called noshime f$ if- @ (plain, short- or smallsleeved garment), which was worn by actors playing the roles 

of old men, Buddhist priests, common people, low-ranking 

samurai, and low-bom women of mature years (for types of no 

costumes and associated textile designs, and for illustrations of 

noshime in variegated colored, horizontal stripes, see Noma, 

1974:58-65, 150). Only after 1714 were kabuki actors allowed 

to use silk costumes (Shively, 1968:255), and the Tokugawa 

shogunate granted special permission in 1787 for those of 

samurai status to wear silken garments of striped design. Even 

the multicolored striped pattern that included red, a color 

traditionally associated with femininity, became popular 

among men (Noma, 1974:132-133). Following the Meiji 

restoration (1868), silk became available for commoners' 

apparel, and silk taffeta was widely used for various types of 

clothing and as suitable fabrics for umbrellas and parasols (see 

UD, 1942:1503, for various usages). Twenty-four or 25 tan U. 

(approximately 12 yards per tan) were presented to the 

Americans by bakufu councillors at Kanagawa in March 1854 

(cf. Appendixes I, II). The offering of textiles in gift-giving is 

an important aspect of Japanese tradition (pers. comm. Hauge, 

letter, 23 July 1992), which has ceremonial significance "as an 

expression of respect" (Miyoshi, 1979:50). 

Remarks: These five rolls of silk have been variously 

identified as "striped-figured silk (taffeta)" (HNL; PJL), 

"gunnai-jima kaiki" #P $k *£ li (lit. silk decorated with thin, 

willow branch-like lines) (KORL in BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 313-314; NGL in BGKM, 1912, volume 4, pages 

560-561), "gunnai-jima kaiki" SEfaM^^ifci (stripepatterned silk from the Kai ^ H district (modem Yamanshi 

prefecture) (NKDJ, 1976, volume 7, page 67)), and "kohakuori" (HL in Hora, 1970:242). They were entered as "assorted 

silk pieces" in the 1859-ABC and USNM-ECC. E4099 has 

been renumbered as T1887? by the Division of Textiles, 

Smithsonian Institution. 

Additional Specimens: E4059 (41 cm wide) has horizontal 

stripes in pink, red, blue, and tan; E4098 (35.5 cm wide) has 

two tones of blue and grey horizontal stripes; and E4100 (36 

cm wide) has horizontal stripes in blue, red, brown, and tan. 
NUMBER 37 33 

NMAH-DT E4097 
34 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DT E4099 
NUMBER 37 35 

li 

MiiiBMil—lll l 

—„,.,,ii—,,—»i-.Mui-agtsagyftg 

S&tiE 

iniimtfi •HUBBUB 

liiiiMMiiiiUMiiiiiiMi 

I 

•Ili'l—iilMWJ 

, . |ljg —,— |Sw a 

MiilHiii 

NMAH-DT E4060 

18 Silk (kempu; kinu) 

NMAH-DT E4060, E4070, E4071?, E4072, E4076, E4091 

W: 35.5-41.0 cm, L: 9 rolls (1 roll = ~2*/2 yards) 

Description: Kohaku hira-ori or balanced plain weave silk 

taffeta with multicolored kbshi-jima & •? $g (trellis pattern) in 

straight and tie-dyed plaid designs. 

Characteristics: The straight plaids are without ikat, and 

the tie-dyed plaids have part of the warp and weft tie-dyed in 

the yam (pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979). The 

individual colors and patterns are as follows: E4060 (41 cm 

wide), red, yellow, green, and white straight plaid; E4070 (35.5 

cm wide), blue, ecru, and green straight plaid; E4071? (T18872 

(86)) (35.5 cm wide), red, yellow, green, and white straight 
36 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DT E4070 

plaid; E4072 (41.0 cm wide), blue, yellow, and white straight 

plaid; E4076 (41.0 cm wide), red, green, blue, and white 

tie-dyed plaid; E4091 (41.0 cm wide), blue, gold, and ecru 

tie-dyed plaid. In the 18th century, the dan'gawari g£|£ U 

(lit. step-wise different; plaid) designed fabric was used mainly 

for theatrical costumes. The atsuita j? ^ , a type of no drama 

costume with a bold plaid design (Noma, 1974, figs. 183, pi. 

13), was considered most suitable for actors playing the roles of 

strong characters (Noma, 1974:22, 183). Sometimes the plaids 

and stripes were combined in no drama costume designs, thus 

creating the so-called katami-gawari ft# f£ U (nt-

 nalf the 

body different) type costume (Noma, 1974, fig. 64). Silk plaids 

and checks also gained popularity with kabuki actors, who were 

allowed to wear silk costumes after 1714 when the edict 

prohibiting the use of silk costumes was lifted (Shively, 

1968:255, for the date). The kbshi-jima patterned fabrics, 

especially those with large-size main patterns, were one of the 

fabric designs frequently used for yagu fcM; (bedding). 

Because shima M refers both to stripes and plaids, these silk 

plaids are undoubtedly the famous silks of the Kai district (cf. 

entry 17, for information about Kai silks, donor, and various 

identifications). 

Additional Specimens: E4087 (41.0 cm wide), red, yellow, 

green, and white straight plaid; E4088 (40.5 cm wide), same 

characteristics as E4060; E4092 (36.0 cm wide), brown, green, 

and white straight plaid. 
NUMBER 37 37 

NMAH-DT E4071? 
38 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DT E4072 
NUMBER 37 39 

NMAH-DT E4076 
40 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DT E4091 
NUMBER 37 41 

NMAH-DT E4069 

19 Silk (kempu; kinu) 

NMAH-DT E4069 (original no. ECC 224) 

W: 41.0 cm, L: 1 roll (2J/2 yards) 

Description: Plain weave silk taffeta. 

Characteristics: This textile has evenly spaced red and 

white warp and weft stripes that produce a checkered pattern 

(pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979). Such checkeredpattern silk frequently was used as material for theatrical 

costumes (Noma, 1974, figs. 40, 108, 187, for early- and 

mid-Edo period no drama costumes). The checkered pattern has 

been variously named arare-mon &JC (lit. hail pattern), 

which was of Egyptian origin and was introduced to Japan via 

China (Mori, 1969:18); ishi-datami 5 1 (lit. stone-mat; 

stones (pieces)) in a go ^ (Japanese chess) board arrangement; 

and ichimatsu ffT %k after the checkered-design costume worn 

on the occasion of the renouned 1741 performance by 

Sanogawa Ichimatsu f£ill ft?!& , a popular kabuki actor 

(NKDJ, 1976, volume 2, page 167; 1976, volume 9, page 109, 

for the origin; Noma, 1974: foldout 2, for the term included in 

"representative motifs" in Japanese textile designs). Checkered 

patterns generally are classed as shima moyb. 

Remarks: This is a sample of silk from the Kai district (cf. 

entry 17, for a discussion of Japanese plain weave silks, their 

uses, donors of Kai silks, and various identifications). 
42 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DT E4077 and E4078 

20 Silk (kempu; kinu) 

NMAH-DT E4077, E4078 (original nos. ECC 232, 233) 

W: 15.0 cm, L: 2 rolls (1 roll = -3 yards) 

Description: Thin and soft habutae 33ziji; (lit. silk 

fabric only twice the weight of a feather, but not as soft), also 

called tsumugi $# (natural raw silk weave) or pongee fabric of 

Chinese origin, woven from raw silk. 

Characteristics: E4077 is dyed red; ECC E4078 is in ecru 

(natural white). The smoothness of habutae fabric is the result 

of what is known as the kome-ori WLW, (lit. grain weave) 

technique, a type of twill weave (pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 

October 1979). Because of its thin, silky softness, it was widely 

used for ceremonial garments, feminine apparel, and the linings 

of special fineries (NKDJ, 1976, volume 16, page 406, for 

various uses). The shogunal government presented 20 tan (roll) 

of red and 5 tan of white pongee (1 tan = -12 yards) to the 

United States and to Commodore Perry, respectively, at 

Kanagawa in March 1854. As is well known, the offering of 

cloth, especially silk, has ceremonial significance (cf. entry 17). 

Remarks: These two rolls of silk have been variously 

identified as "pongee" in the HNL and PJL (cf. Appendixes I, 

II), "habutae" in the NGL (BGKM, 1912, volume 4, page 557), 

"kenchu" M%& (variant of habutae) in HL (Hora, 1970:241-

242), and "nuno" JtHm (lit- soft and shiny silk) in the KORL 

(BGKM, 1914, volume 5, page 311). They were entered simply 

as "silk" in the 1859-ACB, 1953-AL, and USNM-ECC, and as 

"plain silk" in the NMAH-DT catalog. 

21 Silk (kempu; kinu) 

NMAH-DT E4103-E4106 (original nos. ECC 258,260,263, ?) 

W: 44.5-49.0 cm, L: 4 rolls (1 roll = -68 cm) 

Description: Silk chirimen i^| 0 (lit. fabric with crinkled 

surface; crepe de chine) woven with single thread warp and 

multiple twisted threads weft that is heat treated after weaving. 

Characteristics: These silks are examples of itajime fo #jf 

(block resist print), stencil dyed, figured silk in floral and 

geometric weave (pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979). 

E4103 (44.5 cm wide) has a pattern of roundels with floral 

sprays of shbchikikubai (pine, bamboo, and plum) and kanoko 

g g ^ (eye pattern; spots on young deer's coat; tie-dyed 

spotted pattern) that are effected in white on a red ground. The 

compact arrangement of kanoko design within roundels 

resembles the effect of tie-dyeing. E4104 (48.0 cm wide) is a 

salmon color silk crepe in warp-float weave (pers. comm. 

Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979). The overall design is of rows of 

shbchikikubai arranged against vertical serpentine lines 

creating what is called tatewaku \i\ffi (vertical seething) 

design. E4105 (44.5 cm wide) is an ivory silk crepe in 

weft-float weave (pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979) 

with an overall chrysanthemum floral design. E4106 (49.0 cm 

wide) is a blue silk crepe in damask weave (pers. comm. Fiske, 

letter, 24 October 1994) with a design of an overall fret pattern 

or sayagata $£ §jJ (linked swastikas) design. The itajime is the 

stencil dyeing method by which the fabric is folded and 

clamped between two thin stenciled boards in a decorative 

design. The dye is applied to cut-out portions. The design is 

sometimes cut in only one of the two boards to create the 

desired effect (Okada, 1958:9; NKDJ, 1976, volume 2, page 

103, for the itajime technique of stencil dyeing). The chirimen 

weaving technique is said to have been introduced to Japan in 

the late 16th century by Chinese weavers (cf. entry 17, for other 

types of silk weave introduced by the Chinese). The chirimen 

fabric is used mainly for clothing, such as, kimono, belts, jacket 

linings, etc., but it also is suitable for furoshiki UL g !fc (square 

wrapping cloth) (NKDJ, 1976, volume 13, page 582, for 

popular uses). 

Remarks: These silks were entered in the HNL as "5 pieces 

flowered crape, 5 pieces red dyed figured crape" for the 

Government of the United States, and "2 pieces flowered crape, 

3 pieces figured dyed crape" presented to Commodore Perry at 
NUMBER 37 43 

NMAH-DT E4103 

Kanagawa in March 1854 (cf. Appendix I). They were 

identified in HL as "mon chirimen" f£ fit J® (figured chirimen) 

and "itajime chirimen" (block resist stencil dyed chirimen) 

(Hora, 1970:241). Perry received five additional bolts (-60 

yards) of crepe de chine at Shimoda in June 1854 (cf. Appendix 

III). These were entered as "assorted pieces of silk" in the 

1859-ACB and 1953-AL, and as "chirimen" (Japanese silk 

crepe) in the ECC and NMNH-DT catalogs. E4103 was 

renumbered as T4103 by the Division of Textiles, Smithsonian 

Institution. 
44 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DT E4104 
NUMBER 37 45 

NMAH-DT E4105 
46 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

'' l^'izillitR-.1^&i^kMffl!3iffi!)k^^ '•'• !'.:•.'.C!ll ' i,- '.'". V I:> ' ;'•_• 

NMAH-DT E4106 
NUMBER 37 47 

NMAH-DT E4110 (top), E4111 (bottom) 

22 Cotton fabric (mempu %% ft; momen 7fc W>) 

NMAH-DT E4110, E4111 (original nos. ECC 264, 265) 

W: 34.5 cm, L: two rolls (1 yard each) 

Description: Kata-zome W. '&£ or hand-painted, resist dyed 

cotton fabric in balanced, plain weave. 

Characteristics: Resist rice paste is hand applied on linear 

portions of the stencil designs and dyed in blue to achieve the 

shade of background coloring. Additional indigo and grey 

colors are applied by hand before washing out the resist 

substance (for paste-resist variations see Nakano, 1982:113— 

123). E4110 has a combination of floral and geometric designs 
48 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 27 

of circles and stylized squares in black, grey, and white on 

indigo blue. E4111 is a floral design that consists of cherry 

blossoms, bellflowers, maple leaves, and pine sprigs in black, 

grey, and white against indigo blue. Both fabric designs are 

representative of aigata fggy (basically indigo blue fabric 

with added coloring of shades of blue, grey, and black) (Hauge 

and Hauge, 1978:254, for the term, coloring, and the method of 

dyeing). The monochrome stencil dyeing technique using 

relatively small patterns on silk is said to have been developed 

in the late 16th century and, by the 18th century, the 

multicolored, stenciled cotton fabrics came to be used 

exclusively by commoners for clothing, bedding, and other 

materials (Hauge and Hauge, 1978:27-28; Blakemore, 1978: 

8-11; Tuer, 1967:16-19, for details of dyeing techniques). 

Especially in the Ryukyuan tradition, aigata fabrics with fine 

patterns were used exclusively by the common people for 

garments and other everyday-use items (Okamura, 1946:18, 

plate 3, for illustration). 

Remarks: Three rolls of blue cotton fabrics were received 

from the Regent and the Treasurers of the Kingdom of Ryukyu 

at Naha in July 1854. They were entered as "konji momen 

nuno" Itf fljj 7fc #ji Tfi (indigo cotton fabric) in the Ryukyuan 

gift list (cf. Appendixes IIlB, IIID) but were identified as 

assorted Japanese cotton pieces in the 1859-ACB and 1953-AL 

and as "printed cotton cloth" in the ECC. 

Additional Specimens: E4112 is a kasuri ffi ', MB 

(splashed pattern) or double ikat, thread tie-dyed, indigo blue 

fabric in geometric design that results in alternating columns in 

small rectangles (pers. comm. Fiske, letter, 24 October 1979). 

23 Belt (obi fl?) 

USNM ECC 27 

W: 18.7 cm, L: 557.3 cm 

Description: Hakata-ori t^^jjgfc (pers. comm. Cort, 

conversation, 2 September 1983; Stinchecum, letter, 7 December 1980), a man's belt made of plain weave, warp-faced blue 

silk, with warp-floats in light and dark brown geometric 

patterns. 

Characteristics: Such belts are worn folded double over an 

outer robe. Hakata, which now forms part of the port city of 

Fukuoka $ | f3|, Kyushu j \ -)\\ , was one of the most important 

trading ports and was noted for its silk industry. The 
NUMBER 37 49 

£%4L 

USNM ECC 292 

Hakata-ori, or the Hakata weave, was introduced from China 

during the Tembun ^ Jc period (1532-1555); therefore, it also 

is called Hakata kara-ori /if $£ (Chinese weave) (for history 

and term see NKDJ, 1976, volume 16, page 149). 

Remarks: The belt probably was received at Naha, 

Ryukyus, as an informal gift (USNM-ECC), but it was not 

included in any of official lists of gifts. It was on view in the 

exhibit, "Navy, Science, Diplomacy, and Exploration," at the 

NMAH until November 1989. 

24 Decorated letter paper (moyo zuri bensen 

M^JS'JM^ ; hbsho e hankiri ^Wfe¥® ) 

USNM ECC 292-296 

L: 17.5 cm, W: 48 cm (-600 sheets in 10 packets) 

Description: White, thick, and absorbent hbsho letter 

paper, handmade of kbzo ffi (paper mulberry pulp) mixed with 

rice powder and a daphne or laurel root fixative (Joya, 1958:25, 

for ingredients used), especially suitable for brush writing. 

Characteristics: The paper is decorated with colored 

woodblock prints chiefly of floral and other designs from 

nature as follows: ECC 292, peony, daffodil, chrysanthemum, 

and cherry blossoms mainly in red but with additional yellow, 

pink, and green coloring; ECC 293, bamboo in black and white; 

ECC 294, chrysanthemums in yellow, rose, green, and white; 

ECC 295, ocean waves in light blue; and ECC 296, cherry 

blossoms in pink. Hbsho or hbsho-gami ^ # #£ (hbsho paper) 

refers to "high quality paper" in contemporary usage. It is said 

to have been so named as early as the 16th century when this 

type of paper was used exclusively by the emperor and court 

officials in writing important edicts and memorials. Because 

such documents were considered sacred, hbsho (lit. sacred or 

official document) eventually came to be synonymous with 

high grade letter paper (Joya, 1958:24, for origin of the term; 

NKDJ, 1976, volume 18, pages 44-45, for history of its various 

usages). These samples were manufactured by Imai Handayu 

*¥ # ¥ X £ of Atami gft % (city), Zushu g j\\ (Izu district, 

modem Shizuoka prefecture), and were distributed by the 

Kinkado Sugiharaya ^|t f ^^ ^ stationery shop in Edo 

[modem Tokyo]. The stationer's descriptive listing, gampishi 

mokuroku Jfg j£ $£ @ H (catalog of gampi paper), of various 

merchandise is included in several of the packets. The gampishi 

is handmade of specially treated Wikstroemia gampi pulp and 

is prized for qualities of strength and softness (Joya, 1958:44, 

for details of the paper-making process, a 7th century 

importation from Korea). 

Remarks: Five boxes of decorated letter paper were 

presented by the senior reception commissioner, Hayashi 

Daigaku-no-kashira, at Kanagawa in March 1854 (HL; KORL; 

NGL). They were variously identified as "hbsho e hankiri" 

(decorated letter paper) in the NGL (BGKM, 1912, volume 4, 

page 559); "saiga ori kanshi" & Si #f j§f ijft (painted, folding 

letter paper) in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, page 314); 

"moybzuri bensen" (letter paper with printed decoration) (Hora, 

1970:242); and "stamped note and letter paper" and "stamped 

note paper" in the HNL and PJL, respectively (cf. Appendixes 

I, ID-
50 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

sfa% 

? JiX$*a 

USNM ECC 293 

USNM ECC 294 
NUMBER 37 51 

USNM ECC 295 

' ( 

\ 

1 

w 

• *s' 

USNM ECC 296 
52 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

for various uses). The choice of five colors may represent a 

Japanese adaptation of the Chinese concept of five primary 

colors: black, red, blue, white, and yellow. They are believed to 

symbolize the five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, and 

earth), the principal active constituents of nature. In East Asian 

traditions, the numeral five is particularly felicitous (Williams, 

1976:186, 295, for symbolism). A strip of paper that appears to 

have been used to bundle the five separate packets carries a 

label (4 x 6.5 cm) bordered with a gold floral design. The label 

reads: "gyoei zbshi" Mtfc^-ffi (note paper for poetry writing 

by nobles of the imperial court) (NKDJ, 1976, volume 6, page 

216; 1976, volume 12, page 265, for definition). Probably the 

same maker of the decorated letter paper made the strip, and 

most likely they all were sold by the same stationer (cf. entry 

24). 

Remarks: The paper was presented by Hayashi at Kanagawa in March 1854. The KORL identifies the item as 

"gosaisen" ~fL%% (note paper painted in five colors) 

(BGKM, 1914, volume 5, page 314); they were erroneously 

identified as "hana moybgarni" Tt^^l ^ (paper with floral 

design) (Hora, 1970:242) and as "flowered note paper" in the 

HNL and PJL, respectively (cf. Appendixes I, II). 

USNM ECC 297a-c 

25 Writing paper in five colors (goshiki hbsho-shi 

H. fe ^ ^ #£ or hbsho-gami) 

USNM ECC 297a-e 

L: 49.5 cm, W: 26 cm (42 sheets; nine sheets per packet, except 

one packet of six sheets) 

Description: Thick, soft paper in green (ECC 297a), red 

(ECC 297b), violet [faded black] (ECC 297c), white (ECC 

297d), and deep yellow (ECC 297e), all with faint traces of 

sprayed gold dust. 

Characteristics: The hbsho type of handmade paper (cf. 

entry 24 for the special materials required in paper making, its 

history, associated attributes, etc.) is used for writing formal 

and ceremonial notes and also for gift wrapping (Joya, 1958:24, 

26 Paper (kami jjft ) 

USNM ECC 298 (not illustrated) 

L: 32 cm, W: 27.5 cm 

Description: A sheet of minogami Hftjfeft (lit. paper 

produced in the province of Mino (modern Gifu prefecture)). 

Characteristics: This paper is an off-white, buff colored 

grainy paper made of mulberry fibers mixed with rice powder, 

which was used for brush writing, papering windows, wrapping 

objects including gifts, and for other varied purposes because of 

its strength and high absorbency. 

Remarks: The paper was received from the chief commissioner, Hayashi. In the HNL, it is described simply as "one box 

of paper" (cf. Appendix I), whereas the HL identifies the size 

and type of paper as being "Dai-mino-gami" ^c H ft #£ (large 

sheet of mino-gami)" (Hora, 1970:242), as does the Japanese 

NGL (BGKM, 1912, volume 4, page 559). 
NUMBER 37 53 

Ceramics 

27 Pottery vase (hana-ike ?£ £ \-j ; kabin ;ft}g ) 

USNM ECC 106 

H: 22 cm, D: 11 cm 

Description: Fujina-yaki ftM%,1fc flower vase in cylindrical form. 

Characteristics: The straight sides are slightly shouldered 

below a short straight neck with everted rim. Vertical loop 

handles are fixed on either side at the shoulder. The light fawn, 

baked clay body is glazed both inside and outside in dull, dark 

brown, and additional maroon and gold glaze extends from the 

bottom upward in bold streaks. The entire body is overpainted 

with such traditional, auspicious designs as unkaku HfH 

(flying cranes and clouds) in maroon, orange, and green, and 

kiri fief (paulownia) blossoms symbolic of power and nobility 

(Dower, 1971:68-69, for legendary and historic significance of 

kiri design and its varied renderings), which are rendered in 

gold and maroon. The shoulder is decorated with an overglaze 

Greek key scroll in olive green, and the neck has a modified key 

pattern in green, enclosed in blue triangles. Fujina-yaki pottery 

was produced at Fujina in the Izumo # f§ district (modem 

Shimane prefecture) (Kato, 1972:845). On the bottom of the 

vase and encircled by a double ring is the stamped pottery mark 

used for Fujina-yaki: "Izumo Jyakuzan" ffiil^rLll (Kato, 

1972:55, for identical pottery marks in a single ring; Morse, 

1901:161, gives the reading as Izumo Takuzan in error). Also 

on the bottom is stamped "Dai Nippon" jz B £ in a square. It 

was manufactured ca. 1830-1844 for export (Kato, 1972:845, 

for dating; Morse, 1901:159, for identification as a typical 

Fujina pottery made as export ware). 

Remarks: This piece is very likely from Ido Iwami-nokami because both the Iwami and Izumo districts are in modem 

Shimane prefecture. 

USNM ECC 106 
54 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 285 

28 Pottery teapot (dobin ±fl& ; chabin 2£#& ; chadashi 

£ffiL) 

USNM ECC 285 

H: 9.8 cm, D: 14 cm 

Description: Pottery with a dark brown glaze on hard fired 

grey body in the shape of a slightly bevelled teapot. 

Characteristics: The teapot has a knobbed, convex cover, 

a conical side spout, and three small (1 cm high) feet. This 

shape is known as "Satsuma" g§ 0 shape, and such teapots are 

invariably Satsuma teapots (Cort, 1979:231, 263, for particular 

types of Kyushu teapots). A thin, brass handle is ornamented 

with incised diagonal crosses and futatsu-tomoe XL ~D E $c 

(two comma shapes so united as to make a circle) design 

circles. 

Remarks: The piece is unmarked. It probably was a 

purchased item or an informal gift, as none of the official lists 

of Japanese presents includes a pottery teapot. There is an entry 

for "yakimono rui" jf£$j£l (pottery ware) in the AWL 

(BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 198). 
NUMBER 37 55 

USNM ECC 107 

29 Porcelain cake jar (kashi-bachi 

USNM ECC 107 

H: 17.5 cm, D: 26 cm 

=?fr ) 

Description: Blue and white Arita WEB ware, lidded 

porcelain jar for storing cakes, sweetmeats, and other confectioneries. 

Characteristics: The cylindrical body has an extended foot 

rim and a shallow, inverted, saucer-like lid with a protruding 

rim. The exterior is decorated with a design pattern of cranes in 

flight, which are auspicious symbols of longevity (Edmunds, 

1934:316-317; Dower, 1971:90-91, especially for various 

patterns of Japanese uses of the crane-design motif). A stylized 

geometric wave pattern, also in underglaze blue, encircles the 

lower third of the body just above the foot rim. 

Remarks: This probably is one of the seven blue and white 

porcelain wares presented by Ido and Izawa at Shimoda in June 

1854 (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 311, for KORL entry: 

"shino utsuwa" ff TE 16 iliF (early blue and white Imari 

porcelain)). It was exhibited in "The Japan Expedition 

1852-1855 of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry," Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C, in 1968. 
56 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Top row, from left to right: USNM ECC 202, ECC 204, ECC 206 

Bottom row, from left to right: USNM ECC 201, ECC 203, ECC 205 

30 Wine cup (sakazuki $H$fi) 

USNM ECC 205 

H: 3 cm, D: 6.3 cm 

Description: Hemispherical sake JH cup in eggshell porcelain with a painted gold rim and a shallow footring banded with 

a fret design in blue. 

Characteristics: The inside of the cup contains an overglaze enamel painting in relief of the sacred Mt. Fuji outlined in 

black and shaded with grey and green. At the base of the 

mountain, the figure of a golden dragon emerges from black 

clouds. The inscription with the artist's red seal mark reads: 

"Seiun sha fff it % , baigetsu or umetsuki sha" tf$ ft if 

(painted by Seiun in the second month of the lunar calendar 

(umetsuki; lit. the plum month)). Morse (1901:105) illustrates 

a Baigetsu ga # | £} ill mark on a piece of pottery from the 

Province of Ise. Kato (1972:771) also identifies baigetsu as an 

Ise ffi t£ kobanko ^ 7j -& (ko = old, banko = a type of 

ware produced at the Banko Kiln in Ise) ware mark. The 

potter's underglaze mark in faint blue on the bottom of the cup 

reads: "fuku" fg (good fortune). 

Remarks: This wine cup (one of six such cups) was 

presented by Hayaski to the United States at Kanagawa, March 

1854. It is included in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 308, 315), and the HNL and PJL list them simply as cups 

(cf. Appendexes I, II). 

31 Wine cup (sakazuki) 

USNM ECC 204 

H: 3 cm, D: 6.3 cm 

Description: Hemispherical, eggshell porcelain sake cup 

with a painted gold rim and a shallow footring bordered with a 

fret design in blue. 

Characteristics: The inside of the cup is decorated with an 

overglaze enamel painting in relief of a carp, in gold and black, 

swimming up a waterfall. The waterfall is suggested by faint 

green ripples; black rocks and green plants are in the 

background. The inscription accompanying the artist's red seal 

reads: "Hoei sha" <£ <% ^ (painted by Hoei). The bottom of 

the cup carries an illegible potter's underglaze mark in faint 

blue. 

Remarks: This wine cup (one of six such cups) was 

presented by Hayaski to the United States at Kanagawa, March 

1854. It is included in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 308, 315), and the HNL and PJL list them simply as cups 

(cf. Appendexes I, II). 
NUMBER 37 57 

32 Wine cup (sakazuki) 

USNM ECC 203 

H: 3 cm, D: 6.3 cm 

Description: Hemispherical sake cup in eggshell porcelain 

with a low footring. 

Characteristics: The footring is decorated with a Greek 

fret design in underglaze blue, whereas the inside of the cup is 

decorated with blue enamel in relief in the traditional 

shbchikubai design. Additional decorative features include the 

gilded rim, gold speckles amidst tree branches and leaves, and 

the painter's red seal marks. A faint blue potter's mark in 

underglaze is on the bottom of the cup. 

Remarks: This wine cup (one of six such cups) was 

presented by Hayaski to the United States at Kanagawa, March 

1854. It is included in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 308, 315), and the HNL and PJL list them simply as cups 

(cf. Appendexes I, II). 

33 Wine cup (sakazuki) 

USNM ECC 202 

H: 3 cm, Dia 6.3 cm 

Description: Hemispherical, eggshell porcelain sake cup 

with a low footring banded with a fret design in underglaze 

blue. 

Characteristics: The cup's interior is ornamented with an 

enamelled relief painting of a flying crane in black against a 

crimson sun and gilded clouds. A black inscription reads: 

"Seiun sha Baigetsu or umetsuki sha" (cf. entry 30 for the 

identical inscription). Although the decorator's seal mark is in 

red, there also is a faint blue potter's mark in underglaze on the 

bottom of the cup declaring "fuku" (good fortune). 

Remarks: This wine cup (one of six such cups) was 

presented by Hayaski to the United States at Kanagawa, March 

1854. It is included in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 308,315), and the HNL and PJL list them simply as cups 

(cf. Appendexes I, II). 

34 Wine cup (sakazuki) 

USNM ECC 206 

H: 3 cm, D: 6.3 cm 

Description: Hemispherical sake drinking cup, in eggshell 

porcelain, with gold painted rim and a shallow footring banded 

with a fret design in blue. 

Characteristics: Inside the cup is an overglaze enamel 

painting, in relief, of a peony blossom and a butterfly, both in 

black with added colors of grey, green, and gold. The 

inscriptions in black, accompanied by the artist's red seal mark, 

read: "Kuniiro" g fe (name of the artist?) "hyakkab" H 7£ 3E 

(lit. the king of all flowers; a classical variant of botan, peony). 

The potter's underglaze mark in faint blue is on the bottom of 

the cup. 

Remarks: This wine cup (one of six such cups) was 

presented by Hayaski to the United States at Kanagawa, March 

1854. It is included in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 308,315), and the HNL and PJL list them simply as cups 

(cf. Appendexes I, II). 

35 Wine cup (sakazuki) 

USNM ECC 201 

H: 3 cm, D: 6.3 cm 

Description: Hemispherical sake cup in eggshell porcelain 

with a low footring. 

Characteristics: The interior of the cup is ornamented with 

an overglaze enamel painting in relief of irises and sparrows in 

blue. The Greek fret design, also in blue relief, decorates the 

inside border beneath the gold rim. Gold speckles and a red 

painter's seal mark are added. 

Remarks: This wine cup (one of six such cups) was 

presented by Hayaski to the United States at Kanagawa, March 

1854. It is included in the KORL (BGKM, 1914, volume 5, 

pages 308, 315), and the HNL and PJL list them simply as cups 

(cf. Appendexes I, II). 
58 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 172 (left) and ECC 176 (right) 

36 Covered pottery tea jar? (chaki 2fe 

USNM ECC 176 

H: 6.7 cm, D: 7 cm 

V.choka %m?) 

Description: Lidded Seto iftF ware db-bari fnfizfltype 

ceramic box. Identifiable as db-bari by it cylindrical, slightly 

convex shape (BT, 1982:170). 

Characteristics: Both the inside and outside surfaces of the 

thin, hard, sandy grey body are unevenly covered with dark 

brown glaze and scattered splotches of light brown (Boger, 

1964:232-234, for description of the characteristics of Seto 

ware; Swann, 1958:111-112, for the history). The lid fits 

inside the slightly convex, sharply shouldered mouth of the 

box. The inside of the lid is grey and was left unglazed. The 

raised potter's mark, "Shingo" fgi$g , is stamped on the 

bottom. This box may be a choka (cf. Appendixes IIlB, HID), 

which typically was used in Ryukyu to store powdered tea; 

however, Cort's opinion (letter, 7 December 1982) is that its 

use may be varied, but that it certainly was not used for tea. 

Remarks: This jar probably was part of the official 

Ryukyuan gifts received at Naha in July 1854. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 134, 135, and 174 (cover 

missing) are identical to ECC 176. 

37 Covered pottery tea jar ? (chaki ?) 

USNM ECC 172 

H: 10.5 cm, D: 12 cm 

Description 

box. 

Characteristics: 

36, except for size. 

Additional Specimens 

Cylindrical, lidded Seto ware type ceramic 

The box is essentially the same as entry 

ECC 171, 173. 
NUMBER 37 59 

38 Pottery water pitcher (mizu sashi fc 

USNM ECC 282 

H: 25.5 cm, D: 16.4 cm 

L) 

Description: Ovoid body with a wide, short neck, conical 

spout, convex knobbed cover, and fixed bail. 

Characteristics: The exterior is ornamented with black 

nagashi-gusuri ^flft (a glaze that is poured on, creating 

irregular flowing patterns), and the bail, cover, and the upper 

part of the body have a green drip glaze that shows some brush 

strokes. This is a good example of black Satsuma ware with a 

thin transparent glaze that covers the surface of the hard-fired, 

reddish clay. The pottery is unmarked. 

Remarks: This probably was received from the regent of 

the Kingdom of Ryukyu at Naha in July 1854 (cf. Appendix 

IIIB; Hickman and Fetchko, 1977, entry 241, for a similar 

specimen acquired at Naha prior to 1888). It was identified as 

an "erthen kettle" in the 1859-ACB and 1953-AL, but it was 

entered in the ECC as a "pottery teapot" and there identified as 

a ceramic ware of southern Kyushu origin. 

USNM ECC 282 
60 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

39 Porcelain lantern (tbrb jtTft ) 

USNM ECC 156 

H: 79 cm, D: 26 cm 

Description: Stupa-shape, white, Arita porcelain temple 

lantern (Janata, 1965, entry 73, for a similar specimen 

identified as a temple lantern in the shape of a stupa) decorated 

with underglaze blue and overglaze enamel paintings in dark 

vermilion and gold as in traditional Imari sansai 

$

t

TJQXL% (blue, red, and gold or Imari export porcelain) 

color combinations. 

Characteristics: The lantern consists of three separate 

parts: (1) a columnar pillar on a hexagonal base; (2) a round 

light box with four panels of floral openwork; and (3) an 

hexagonal roof-shape cover with an ovoid peak that is held in 

place by three flame-like openwork clasps. The main ornamentation includes conventional auspicious motifs, such as, nami ni 

chidori '&. iz -f- ^ (birds over waves), clouds, a dragon, and 

blossoms of peony, plum, chrysanthemum, and lotus that are 

accented by hanabishi Tt H (floral lozenges), shippo tsunagi 

l-3[|o4 ^ (joined, interlocking circles), and karakusa 

jgf |§i (lit. Chinese grass; arabesque) geometric patterns. The 

obvious religious features are the egg-shape apex of the roof 

that represents a "precious jewel" or a "fabulous pearl," and the 

openwork "flames of fire" clasps that secure it. Porcelain tbrb 

of this type are placed on the altar of Buddhist temples as 

offerings, but they also are used for lighting during nocturnal 

rites and services (Joya, 1958:36, 93-94, for uses of temple 

lanterns; Newman and Ryerson, 1964:64, for the origin of 

Buddhist lanterns as votive offerings). 

Remarks: This probably is one of seven various types of 

blue and white porcelain wares that was presented by Ido and 

Izawa as additional gifts at Shimoda in June 1854. The SGL 

entry reads: "shi no utsuwa" (early blue and white porcelain 

ware) (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 311). 

USNM ECC 156 
NUMBER 37 61 

40 Stoneware tea cup (chawan 2£#B ) 

USNM ECC 198 

H:5cm, D: 8.1 cm 

Description: Bowl-shape tea cup sloping inward from the 

rim to the footring. 

Characteristics: The cup has molded decoration done with 

13 panels having contiguous facets that end in an irregular 

octagonal pattern. There are fine crackles on the creamy greyish 

buff color glaze on both the inside and outside of the bowl. The 

bowl is unmarked. 

Remarks: Probably this cup was one of the cups received 

from Hayashi Daigaku-no-kashira (Hora, 1970:242, for the 

entry for "chawan"). Both the PJL and the HNL record cups as 

being gifts from Hayashi, but they do not give information 

regarding their specific types. The OSL of official gifts 

(Appendixes IIIB, HID) includes "do chawan san-soku" 

-h #£ ^ #5 H 3£ (3 bundles of high quality tea cups). This cup 

may be part of the Ryukyuan gifts. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 131-133, 195-197, 199, 200. 

The number of panels per cup ranges from 12 to 17. 

41 Porcelain noodle-sauce cup (choko ^k P; choko-hai 

^Di ; choku % p ) 

USNM ECC 125 

H: 7.5 cm, D: 8.3 cm 

Description: White and underglaze blue Imari ware cylindrical porcelain cup used for serving soba M it (buckwheat 

noodles) sauce. 

Characteristics: Cups such as this also were used as 

serving vessels for tea, wine, and other liquids, depending upon 

the cup size and the given occasion (Hauge, 1978:243). During 

USNM ECC 125 

manufacture, the cup was thrown on its sides, thereby creating 

shallow, vertical panels that circle the center of the cup. The 

vertical panels slope slightly inward to the footring. This cup 

definitely is a late Edo period choko specimen in body form and 

size (Sera, 1959:72-74, for commentary and illustrated dating 

chart for the various choko forms that evolved from the Ming 

import tea cup in the early 17th century), which resembles a 

contemporary yunomi chawan Mffc^tfi (teacup). It is 

decorated with a geometrical hanabishi design in a wide band 

just below the rim. A seascape, with mountains, trees, and 

cottages in the background, lies beneath the band. Additional 

ornamentation includes a band of alternating diagonal crosses 

and circles above the footring, and the interior rim is banded 

with a meandering design. The potter's mark in underglaze blue 

on the bottom reads: "Yamaguchi" [[ll P ], which is probably 

the potter's name or the name of the kiln. 

Remarks: Although the HNL notes "2 boxes porcelain 

cups" as items received from Udono and "3 boxes porcelain 

goblets" from Matsuzaki, this choko probably was presented by 

Matsuzaki because its size and form approximates what 

westerners then called a "goblet" (BGKM, 1912, volume 4, 

page 556; Hora, 1970:242, for entries for "chokohai" in the list 

of Japanese presents). 

Additional Specimens: ECC 126, 127, 183-188. All are 

identical to ECC 125. 
62 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

42 Porcelain noodle-sauce cup (choko; choko-hai; choku) 

USNM ECC 128 

H: 7.5 cm, D: 8.1 cm 

Description: Blue and white Imari porcelain, cylindrical 

cup on a low footring, used for serving soba sauce. 

Characteristics: Cups such as this also were used as 

serving vessels for other liquids (cf. entry 41 for the varied 

uses, sizes, and forms). The interior is white whereas the 

exterior is solidly colored in underglaze deep blue. A modified 

Greek key design band in light blue decorates the inside, just 

below the rim. The potter's mark in blue seal character on the 

bottom reads: "Yamaguchi" LU P . 

Remarks: This choko was presented by Matsuzaki. Its size 

and form approximates what westerners then called a "goblet." 

The HNL lists "3 boxes porcelain goblets" (Hawks, 1856:369, 

for entry; see also BGKM, 1912, volume 4, page 556, and Hora, 

1970:242, for entries for "choko-hai" in the list of Japanese 

presents). 

Additional Specimens: ECC 129, 130, 189-192. All are 

identical to ECC 128. 

USNM ECC 128 
NUMBER 37 63 

USNM ECC 105 (two views) 

43 Porcelain water jar (mizubachi 7k$fc ; chbzubachi 

T^& ) 

USNM ECC 105 

H: 34.5 cm, D: 33.7 cm 

Description: White and underglaze blue Arita ware mizubachi in globular form with slightly voluted sides and a short, 

straight neck with everted rim. 

Characteristics: The jar is ornamented with such traditional, auspicious designs as the bat (symbol of good fortune 

from an etymological contortion), a legendary immortal plant 

known as an elixir of life, agemaki % % (a decorative, tied 

cord), a cloud, the moon, maple and bamboo leaves, berries, 

and the most prominent of all, peony blossoms. The rim, neck, 

and lower base are decorated with bands of cross-hatching saw 

teeth and other geometric patterns. The jar is unmarked. 

Remarks: This jar is probably the one with fukuju ?g % 

(good fortune and longevity) design, which was listed as one of 

the seven types of blue and white porcelain ware presented by 

Ido Tsushima-no-kami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami (BGKM, 

1914, volume 6, page 311, for entry "shi no utsuwa"; cf. 

Appendix III). The Ryukyuan official gift list also includes 

ceramic water jars (OSL, 1982:544; cf. Appendixes IIIB, HID). 
64 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 108 

44 Porcelain planter (ueki-bachi fit -fc £fc hanaike 

7E£tt) 

USNM ECC 108 

L: 37.5 cm, W: 25.5 cm, H: 12.5 cm 

Description: Broad, shallow, rectangular vessel in white 

and underglaze blue porcelain, raised on four decorated feet, 

and used for bonsai jfiiUfc (dwarf-tree culture) (Roger, 

1964:199-200, for uses) or moribana §£?£ (floral or plant 

arrangement). 

Characteristics: The flat rim extends outward and is 

ornamented with the meandering pattern, the symbolical 

equivalent of thunder, which represents fecundity and the basic 

forces of life (Laufer, 1902:41; and Dower, 1971:40, for 

symbolism). Scattered flowers, butterflies, and mizugaki ^ M 

(lit. sacred fence; trellis) pattern (or a stylized basket-weave 

design) decorate the front and back; the unkaku design (flying 

cranes amid clouds, symbolizing longevity and fertility or 

elegance and happiness) is used on the two side panels. The 

base is unglazed and bears no mark. 

Remarks: This probably is one of the seven items entered 

under "shi no utsuwa" as additional gifts presented at Shimoda 

from Ido Tsushima-no-kami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami 

(SGL in BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 311). The HNL entries 

for porcelain vessels are listed as "porcelain cups" and 

"porcelain goblets" and are listed as being received from 

Udono Mimbu Shoyu and Matsuzaki Mitsutaro. 

45 Large porcelain dish (bzara ^ JUL) 

USNM ECC 103 

H: 12.5 cm, D: 62 cm 

Description: Large, shallow Imari ware serving dish in 

sometsuke $£ {vf (white and underglaze blue) porcelain. 

Characteristics: A traditional auspicious shbchikubai design of pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms (called the "three 

companions of the cold," which symbolize longevity and 

endurance) decorates the central panel, which is encircled with 

a band of flower petals and reciprocal triangles. The remaining 

area of the interior is ornamented with kanoko botan 

H -p th fl- design (minute white spots amid clusters of peony 

petals, giving a dappled effect, often used on tie-dyed fabrics) 

(Dower, 1971:23, for various uses of kanoko as a decorative 

motif; BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 540, for the term). The 

outer surface is decorated with warabide t> % Xf^ design 

(lit. hand of bracken, symbolizing early spring) (Dower, 

1971:50), and figures of plum blossoms are interspersed. A 

band of alternately arranged circles and diagonal crosses covers 

the area near the foot rim. The imprint at the bottom within a 

single ring reads: "Tai Min Seika-nen sei" i: HE $c ft ¥ IS! 

(manufactured [in imitation of] the Ming dynasty Ch'eng-hua 

period [1465-1487] blue and white porcelain known as 

seika-ki J& it &) (Kato, 1972:511). It probably was manufactured ca. 1800 (Shugio, 1896:56). At Arita, the Japanese 

produced a series of porcelains for export by the Dutch East 
NUMBER 37 

65 

USNM ECC 103 (side view) 

USNM ECC 103 (top view) 
66 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 104 (side view) 

India Company (Stitt, 1974:11; Young 1973:215; Shugio, 

1896, entry 228, for the identical mark; also Knapp and Atil, 

1975, volume 10, plate 61; Gamer, 1955:77, for dating and 

attribution). 

Remarks: The dish was presented by Ido Tsushima-nokami who represented one of the historically renown kiln 

districts, Tsushima (modem Nagasaki prefecture). The entry 

"gokujb yakimono chawan-zara, sometsuke bzara shbchikubai 

kanoko botan, nimai" fe±&yq:&MM.%kHJzM. 

^rrffSJIt^f #: # — tt (t0P quality °l u e an d wnit e 

porcelain cups and dishes, including two large dishes with 

shbchikubai and kanoko botan decoration) appears in both 

the SML (in BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 540) and the SGL 

(in BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 311). 

46 Large porcelain dish (bzara) 

USNM ECC 104 

H: 12.5 cm, D: 62 cm 

Description: Large, shallow Imari ware serving dish in 

sometsuke porcelain. 

Characteristics: The interior center is ornamented with 

shbchikubai design encircled by a band of interlocking triangles. 

The remainder of the inside surface is decorated with snail-like 

spirals commonly known as tako-karakusa M fk JS ^ (octopus arabesque) pattern (pers. comm. Hauge, letter, 23 July 

1992), and the entire outside surface is decorated with 

interlaced warabide design. On the underside of the bowl is an 

imprint within a single circle, which reads: "Tai Min Seika-nen 

sei." It probably was made ca. 1800 (Shugio, 1896:56, see entry 

228 for the identical mark). For other detailed references 

regarding pottery marks on Japanese blue and white export 

ware, see the discussion for ECC 103, entry 45. 

Remarks: The dish was received from Ido Tsushima-nokami at Shimoda in June 1854 (SML in BGKM, 1916, volume 

8, page 540; SGL in BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 311). 
NUMBER 37 67 

USNM ECC 104 (top view) 
68 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Fans, Umbrellas, and Tobacco Pipes 

USNM ECC 290e 

47 Fan (sensu Jg •? ; bgi M ) 

USNM ECC 290e 

L: 28.6 cm, W: -40 cm (top when unfolded) 

Description: Folding fan made of paper and bamboo. 

Characteristics: Oiled, white mulberry bark paper is 

pasted to the front and back sides of 10 flat bamboo ribs, which 

are fastened at the bottom with a steel kaname H (rivet) at the 

base. The fan is decorated with a sumi-e H jj& style painting of 

auspicious representations: a stork, pine branches, and clouds. 

The pine branches are colored golden brown, and the clouds are 

suggested by silvery brush strokes and faint gold speckles. This 

common type of "album fan" is made with plain paper so that 

one can clearly see written or sketched decoration (Salwey, 

1894:62, 78). This type of fan sometimes is used as part of 

formal gifts, by placing it on top of boxes containing the objects 

presented. The Japanese consider the folding fan to be an 

emblem of life and, therefore, to be particularly appropriate as 

a gift on the occasion of a first meeting with a stranger. "The 

rivet-end is regarded as the starting-point, and as the rays of the 

fan expand so the life widens out towards a prosperous future" 

(Salwey, 1894:67; Miyoshi, 1979:50, for Japanese symbolic 

use of fans). 

Remarks: This fan probably was an informal gift that Perry 

received at one of the several banquets held ashore or on board 

ship. Neither the American nor Japanese offical lists of 

"Japanese presents" includes folding fans, although there are 

frequent references to them in various private journals, 
NUMBER 37 69 

USNM ECC 280? 

including S. Wells Williams' in which he lists the 24 folding 

fans given to him and others in the Ryukyu (Hora, 1970:482). 

Perry received 10 folding fans at Naha on June 1853 (cf. 

Appendixes IIlA, IIIC). This fan was identified as a "paper fan" 

(1953-AL; 1859-ACB), and a "common fan" (ECC). This fan 

was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 111 and ECC 290a-d, all 

identical to ECC 290e. 

48 Fan (sensu; bgi) 

USNM ECC 280? 

L: 28.6 cm, W: 50 cm (top when unfolded) 

Description: Folding fan made of paper and bamboo. 

Characteristics: Black lacquered paper is pasted on the 

front and back sides of 27 flat bamboo ribs, which are framed 

and fastened at the base with a kaname. The fan face is 

decorated with the sumi-e style painting in silver of chrysanthemum blossoms and the leaves of iris and pine. The outer 

surface of the fan frame is colored black. 
70 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 290g 

49 Fan (sensu; bgi) 

USNM ECC 290g 

L: 28.6 cm, W: 46 cm (top when unfolded) 

Description: White, folding fan made of bamboo and 

paper. 

Characteristics: For standard materials used and method 

of construction see entry 47. Part of the fan face is light blue 

with patches of silver speckles. It is decorated with a sumi-e 

style painting of tessen; tessenka WifiUlt (clematis) blossoms, 

leaves, and vines in silvery grey. Dark blue coloring is added on 

some flower petals. Both the front and back upper margins are 

edged in gold. Tessenka, although indigenous to China, appears 

frequently as the subject of paintings and poetry, especially 

during the Edo period (pers. comm. Hauge). This is a good 

example of an album fan with a plain face designed for a sumi-e 

style painting. 

Remarks: This fan probably was one of the fans included 

in the Ryukyuan official gifts (cf. Appendixes IIlA, Illc) or an 

informal gift that Perry received from an unspecified source (cf. 

entry 47, for various identifications and uses). It was exhibited 

along with ECC 290f at the Japan Society, New York City, in 

1969. 
NUMBER 37 71 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00110 

50 Fan (sensu; bgi) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00110 

L: 28.6 cm, W: - 40 cm (top when unfolded) 

Description: Folding bamboo and paper fan. 

Characteristics: White minogami (cf. entry 26) is mounted 

on both the front and back sides of 10 flat bamboo ribs, which 

are fastened at the base with a steel rivet. Salwey (1894:30) 

attributes the use of minogami in fan-making to its durability 

and textured surface that accommodates painting and printing. 

The obverse is decorated with a sumi-e style painting of 

bamboo and Mount Fuji, and the upper margins on both sides 

are edged in gold. On the obverse an inscription in the hand of 

the collector, Thomas C. Dudley (Purser's clerk on Commodore Perry's flagship, the Powhatan), reads: "Yokohama April 

7th 1854. Presented to me by Chief of the Japan Land Forces 

Lajanoske Mount Fuji Jamma [yama]." This is a good example 

of an album fan with a plain face designed for sketches or 

writing to commemorate special occasions (Salwey, 1894:62, 

78, for discussion of Japanese uses of album fans especially 

with foreign visitors). 

Remarks: The fan, a gift of E.M. Guilmette, a descendant 

of the collector, was received in 1977. 
72 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-OOl 11 

51 Fan (sensu; bgi) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-OOl 11 

L: 28.6 cm, W: -4 0 cm (top when unfolded) 

Description: Folding bamboo and paper fan. 

Characteristics: White minogami is mounted on both the 

front and back sides of 10 flat bamboo ribs, which are fastened 

at the base with a steel rivet or kaname. The upper margins are 

edged in gold, and a line-drawing portrait in black depicts 

Thomas C. Dudley, the collector, on obverse. An inscription in 

the hand of the collector at the upper left reads: "My portrait 

twice as natural, done by a Japanese; at Yokohama Jeddo [Edo] 

Bay, March 31, 1854." The reverse is blank. Undoubtedly, this 

was a personal gift to Dudley (Salwey, 1984:67, for Japanese 

symbolic use of fans, especially its appropriateness as a gift on 

the occasion of a first meeting with a stranger; for similar gift 

fans, cf. entries 47-49). 

Remarks: The fan was a gift of E.M. Guilmette, a 

descendant of the collector; it was received in 1977. 
NUMBER 37 73 

USNM ECC 290f 

52 Fan (sensu; bgi) 

USNM ECC 290f 

L: 28.6 cm, W: 40 cm (top when unfolded) 

Description: White, folding bamboo and paper fan. 

Characteristics: The fan face is decorated with a sumi-e 

style painting in silvery grey of five cranes in flight. The clouds 

in the background are suggested by a mound-like semicircle 

behind the clouds. For fan-making materials and method, cf. 

entry 47. 

Remarks: This probably was one of the 10 or 20 fans 

received at Naha in June 1853 (cf. Appendixes IIlA, IIIC) or an 

informal gift that Perry received ashore or on board ship. This 

fan and ECC 209g were exhibited at the Japan Society, New 

York City, in 1969. 
74 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 22 (obverse side) 

53 Fan (uchiwa o % t) ; dansen BJ M ) 

USNM ECC 22 

L: 34.3 cm, W: 29.5 cm 

Description: Rounded rectangular picture fan made of 

paper pasted on a bamboo frame with a handle splayed to the 

top. 

Characteristics: The fan-face is decorated with a woodcut 

color print of ukiyo-e painting in the style of nishiki-e g$$* 

(brocade pictures; the full color print) and is entitled "Edo 

meisho mizu no omokage" QL p £ pff 7k CO fc & fr Vf (An 

image of water scene [from] famous views of Edo [series], 

[1849-1853] (see B.W Robinson, 1961:30-32, for dating). 

The fan is signed by the artist, Hiroshige I ^ffi (1797-1858). 

The series, "Famous views of Edo" was designed specifically 

for fans (Suzuki, 1958:18). The scene includes three women at 

a river bank who are seated under wisteria blossoms and 

viewing the water. The fan has a predominantly blue color 
NUMBER 37 75 

USNM ECC 22 (reverse side) 

design with additional colors of black and rose tint. Other 

inscriptions include the sub-title, "Kameido" %p (a scenic 

place on the bank of the Sumida-gawa $g2j;[[ (river)); 

fuji-dana MM (wisteria trellis); the seal of the censor 

"Muramatsu" in combination with fuku; and the publisher's 

trade mark "Sampei" H ¥, in a fan-shape enclosure [of] 

Yokkaichi H H TfT (B.W Robinson, 1961:30-32, 57-59; 

Lane, 1978:314-316, for ukiyo-e publishers' seals; Kurihara, 

1901:186-192, for origins of family trade marks). The reverse 

ornamentation, also with a blue and rose tint, depicts a moonlit 

night view of the river with watercraft at anchor, under the 

same title, by Shigenobu £; £ (1787-1832) (Lane, 

1978:324). Two additional inscriptions are the artist's signature 

with hitsu i(£ (written or painted by) and the publisher's trade 

mark, "Sampei." 

Remarks: This probably was one of the 40 fans received at 

Edo Bay, 16 July 1853 (Williams, 1910:68, for listing of 

Japanese presents; Taylor, 1859:438, for descriptions). 
76 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 4 (obverse side) 

54 Fan (uchiwa; dansen) 

USNM ECC 4 

L: 34.5 cm, W: 28.8 cm 

Description: Rounded rectangular picture fan ornamented 

with a woodcut color print in the style of nishiki-e. 

Characteristics: The print is entitled, "Mizu no nagame" 

TK CO & 1$ &> (A shore view, or Water viewing). It was made 

no earlier than 1844 (see Strange, 1906:45-46, for dating) by 

Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada I, 1786-1864), and it is 

signed Toyokuni ga H H M (painted by Toyokuni.) The scene 

is a group portrait of a samurai in formal garb, wearing two 

swords and holding a fan, standing beside a young maiden and 

a woman, all of which is set against a waterscape with a group 
NUMBER 37 77 

USNM ECC 4 (reverse side) 

of onlookers in the background. The coloring is predominantly 

blue, with added tan and rose tints. The censors' seals are 

partially hidden and, therefore, undecipherable. The reverse is 

ornamented with a woodcut print in pink depicting seven shell 

halves used for kai-awase M. a* 12" (shell-matching game), 

which in turn are decorated with such auspicious objects as a 

tortoise, a fan, a book, and lacquerware. The painting is by 

Kunitsuna ^ffl (1805-1868) (Roberts, 1976:98), and the 

publisher's trade mark reads: "Yenshu-ya Matabei, of Horiyecho" (B.W. Robinson, 1961:57-59). 

Remarks: This fan probably was one of the fans received at 

Edo Bay in July 1853 (Williams, 1910:68; Taylor, 1859:438). 

It was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, 

D.C, in 1977. 
78 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 5 (obverse side) 

55 Fan (uchiwa; dansen) 

USNM ECC 5 

L: 34.6 cm, W: 29.4 cm 

Description: Rounded rectangular picture fan made of 

paper. 

Characteristics: The obverse ornamentation is a woodcut 

full-color nishiki-e print of a woman reading. It is entitled 

"En'gyoku zoroi" ffe ffl ffif (Love verse, or Love story series) 

and was made ca. 1849-1853 (B.W Robinson, 1961:30-33; 

Lane, 1978:297, for identification of censors' seals and sample 

signatures for dating) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi |0U 11 HI ^ 

(1798-1861) (Roberts, 1976:98). Additional decorations include a potted plant with peony blossoms and a crane design on 

the kimono fabric. The predominant color is indigo blue, with 

additional black, tan, and rose colors. Various inscriptions and 

seal marks include the artist's signature, Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi 

ga — H ^ |H ^r j9 (painted by Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi), with his 

personal kiri ffi} (paulownia) seal; horitake H£fr (engraving 

on bamboo); the censor's seal, fuku in combination with 
NUMBER 37 79 

USNM ECC 5 (reverse side) 

Muramatsu Hffi ; the printer's imprint "Sampei" <J-5>

 m 

senkei gf ^ (fan-shape box); and the aratame afc (examination) seal (examined in the second month of the year of the ox 

[1853]) (B.W Robinson, 1961:31-33, for identification of 

aratame seals). A woodcut print of a still life in grey and rose 

colors decorates the reverse. Depicted are a potted blossoming 

plant, a box, gourds, a mortar with pestles, the printer's seal 

"Sampei," and the inscriptions: "Oshri-e" [?] J? f I I 

(picture for the reverse [of the fan?]) and the title "En'gyoku 

mitate hin [?] zukushi" & ^ £* <£ <ILuTl>/u'3 < L 

(Selected series of erotic objects [?]). 

Remarks: This probably was one of the fans received in 

July 1853, at Edo Bay, via Kayama Eizaemon 

# III y(z Tx. I$f P'J, Assistant Magistrate of Uraga (Williams, 

1910:68, journal entry for 16 July 1854; Taylor, 1859:438, for 

his description of the fans "covered with hideously distorted ... pictures of Japanese ladies"). The fan was exhibited at 

the Naval Historical Foundation's Truxtun Decatur Naval 

Museum, Washington, D.C, in 1975-1976, and also at the 

National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C, in 1977. 
80 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 25 (obverse side) 

56 Fan (uchiwa; dansen) 

USNM ECC 25 

L: 34.6 cm, W: 29.4 cm 

Description: Rounded rectangular picture fan made of 

paper. 

Characteristics: The fan face is ornamented with a 

woodcut nishiki-e print of a party of men and women 

disembarking, and it is entitled "Kazusa Kisarazu Bbsb 

meisho" ±3&^fLi^M£&£$ f (A view at Kisarazu, 

Kazusa, Boso district [modem Chiba Prefecture] scenic views 

series). It was made ca. 1851-1853, by Hiroshige I M^ and 

is signed. Hiroshige made several visits to the Boso district 

between 1844-1852 (USKH, appendix: chronology). The view 

includes Mount Fuji in the distance, sailing boats afloat, and a 

torii H, Jgy (shrine gate) standing on shore among pine trees. 

The predominant color is indigo blue, with added tints of rose 

and tan. Other inscriptions are the censors' seal, "Watanabe 
NUMBER 37 

USNM ECC 25 (reverse side) 

[Shoyemon] in combination with Mera [Taichiro]," and the 

publisher's trade mark, an ideograph for tsuji 1^1 that is 

enclosed in a square, (?) "Tsujiya Yasubei, of Nandemma-cho" 

(B.W. Robinson, 1961:30-33, 58-59, for dating and identification of publisher). The reverse is decorated with a color print 

of "Shbgatsu jibiki hatsuosame no zu" JEM % 31 ^ #J /£ 13 

(Painting of the New Year seine), also by Hiroshige, which 

depicts men and women at the shore pulling fishnet ropes. The 

scene is rendered in a blue-green and rose tint color design. 

Inscribed are the artist's signature and the identical trade mark 

as on the obverse of the fan. 

Remarks: This fan probably was included in the first group 

of Japanese presents presented to Perry at Edo Bay in July 1853 

(Williams, 1910:68, for his 16 July journal entry; Taylor, 

1859:438, for his description of decorated Japanese fans). 
82 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 3 (obverse side) 

57 Fan (uchiwa; dansen) 

USNM ECC 3 

L: 35.2 cm, W: 29.5 cm 

Description: Rounded rectangular picture fan made of 

paper on a bamboo frame with a handle splayed to the top. 

Characteristics: The obverse is ornamented with a woodcut nishiki-e print of a bust of a woman. According to B.W. 

Robinson (1961:30-32), this signed fan by Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi is entitled "Sampuku-tsui" H £§ !K M (Portrait of 

woman in triptych), and the date of the censors' seal is 1849. 

Lane (1978:298) states that the full title is "Shogei-kurabe 

Sampuku tsui" ^ H {£ = 1$ f\ >fcf (Women of accomplishments in triptych) and gives the date as 1846. The rust- and 

brown-striped kimono pattern dominates the design, which is 

set against a backgound coloring of black, tan, and blue. 

Various inscriptions and symbols include the artist's personal 

seal of kiri (paulownia) crest (B.W. Robinson, 1961:15, 28); 
NUMBER 37 83 

USNM ECC 3 (reverse side) 

the seal of censor Yoshimura in combination with "Kinugasa" 

(B.W. Robinson, 1961:30, 32); and the publisher's mark, 

"Sampei [of] Yokkaichi" [in modem Mie Prefecture] (B.W. 

Robinson, 1961:56-60). The reverse is decorated with a color 

print of a painting by Hiroshige II MMX-W (1829-1869). 

Depicted are a gourd, on which is inscribed a waka #JDt: 

(poem), and various seasonal floral representations. It is signed 

"Rissai" &% or "Ryusai" (Lane, 1978:229), which is 

Hiroshige's go ^ (pseudonym) (Roberts, 1976:45; Strange, 

1906:51, especially for reference to Kuniyoshi and Hiroshige II 

works on fan-shape color prints). 

Remarks: This fan probably was one of the 40 fans 

received during Perry's first visit to Japan in July 1853 

(Williams, 1910:68, for his 16 July 1853 entry; Taylor, 

1859:438, for a description of the fans). 
84 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

58 Umbrella (kasa ijfc ) 

USNM ECC 426 

L: 73 cm 

Description: A man's common amagasa M*£ (rain 

umbrella) with ja-no-me $£<£) g (lit. snake's eye) design 

construction. 

Characteristics: The umbrella is made from a single piece 

of bamboo split into 52 ribs and covered with oil- and 

lacquer-finished paper. The ribs are gathered at the top to allow 

the umbrella to be opened and shut, and a bamboo handle is 

attached. An ochre decorative band, approximately 24.5 cm 

wide, circles the center of the deep blue umbrella canopy. The 

giving of umbrellas as official gifts may be of Chinese origin. 

In China, an elaborate umbrella sometimes is presented to a 

popular official when he or she leaves their district. It is 

considered to be a token of respect and purity and a symbol of 

dignity and high rank (Williams, 1976:413, for Chinese 

practice and symbolism). 

Remarks: Various lists have entries for umbrellas: "kasa" 

in the AWL (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 201); 100 

"amagasa" in the SGL (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 312); 10 

"konji ja-no-me gasa" £#;%4£<7)@^ (deep blue umbrella 

of snake's eye design construction) received from Ido 

Tsushima-no-kami in the NGL (BGKM, 1912, volume 4, page 

559); and 30 "ja-no-me gasa" included in the articles prepared 

for the Shimoda bazaar (BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 553). 

Both the HNL and PJL note 20 umbrellas as gifts from Ido. 

This umbrella was entered in the 1859-ACB and 1953-AL as 

one of 57 identical "common umbrellas," ECC 389-556. The 

NGL's description of 10 umbrellas received from Ido approximates the deep blue colored ja-no-me gasa described above. 

This umbrella was exhibited at the Naval Historical Foundation's Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum in 1975-1976. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 389-425, 427-445, all identical to ECC 426. 
NUMBER 37 85 

USNM ECC 426 (left, partially opened; right, closed) 
86 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

59 Smoking pipes (kiseru jg? If ) 

USNM ECC 36-43 

various sizes 

Description: Tobacco pipes with straight rao j|f ^ (bamboo stems) of narrow diameter that range from 3 to 3.7 cm. 

Characteristics: Fitted on one end of each pipe is an 

elongated brass suikuchi ig£ P (mouthpiece), and into the other 

end is a small gankubi flg|f (lit. the long neck of flying 

geese), or pinch bowl, which is brazed at a right angle to the 

front-stem fitting. Japanese tobacco pipes originally were large 

and sometimes were carried over the shoulder and used as a 

weapon. A man's pipe is usually 6-8 inches (15.3-20.4 cm) in 

length, whereas a woman's often is longer, i.e., V/i ft (37.1 cm) 

(Newman and Ryerson, 1964:116, for conventional pipe sizes). 

The type described above is a common variety. It usually is 

inserted into a pipe sheath that is then carried either by thrusting 

it under the girdle or, together with a pipe pouch, hung from the 

girdle by a cord and netsuke #| ft (an ornamental object for 

suspending a pouch or other objects worn above the girdle). 

The sheaths may be made of leather, papier-mache, wood, 

ivory, or bone (Morse, 1917, volume 1, page 7; Boger, 

1964:274-275, for pipe sheaths). The dimensions and descriptions of individual pipes are as follows. ECC 37 (L: 26.8 cm, D: 

3 cm) has a pipe stem that is decorated with a stenciled 

sayagata j@$ij& (continuous linked swastikas) pattern in 

kiribori qj $& (perforated; dotted) design in black. Incised on 

the front-stem fitting is the pipe maker's signature, Kiyoharu 

/f -g- . ECC 36 (L: 25.0 cm, D: 3.5 cm) has a plain bamboo 

stem with a short mouthpiece and no ornamentation. ECC 38 

(L: 25.0 cm, D: 3.0 cm) has a pipe stem decorated with a 

stencilled kikkb % ^ (tortoise-shell) pattern in kiribori design 

in black. ECC 39 (L: 24.5 cm, D: 3.7 cm) is partially decorated 

with ringed shallow grooves on the metal fittings of the front 

stem. ECC 40 (L: 25.4 cm, D: 3.0 cm) has a pipe stem that is 

decorated with a dark brown print of a figure of a woman 

standing under willow branches and a bird in flight. ECC 41 (L: 

22.5 cm, D: 3.5 cm) has white brass fittings decorated with 

incised plum and peony blossoms. ECC 42 (L: 19.2 cm, D: 3.2 

cm) has a short bamboo pipe stem with no ornamentation. ECC 

43 (L: 18.8 cm, D: 3.2 cm) has a short pipe stem with an 

elongated (7 cm) mouthpiece. The metal fittings are white 

brass. 

Remarks: These pipes were received at Naha in June 1853 

and in July 1854 (cf. Appendixes IIlA, HID). Two sample 

specimens (ECC 35, 40) were exhibited at the Japan Society, 

New York City, in 1969. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 35 is identical to ECC 37. 
NUMBER 37 87 

\ j 

From top to bottom: USNM ECC 43, ECC 42, ECC 41, ECC 38, ECC 37, ECC 40, ECC 36, ECC 39 
88 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Graphics 

tft/^M ^ 3L**~ 

USNM ECC 398.566 

60 "Peruri zb Kita-Amerika jimbutsu" ^ JV U & 4t # S 

jpj flD A #f (Portrait of Perry, a North American) 

USNM ECC 398.566 

L: 47.5 cm, W: 35.5 cm (inclusive of frame) 

Description: Color woodblock print portrait of Perry, by 

an anonymous Japanese artist in 1854. 

Characteristics: An identical portrait is in the Paul Blum 

private collection (1968-SJJE), and another is in the Kurofunekan Hlfttg (Blackship Museum), located in Kashiwazaki 

[city], Nagano prefecture, Japan. 

Remarks: The portrait was reproduced in Morison 

(1967:375) and also in "Hajimete deatta Amerika" 

%}SbTlti£;-z>t~MM%l1)n (Th e First Encounter with 

America), Yokohama 3 u A V , special supplementary issue 

(November 1978, page 9). It was included in "America's 

Diplomacy," an exhibit held at the National Archives, 

Washington, D.C, 15 April-1 August 1977. It was the gift of 

Mrs. Lispenard S. Crocker, who acquired the print while her 

husband, Edward Savage Crocker (1895-1968), served in the 

United States diplomatic service. The museum received it in 

1961. 

61 "A village inn near Yeddo Japan" 

NMNH-NA A Art USNM 047292.00 

L: 9 cm, W: 12 cm (exclusive of borders) 

Description: Scene of a Japanese roadside village inn with 

a group of travelers resting. 

Characteristics: Included in the village scene is an open 

kago M H (palanquin) made of split bamboo. The kago bears 

a seat of woven bamboo wicker-work that is hung from a long 

bamboo pole that rests on the shoulders of two carriers, one in 

front, the other in back. Trees, shrubberies, and a partial view of 

a bridge over a river also are included in the scene. 

Remarks: The photograph, in sepia tone, is of a painting by 

William Heine, ca. 1853-1854, who was the principal artist for 

the Japan Expedition. The artist's signed inscription on the 

reverse of the photo mount reads: "The illustrations in my work 

are about four times this size." The caption also is in the artist's 

handwriting. 
NUMBER 37 89 

MNHN-NA A Art USNM 047292.00 

Ci \riU-i 2r • K i t i^Ci V He. J co 

MUM 0Hl7,JXLt0O 

7 

0 

flf^ 

0<-TT-*. C <_Jf-CS-t_ ~A /Xyc^y (X_l*. <. L4' 

4f. y&.ii^ 

NMNH-NA A Art USNM 047292.00 (inscription on reverse of photo) 
90 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

.-:.::_SE^j*a«<S«'i«*«i'^ 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086443.00 NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086442.00 

62 "Officer of Japan" 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086443.00 

L: 22 cm, W: 15 cm (exclusive of borders) 

63 "Japanese Woman" 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086442.00 

L: 22.5 cm, W: 17.5 cm (exclusive of borders) 

Description: Pencil sketch on paper of full-length front 

view of a Japanese military officer in formal dress. 

Characteristics: The officer is wearing a jingasa |S| 5£ 

(lacquered wooden helmet), an haori J$ $$ (short loose jacket) 

with mon $L (family crest) marks, hakama |# (loose skirt-like 

trousers), ama-geta p^f ~~f |fc (wooden clogs with deep cleats 

used for wet weather), and two swords. The work is by an 

anonymous artist, ca. 1853-1854. A handwritten caption on 

the front and an inscription in the same hand on the reverse of 

the mount reads: "Sketch made in Japan by a Naval Officer 

apparently with the Perry Expedition]" and is signed "WH." 

(Walter Hough, Curator, USNM, Division of Ethnology, 

1908-1935). 

Remarks: This sketch tentatively is attributed to William 

Heine, whose style of drawing in "Loo Choo Woman," entry 

64, is similar to this drawing. 

Description: Pencil sketch on paper of a full-length 

portrait of a Japanese woman. 

Characteristics: The woman is shown wearing native 

semiformal attire of kimono ^f$j worn with haori, geta 

(native footwear), and the Edo period hair-style with an 

ornamental kushi ftp (comb). The work is by an anonymous 

artist, ca. 1853-1854. The handwritten caption on the front and 

the inscription on the reverse of the mount are in the same hand. 

The inscription, "Sketch made in Japan by a Naval officer 

apparently with the Perry Expedition]," is signed WH. 

(Walter Hough). 

Remarks: The sketch tentatively is attributed to William 

Heine. 
NUMBER 37 91 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086441.00 NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086444.00 

64 "Loo Choo Woman" 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086441.00 

L: 24 cm, W: 14 cm (exclusive of borders) 

Description: Full-length portrait of a Ryukyuan woman in 

native costume. 

Characteristics: The woman is carrying grass-like material. Especially notable is the hair arrangement with an 

ornamental hair-pin. 

Remarks: The unsigned pencil drawing on paper is by 

William Heine (1817-1885), ca. 1853-1854, Naha, Ryukyu. 

Heine was the principal artist with Perry's Japan Expedition, 

1853-1854. The attribution is based on comparison of the 

handwritten caption on the front of this sketch with Heine's 

signed inscription on reverse of the mount of the photograph, 

"A village inn near Yeddo Japan," entry 61. 

65 "Japanese Soldier" 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086444.00 

L: 24 cm, W: 14 cm (exclusive of borders) 

Description: Full-length sideview of samurai, sketched in 

pencil on paper. 

Characteristics: The samurai is in travelling attire, with 

two swords, leggings, and special footwear called zbri H ^ 

(straw sandals). The work is by an anonymous artist in Japan, 

ca. 1853-1854. The handwritten caption on the front and the 

inscription on the reverse of the mount are in the same hand. 

The inscription, "Sketch made in Japan by a Naval Officer 

apparently with the Perry Expedition]," is signed WH. 

(Walter Hough). 

Remarks: The sketch possibly is by William Heine, the 

principal artist of the Japan Expedition, whose style of drawing 

in "Loo Choo Woman," entry 64, is similar to this sketch. 
92 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0084 

67 Sketch (shaseiga % £ M ) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0084 

L: 18.5 cm, W: 18.1cm 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086445.00 

66 "AinoofYezo" 

NMNH-NAA Art USNM 086445.00 

L: 25 cm, W: 15.5 cm (exclusive of borders) 

Description: Watercolor painting on paper of two Ainu 

males. 

Characteristics: The full-length figures are barefooted and 

are wearing knee-length atsushi JJ^^f- (bark-cloth) robes. 

Especially notable are the length of their hair and their full 

beards. The painting is executed in predominantly dark blue 

coloring with additional light brown and beige tints. The work 

is by an anonymous artist, ca. 1854, Hakodate, Hokkaido. The 

handwritten caption on the front and the inscription on reverse 

of the mount is in the same hand. The inscription, "Sketch 

made in Japan by a Naval Officer apparently with the Perry 

Expedition]," is signed WH. (Walter Hough). 

Description: Hand-colored, pencil sketch of a standing 

group of Ryukyuan officials in native dress. 

Characteristics: The sketch is signed by T.C Dudley, and 

the caption, in the hand of the artist, reads: "Nagadore [Nagado 

H It ] and Itsisi [Itarajiki ;j& j§. $k ] Napa Kiang—Loo 

Choo—July 1854." Itarajiki was the interpreter for the 

Ryukyuan regent, Sho K6-kun ffr£i& (Hora, 1970:81). The 

interpreter's name is variously rendered as Ichirazichi (Hawks, 

1856:219, 247), Adjirashi (Williams, 1910:13), and Idjirashi 

(Williams, 1910:14) (Hora, 1970:37). Napa Kiang is the 

present-day city of Naha. Dudley apparently mistook the place 

name Nagado as the name of a Ryukyuan official. Lewis (in 

Graff, 1952:98) identified Napa Kiang as a town; however, 

Preble refered to it in his diary as the Napa River (Szczesniak, 

1962:28). 

Remarks: The sketch, received by the museum in 1977, 

was a gift of E.M. Guilmette, a descendant of the collector. 
NUMBER 37 93 

•aravamcEutuucocama 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0082 

68 Pictorial map (ezu %& g3 ) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0O82 

L: 40.6 cm, W: 61.5 cm 

Description: Black and white han'ga /{Si® (woodblock 

print) map of Edo Bay, depicting Perry's arrival in 1853, 

entitled "Kaei kaisei taihei anmin kan" 

Mft.dk. IE %•¥•%:&$& (lit. A view or mirror of the land in 

peace and tranquility, revised edition of Kaei period [1848-

1853]). 

Characteristics: The names of Toda Izu-no-kami 

F B9 & H TF (Lord of the Izu district (modem Shizuoka 

prefecture)) and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami ffi H H fP ^jF (Lord 

of the Mimasaka district (modem Okayama prefecture)) are 

printed underneath the name of Uraga go-bugyb jf f? M ^ ff 

(the honorable chief magistrate of Uraga). The map depicts the 

Japanese harbor defense units, including the names of 

respective daimyb X % (lord), the names of the han $ | (fief) 

that they ruled, the mon (family crest), and their annual rice 

stipends in koku £J (measure of capacity; 1 koku equals 180 

liters or 4.96 bushels), with a view of Perry's ships assembled 

in the bay. 

Remarks: The print was a gift from E.M. Guilmette, a 

descendant of the collector; it was received in 1977. 
94 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

~ 1 " 

**l | - jt 

~rft 

• 

II 

NMNH-NAA MS7145 

69 Pictorial map (ezw) 

NMNH-NAA MS7145 

L: 48 cm, W: 69 cm 

Description: Black and white woodblock print pictorial 

map of Edo Bay, depicting Perry's arrival in 1853. 

Characteristics: One section illustrates a scene of Commodore Perry, his principal aide, Commander Adams, and their 

entourage during the landing at Kurihama !K M. $% . Additional 

illustrations include two ship portraits with their respective 

dimensions, number of crew, and other observations; a list of 

han; the names of the daimyb and their crests; and the number 

of men each lord had assigned to the harbor defense units. 

Added to the list are the Uraga chief magistrates, Toda 

Izu-no-kami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami, together with 

some members of the reception committee and Bakufu H jft 

(central government) inspectors. 

Remarks: This print was included in an exhibit entitled 

"Around the World," held at the Historic Warner House, 

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 31 July-5 August 1939 (ECC). 

English labels are affixed on the borders of the mounting. The 

map was received by the museum in 1961 as a gift of Mrs. 

Lispenard S. Crocker. In 1984, it was transferred from the 

Department of Anthropology, ethnography collection, to the 

National Anthropological Archives. 
NUMBER 37 95 

Bamboo, Wood, Straw, and Fiber Products 

70 Bamboo bottle (take-sasae ft /J\ jgjf) 

USNM ECC 165 

H: 18.2 cm, D: 5.5 cm 

Description: Portable container, take-sasae (lit. small 

bamboo tube), made of a cylindrical section of bamboo that is 

closed with an unpunctuated node at the base and a wooden 

disk cover fitted at the top. 

Characteristics: Bamboo bottles such as this were used for 

carrying wine for traveling or picnics (NKDJ, 1976, volume 13, 

page 6; Holme, 1892:33, for varied uses). The disk cover is 

pierced on one side by a small, straw-like tube with stopper. On 

the opposite side, there is a small air hole. Another small 

bamboo tube pierces the upper part of the container through 

which is threaded a thin, black carrying cord that is joined to a 

similar, shorter cord attached to the stopper. 

Remarks: The bottle was received from Izawa Mimasakano-kami and probably was one of the articles included in "take 

zaiku-rui shina-jina" ftBXMm^ (various bamboo ware) 

(Hora, 1970:242). The HNL identifies part of Izawa's gifts as 

"1 box bamboo woven articles" (cf. Appendix I). The AWL 

includes bamboo ware (BGKM, volume 6, page 201). This item 

was entered as a "bamboo water canteen" in both the 

1859-ACB and the 1953-AL. In the ECC it was listed as a 

"suitb" 7K Hi (water canteen). The bottle was exhibited at the 

Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum, Washington, D.C, in 

1975-1976. 

Additional Specimens: Two other specimens, ECC 165 

and 9209, are identical to ECC 164. 

USNM ECC 165 

USNM ECC 279 

71 Back scratcher (mago-no-te %. CO # ) 

USNM ECC 279 

L:35cm, W: 1.8 cm 

Description: Mago-no-te (lit. the hand of grandchild) 

made of a long, thin bamboo strip. 

Characteristics: The end of the back scratcher is slightly 

curved and widened forming a hand-like shape, the end of 

which is cut irregularly to create sharp edges. The design is to 

provide, when used, the sensation of nail scratches. 

Remarks: It probably was one of the items included in the 

bamboo woven articles received from Izawa Mimasaka-nokami. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 279 includes 6 additional 

specimens, each of slightly different size. 
96 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 277, 278 

72 Massage rollers (amma-ki &&%&) 

USNM ECC 277, 278 

H: 5 cm, L: 5.1 cm 

Description: Wooden amma-ki (lit. implement for massaging human body), constructed from a partial section of bamboo 

cylinder with bevelled edges. 

Characteristics: Mounted inside crosswise is a bar that 

pierces through a wooden ball-like disk, which is designed to 

revolve when pressed as a roller. Only the surface of the curved 

bamboo holder, fashioned so as to fit into the palm of one's 

hand, is stained dark. The construction is similar to a kneader 

called hitori-amma & U $£& (self shampooer) (Holme, 

1892:39-40, for the user's posture and the effectiveness of the 

bamboo kneader). 

Remarks: Probably these were articles that were included 

in the assorted bamboo ware received from Izawa Mimasakino-kami. These two rollers were exhibited at the Japan Society, 

New York City, in 1969. In 1969, Tsuji Yutaka, a newspaper 

correspondent for the Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, was able to 

provide the Japanese term amma-ki for the objects. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 277 has two additional specimens, one of which is only a fragment. ECC 278 also has two 

additional specimens. All the specimens are identical. 
NUMBER 37 97 

USNM ECC 314(a-g) 

73 Writing brush (fude iE) 

USNMECC314(a-g) 

L: 20 cm (average) 

Description: A tuft of rabbit hair bound together and 

inserted in a narrow bamboo tube, the handle. 

Characteristics: ECC 314 applies to six writing brushes 

with slight size variations; the letters a-g are arbitrary additons. 

Individual charateristics are as follows. 

ECC 314a has a tapered brush tip that is covered by a 

bamboo tube. The slip of rice paper pasted on the handle is 

inscribed with the ideograph for "kosui" ffl 7K (lit. lake water), 

which presumably is the maker's pseudonym. 

ECC 314b has the same construction as ECC 314a. The light 

brown brush probably is made of badger's hair. It is shorter and 

thinner than ECC 314a; there is no inscription. A split in the 

brush cover is evident. 

ECC 314c has the same construction as ECC 314a. This 

brush is thicker than ECC 314a and 314b and has a less-tapered 

brush top. The cover is missing, and a hole has been pierced 

through the midsection of the handle. 

ECC 314d has the same construction as ECC 314a. The 

brush and the upper part of the handle are stained with a 

Western variety of ink. 

ECC 314e is identical to ECC 314d. 

ECC 314f has only the bamboo handle and brush cover 

remaining; the brush is missing. Incised on the handle in blue 

are three illegible ideographs; an ideograph in red reads "fukki" 

H§5 . 

ECC 314g has only the bamboo handle and brush cover 

remaining; the brush is missing. 
98 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

red circle that surrounds the inscribed character "furb" ^ ^ 

(eternal youth; immortality), which is also in red. 

Remarks: This definitely is one of the articles included in 

the assorted bamboo wares received from Izawa, as is indicated 

in the HNL. It was identified as a "bamboo goblet" in both the 

1859-ACB and 1953-AL and was exhibited at the Japan 

Society, New York City, in 1969. 

75 Basket (kago H ) 

USNM ECC 109 

H: 8.5 cm, D: 29 cm 

Description: Round, shallow fruit basket in light brown, 

made of thin suzutake fcft or sasa & (dwarf bamboo grass), 

with interlaced, open-work design. 

Characteristics: The mouth of the basket is scalloped by 

bending the bamboo stems toward the base where they are 

twined. The susudake $£ ft (smoked bamboo) effect of the 

silky textured brown coloring traditionally is obtained by 

storing clumps of bamboo high in farmhouse rafters for 

prolonged periods of time, thus exposing them to smoke and 

soot from the family hearth (77, 1962:88, for coloring method). 

Remarks: This basket was one of the woven bamboo 

articles either received from Izawa (HNL entry for "1 box 

bamboo woven articles"; cf. Appendix I) or purchased at 

Shimoda. "Kudamono-ire maru kago" |g fy) A K H (round 

fruit basket) of various sizes are included in the SML, the list of 

articles collected as additional gifts or for the several bazaars 

held at Shimoda during May and June 1854 (BGKM, volume 8, 

pages 543-544) in response to the AWL, which included 

"kago zaiku mono" f| #jfl X % (basketry work) (cf. Appendix 

V). 

USNM ECC 166 

74 Brush holder (fude-tate 

USNM ECC 166 

L: 14.5 cm, D: 9.5 cm 

IZT ) 

Description: Cylindrical open section of bamboo in natural color, which is mounted on an octagonal, light brown 

wooden base. 

Characteristics: Receptacles such as this commonly are 

found on writers' tables where they are used to store brushes, 

knives, and other writing implements. Holme (1892:37) prefers 

the term "brush stand" to brush holder. The interior is lined 

with cream colored silk, whereas its exterior is decorated with 

a pair of incised figures of minogame with light and dark 

painted shading. The minogame figures are widely spaced; one 

is at the left bottom and the other to the upper right of an incised 

76 Basket (kago) 

USNM ECC 117 

H: 4.5 cm, W: 4.5 cm, L: 30 cm 

Description: Rounded rectangular, shallow fish basket. 

Characteristics: The basket has an open-work design, with 

a high loop handle. It is made of brown-colored dwarf bamboo 

(cf. entry 75 for information about the weave and the process of 

brown coloring). 

Remarks: This is one of the bamboo woven articles either 

received from Izawa (HNL) or purchased at Shimoda. Entries 

for "sakana kago" # ft (fish basket) and "naga kago" J| § | 

(long or rectangular basket) of various sizes are included in the 

SML (BGKM, 1916, volume 8, pages 542-543; cf. Appendix 

V). 

Additional Specimens: A second basket (not illustrated), 

also numbered ECC 117, is a round fruit basket (H: 9 cm) with 

a missing loop handle. It too has an open-work design made of 

brown-colored (smoked) dwarf bamboo grass. 
NUMBER 37 99 

USNM ECC 109 

USNM ECC 117 
100 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 302 

77 Family Shinto altar (kamidana # $Jj ) 

USNM ECC 302 

L: 58.4 cm, W: 20.3 cm, H: 37.5 cm 

Description: Rectangular, wooden kamidana (lit. God's 

shelf) for household use. 

Characteristics: The altar is a modified architectural 

reproduction of a Shinto shrine in traditional style, which is 

designed to be displayed upon a shelf. Kamidana are used as 

places of worship of Shintoist deities or for the safekeeping of 

charms, amulets, and other sacred objects. Three compartments 

with doors are fitted within the box-like structure. The center 

chamber, the sanctuary, contains a carved wooden figure of 

Daikoku A H » the god of wealth, one of the seven gods of 

good fortune in the Japanese folk tradition derived from 

Brahmanism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shintoism (Gunsaulus, 

1922:12). Daikoku, who is worshipped as the special patron of 

farmers, stands on two rice bales while holding what is believed 

to be a magic hammer with which he can produce anything the 

human heart desires. He carries a large sack of treasures over 

his shoulder (Piggott, 1969:58-59; CCJWA, 1883:12; Shugio, 

1896:351). Latticework ornaments the left and right front 

panels, and round, brass nail heads encircled with scalloped, 

black wooden disks are used to fasten the framework. 

Additional ornamentation consists of a low relief sculpture in 

wood of a modified heart-shape inome kegyo $f @ M. M. (lit. 

wild boar's eye design gableboard decoration). Kegyo or 

kengyo (lit. suspended fish) is an architectural term for such 

decorations on a gableboard or bargeboard (pers. comm. 

Okada, conversation, March 1979). Over time, the kegyo 

fish-shape design on the altar has been lost, but the heart-shape 

decoration and the belief that it guards the building against fire 

have survived (NKDJ, 1976, volume 7, page 162). 

Remarks: The altar was purchased by Dr. James Morrow, 

the scientist attached to Perry's expedition party, at Shimoda, 

June 1854 (Morrow in Cole, 1947:233; cf. Appendix IV). 
NUMBER 37 101 

USNM ECC 303 

78 Family Shinto altar (kamidana) 

USNM ECC 303 

L: 34.2 cm, W: 16 cm, H: 35.2 cm 

Description: Wooden household Shinto altar. 

Characteristics: The altar is a modified reproduction of a 

Shinto shrine in the kasuga # 0 architectural style. The 

upright, box-like structure, with doors in front and concave roof 

surfaces, is set on a rectangular platform. A low relief of a 

heart-shape inome kegyo (cf. entry 77 for symbolism) decorates 

the gableboard. A wooden figure of Daikoku, the god of wealth 

(cf. entry 77 for full description), is placed inside the box, the 

sanctuary. 

Remarks: The altar was purchased at Shimoda, June 1854, 

by Dr. James Morrow (Morrow in Cole, 1947:233; cf. 

Appendix IV). It was exhibited in Washington, D.C, at the 

Renwick Gallery of Art exhibition, "Celebration: A World of 

Art and Ritual," 17 March 1981- 26 June 1983. 
102 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 301 

79 Family Shinto altar (kamidana) 

USNM ECC 301 

L: 101.5 cm, W: 41.3 cm, H: 50.8 cm 

Description: Miniature wooden kamidana for household 

use. 

Characteristics: This altar is a modified architectural 

reproduction done in the traditional style of the Hie 0 ^ 

shrine (Boger, 1964:157-158, for illustrations of various 

shrine architectural styles) and designed for placement upon a 

shelf. Kamidana are used as places of worship of Shintoist 

dieties or for safekeeping of such objects as charms, amulets, 

and other objects of a religious nature (Morse, 1886:224-225, 

for an assortment of displayed objects). Five compartments 

with doors are fitted within the rectangular box-like structure. 

Grill work and an openwork design of stylized pine tree 

branches, cranes, and kajiba #| H (oak leaves) ornament the 

structure. The pine and crane are symbols of longevity and 

happiness. Edmunds (1934:317) traces the pine and crane 

combination to Taoist origins, but notes that it is a common 

Japanese motif. The oak leaf symbol is associated with 

offerings to the gods because of its use as a wrapper for certain 

dishes, whereas oak trees themselves are considered to be 

shrine guardians (Dower, 1971:65, for symbolic origins and 

associations). Additional ornamentation for the upper front of 

the structure is a low relief sculpture in wood of a modified 

heart-shape inome kegyo (cf. entry 77 for symbolism). A 

wooden figure of Ebisu M\t^, the god of fishermen and 

tradesmen, one of the seven gods of good fortune in Japanese 

folk tradition, stands in the central chamber. The Ebisu figure 

carries a fishing rod and a large tai g$f (sea-bream). Two carved 

wooden figures of kara-shishi m&Pi^ (lit. Chinese lion), act 

as guardian animals and flank the offering tray, ozen M W$. at 

the entrance to the sanctuary. 

Remarks: The altar was identified as a "household shrine" 

by the expedition scientist and collector, Dr. James Morrow, 

who purchased it at Shimoda in June 1854 (Morrow in Cole, 

1947:233; cf. Appendix IV), and it is so entered in the 

1859-ACB and 1953-AL. The ECC includes descriptions of the 

animal guardians as "two grotesque heads," the carved Ebisu 

figure as the "god of sustenance and fish market," and the word 

"Shinto." 
NUMBER 37 103 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0032 (with drawer closed) 

80 Small box (kobako >h ^ ; tebako # ft ) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0032 

L: 8.3 cm, W: 8.3 cm, H: 4.5 cm 

Description: Small or handy box made of hinoki ft 

(Japanese cypress) wood with mokuga ytcU (lit. wood 

picture; mosaic work on wooden objects) or zbgan ^g g 

(inlay) decoration. 

Characteristics: The four sides of the box are hollowed 

out, and into one side is inserted a drawer-like construction that 

slides. The side panels for the three sides apparently are 

missing. The box top ornamentation consists of inlays of light 

and dark brown natural wood pieces in geometric patterns, 

including a pentacle, squares, and other shapes. It has been 

identified (pers. comm. Tanabe) as a good example of the 

woodcrafts produced in the Hakone $f #| (Kanagawa prefecture) area, which is popularly known as Hakone zaiku 

WitikffliX. (Hakone handicrafts). The mokuga method of 

decoration is said to have originated in the Nara period (AD 

645-794), and various other materials such as ivory, horn, and 

shell frequently are used (Sadaharu, 1968:104; Okada, 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0032 (with drawer open) 

1956:57-59, for various methods and types of woodcrafts 

featuring mokuga decoration). 

Remarks: This box probably was purchased at one of the 

several bazaars held in both Hakodate and Shimoda. It was a 

gift of E.M. Guilmette, a descendant of the collector and was 

received in 1977. 
104 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

MAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-OOl36-37 (top view) 

MAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-OOl 36-37 (side view) 

81 Wooden clogs (koma-geta Iffi T ifc) 

MAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-OOl 36-37 

L: 17.7 cm, W: 7 cm, H: 7 cm 

Description: A pair of common, oblong, women's footwear for everyday use, carved from a solid block of paulownia 

wood (Janata, 1965, entry 831; Morse, 1917, volume 1, page 3, 

for similar specimens). 

Characteristics: Plaited rush insoles are fastened to the 

wooden base with iron tacks. White leather thongs pass through 

a hole in the front end of the sole and are fastened midway back 

at both sides. The holes are situated so that the thong fits 

comfortably between the first and second toes. Koma-geta 

made for use by men generally are called nomeri-geta 

CO &) U T ifc »

 an d on e w it n a plaited rush sole is called omote 

tsuki nomeri ^ o ^ CO 8b U (Endo, 1971, entry 227, for term 

and illustration). A similar type of koma-geta, particularly with 

iron tacks but with its height ranging from approximately 6 to 

8 cm, is known as Dbjima-geta, |£ S Ti k which are used 

exclusively by traveling Edo prostitutes. The term is said to 

have originated in the Dqjima district, a well-established Osaka 

area (NKDJ, 1976, volume 14, pages 464-465). Geta are worn 

with or without tabi j£ ^ (lit. foot-bag; ankle-length socks), 

which also have separate divisions for the big toe. 

Remarks: The tag attached to the clogs states that they 

were the "first purchase in Japan by the Americans." The tag 

probably was written by the collector. This was a gift of E.M. 

Guilmette, a descendant of the collector; it was received in 

1977. 
NUMBER 37 105 

USNM ECC 309 

82 Straw raincoat (mino ft) 

USNM ECC 449 (not illustrated) 

L: 105 cm, W: 38 cm (at top) 

Description: Rain gear made of overlapping layers of wide 

strands of kasasuge fj •$- x >f (Carex dispalata) type straw 

(pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, July 1979) that flare out 

and taper toward the rear end. 

Characteristics: Two strings are interwoven into the upper 

portion of the mino. When worn, they are to be tied in front. 

This style of raincoat commonly is known as a farmers' or 

peasants' raincoat, but its use is not limited to them. Variations 

in style exist (Janata, 1965, entries 278-280, for similar and 

other types; Tanaka, 1970, entry 27, for the type produced and 

used in Iwate prefecture; Yanagi, 1960, entry 45, for a northern 

variety produced in Aomori prefecture). In addition to straw, 

other materials, such as miscanthus, sedge, and hemp-palm, 

also are used (NKDJ, 1976, volume 18, page 634). 

Remarks: Two pieces are cataloged under ECC 449. They 

were incorrectly identified as "grass skirts" in the 1859-ACB 

and ECC; the latter has the following notation: "Though these 

look like grass skirts, the very small waist may mean they were 

for some other purposes, probably raincoats." They were not 

included in the 1953-AL. They probably were purchased at 

Shimoda in June 1854. A SML entry reads: "Kaga mino" 

#n S ft (straw raincoat from the province of Kaga [modem 

Ishikawa prefecture] (BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 549). 

Photos are not available as the objects are too fragile to handle. 

83 Broom (hbki W) 

USNM ECC 309 

L: 65 cm, W: 25 cm 

Description: Broom made of com stalks or morokoshi-bbki 

H (Janata, 1965, entry 408, for identical specimen) for both 

indoor and outdoor use. 

Characteristics: A sheaf of thin com stalks is bound with 

an akebi T >T \X (vine) (pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, 

July 1979) to form a handle approximately 27 cm in length. The 

fine branches that spread out below the handle are cut at an 

angle to fit the floor or ground surface. The broom is not 

designed to be held vertically (specific features of Japanese 

brooms are noted in Morse, 1917, volume 1, page 147). 

Remarks: The broom probably was a purchased item or an 

informal gift as it is not included in any of the available lists of 

Japanese presents. 
106 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 308 

84 Broom (hbki) 

USNM ECC 308 

L: 77 cm, W: 22 cm 

Description: Broom made of dark brown fibers of shuro 

££ flg, the hemp-palm (Trachycarpus excelsus) or shuro-bbki 

I^ASH (Janata, 1965, entry 407, for a similar specimen 

identified as a broom made of a species of palm, Chamaerops 

excelsa). 

Characteristics: A wide and flat broom head with a 

straight edge is bound on a short bamboo handle (36.5 cm in 

length). It is designed exclusively for indoor use. 

Remarks: This specimen is one of the 30 brooms given by 

Ido Tsushima-no-kami. An entry, "shuro-bbki sanjuppon" 

£n fll # EE fn fc (thirty hemp-palm brooms), is recorded in 

the NGL (BGKM, 1912, volume 4, page 556). An HNL entry 

accounts for "one box 30 coir brooms." It was identified as a 

"cocoanut broom" in the ECC. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 307 has a shorter and thicker 

handle. 

85 Hemp-palm fiber (shuro-ge £p flB 4=;) 

USNM ECC 317 (not illustrated) 

L:51 cm,W: 19 cm 

Description: A triangular sample of bark of the shuro plant 

with one end shredded, showing its coarse fiber in its natural 

dark brown color. 

Characteristics: This piece probably was included in the 

box containing 30 brooms made of shuro fiber (cf. entry 84) in 

order to provide information about the raw material used. The 

shuro fiber is used for manufacturing other varied objects, such 

as hats, ropes, fish nets, and scrubbing brushes (NKDJ, 1976, 

volume 10, page 407). 

Remarks: The label attached to the specimen incorrectly 

identifies it to be "cocoa nut fibre," and the error is reflected in 

the ECC. 
NUMBER 37 107 

Metalware 

86 Egg cooking pan (tamago-yaki ffl $t) 

USNM ECC 287 

Pan, L: 12.3 cm, W: 12.3 cm, H: 2.3 cm 

Handle, L: 9 cm, D: 2 cm 

Description: Square, shallow, copper-plated tin pan, with 

short, hollow handle, used for cooking an omelet-like egg dish 

called "tamago-yaki," a term also applied to the cooking utensil 

itself (pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979; NKDJ, 

1976, volume 13, page 181). 

Characteristics: The handle is pierced to accommodate a 

lanyard for hanging when not in use. When in use, an extra 

wooden handle (missing) is inserted into the metal handle for 

ease in handling (pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 

1979). The remaining legible inscriptions read: "Tazaka BB Wi. 

[either a personal or place name] yonsun E \f" [4 (Japanese) 

inches, which is —12 cm; thus the pan size is 12 x 12 cm) gojugo 

ban" £&£ # [number 55]. 

Remarks: The pan was incorrectly identified as "stew-pan" 

in the 1859-ACB, 1953-AL, and ECC. It probably was 

purchased by Dr. James Morrow at Shimoda in June 1854 (cf. 

Appendix IV for ML entry: "Specimens copper ware & plate"). 

The pan was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 

1969. 

USNM ECC 287 

87 Iron pot (kama |£ ) 

USNM ECC 281 

H: 20.3 cm, D: 31 cm 

Description: Cast iron, globular cooking pot. 

Characteristics: The pot has a wide flange (3.8 cm in 

diameter) around the middle of the body, and ring handles 

attached on each side near the mouth. The flange is intended to 

fit into a specially designed ro fp (hearth) or kamado % 

(kitchen-range) for both indoor and outdoor use. 

Remarks: This item was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Shimoda during May-June 1854 (cf. Appendix IV for ML 

entry: "iron pot'). It was entered as a "cast iron dinner pot" in 

both the 1859-ACB and the 1953-AL and as a "cast iron dinner 

pot or brazier" in the ECC. It was exhibited at the Japan 

Society, New York City, in 1969. 

... j . 

USNM ECC 281 
108 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 332 

USNM ECC 283 

88 Iron tea kettle (teppin 

gama #8MJ 2£ ) 

USNM ECC 283 

H: 13.2 cm, D: 17.5 cm 

; tetsubin g^jjg ; tedoriDescription: Shibuichi 29 fr— (silver inlaid) cast iron 

kettle for use in the tea ceremony. 

Characteristics: The globular-shape body with side spout 

is modified into an olpe-like vessel that tapers to a foot that 

forms a double curve. The handle loop and thin, flat cover are 

in brass. Attached to the cover is a small green bead handle. The 

main circular body is ornamented with the shibuichi effect of 

grey patina (Boger, 1964:93, 216-217, for shibuichi type 

metalware) in a relief design of the maple leaf. The foot, with 

a stylized, geometric wave pattern, also is in relief. 

Remarks: Probably this was an item that was purchased or 

given informally, as none of the official lists of Japanese 

presents includes it. The AWL included iron and other metal 

wares (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 198). It was exhibited at 

the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 

89 Iron wine server with stand (chbshi %^^- , gotoku 

£ « ) 

USNM ECC 332 

Server, H: 8 cm, D: 14 cm 

Stand, H: 7 cm, D: 11.2 cm 

Description: Cast iron wine server (identification, pers. 

comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) in a modified 

globular shape, with a side spout and a hollow, brass, loop 

handle. 

Characteristics: The cover is missing. The body ornamentation is a grain pattern in high relief. The iron gotoku 

(kettle-holder) has hook-like pronged feet shaped into an 

elongated tripod, which is intended to fit into a brazier. It is a 

specially designed kettle for both warming and serving wine. 

Remarks: The piece has been variously identified as an 

"iron bucket or teapot" in the 1859-ACB; "iron holders" in the 

1953-AL; and as a "tea kettle" in the ML (cf. Appendix IV). It 

probably was purchased at Shimoda in June 1854. 
NUMBER 37 109 

90 Iron wine server (chbshi) and stand (gotoku) 

USNM ECC 284 

Server, H: 8.8 cm, D: 13.5 cm 

Stand, H: 8 cm, D: 13.5 cm 

Description: Cast alloy of iron and silver, cylindrical kettle 

with a side spout and loop handle. 

Characteristics: The body has the shibuichi effect of grey 

patina. The body ornamentation is a nanten (nandin) design in 

relief of berries and leaves, whereas pine branches and cherry 

blossoms decorate the iron handle. The iron gotoku (kettle 

holder or kettle stand) has hook-like pronged feet shaped into 

an elongated tripod, which is intended to fit into a specially 

designed brazier. The cover is missing. 

Remarks: The piece probably was purchased by Dr. James 

Morrow at Hakodate in May 1854 (cf. Appendix IV for ML 

entry: "Large Iron Kettle"). This wine server is larger than the 

kettle (wine server) purchased at Shimoda (cf. entry 88). It was 

exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 

USNM ECC 284 

USNM ECC 284 (detail of handle) 
110 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 150 

91 Sacred mirror (shinkyb ^ H ) 

USNM ECC 150 

D: 15.0 cm 

Description: Round, copper, sacred mirror. 

Characteristics: The surface of the mirror is ornamented 

with a pattern of closely set grain in low relief. The vertical 

inscription in the center reads: "Aki-no-kuni Sunada-gbri Gion 

no yashiro shinkyb" % s H 56 BB SB >ffi HI It # WL (the sacred mirror from the Gion temple at Sunada district in the 

province of Aki [modem Hiroshima lA M, prefecture]) (see 

Wakayama, 1967:560, for Edo period administrative divisions; 

Papinot, 1948:118, for history of the mirror's religious 

affiliation). The sacredness of the mirror originates from the 

yata-no-kagami Affiffi (synonymous with shinkyb), one of 

the three Imperial treasures that are in the Ise jingu ^ ^ ffi 'g 

(Ise Shinto shrine). The yata-no-kagami is closely related to the 

Japanese creation myth, and the original is said to have been in 

the form of a flower with eight petals (Papinot, 1948:751, for 

legend and historical background). 

Remarks: This was a personal gift from Ido Tsushima-nokami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami to Perry at Shimoda, 9 

June 1854. It was entered as kagami M (mirror) in the KORL 

(BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 310). Neither the HNL nor the 

Japanese NGL include this item. An entry for "hassun kagami" 

A TJ" $& (lit. eight inch mirror) is in the list of articles procured 

for the American expedition party at Shimoda (BGKM, 1916, 

volume 8, page 552). The 1859-ACB and 1953-AL each list a 

"mirror with case." The case is missing. It was exhibited at the 

Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 
NUMBER 37 111 

USNM ECC 273 

92 Temple bell (bonshb % H ; tsurigane $jgg ) 

USNM ECC 273 

H: 47 cm, D: 26 cm, W: 12.76 kg 

Description: Buddhist temple bell cast in alloys of copper 

and zinc, with gold dusted on the exterior surface. 

Characteristics: The cylindrical body, with a conical 

crown or rybzu (also ryuzu) figg (lit. dragon head), was 

designed as a tsurigane (hanging bell) for suspension in a 

specially constructed belfry. It is ornamented with the 

following traditional Buddhist symbols. The upper waist, or chi 

no ma IL CO Pel (breast section), is divided into four squares, 

each containing twelve chi or nyu f L (lit. breasts) for a total of 

48 raised knobs (NKDJ, 1976, volume 18, page 244, gives the 

special terms associated with Buddhist legends for various 

parts of temple bells). The knobs are said to represent the snails 

that clustered themselves on Buddha's head to shield him from 

sunstroke (Densmore, 1927:9). Two slightly raised circles (4.5 

cm in diameter), decorated with the sacred "wheel of the law" 

in relief, are placed just above the bead lines on opposite sides 

of the bell and serve as tsukiza 5M.H& (striking seats). A 

curvilinear arabesque band ornaments the bead lines above the 

bell mouth. The bell is suspended by a loop formed by uniting 

the pair of trident-shape dragon heads at the apex of the bell. It 

is struck with a shumoku £| 7fc (a wooden stick covered with 

leather or cloth). Morse (1917, volume 1, page 80) illustrates 

the method of hanging such a bell and the round stick with 

which it is struck. The incised inscription on the head of the bell 

states that it was "mei suwa ichi [?] koku [?]" £ pfc U — %\ 

(carved by the renowned first generation of Suwa IPREfr 

family?). Wakayama (1967:194) identifies Suwa as a metal 

carver's patronymic in the province of Higo HE %k (modem 

Kumamoto prefecture). The temple bell is used for tolling the 

time or to exorcise evil. In earlier days, it is said, temple bells 

were rung 108 times each morning and evening, on New Year's 

Eve, or on certain special occasions in order to cast out evil. 

The 108 peals signified the Buddhist concept of 108 worldly 

concerns (DeGaris, 1947, volume 2, page 67). 

Remarks: This was one of the items included in the list of 

additional gifts presented at Shimoda in June, 1854. It was 

entered as a "shbshb" 'M l (small bell) in the BGKM (1914, 

volume 6, page 311), as a "gong" in both the 1859-ACB and the 

1953-AL, but correctly entered in the ECC as a "large bell." It 

was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 
112 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Swords and Arms 

93 Short samurai sword (wakizashi fg ^ ; §& #t) 

USNM ECC 115 

Overall L: 60 cm 

Blade L: 46 cm 

Description: Wakizashi (lit. side thrust) steel blade in 

wooden sheath. 

Characteristics: The saya $f=f (sheath) is made of Ad no & 

£b CO 7fc (magnolia wood). The wakizashi is a shorter, 

companion sword that is worn with the katana J] (long fighting 

sword). The cutting edge of the wakizashi faces upward and is 

secured by the wearer's girdle. With no sheath ornamentation, 

and without the companion kozuka /h 1jfi (small knife) or kbgai 

^ (skewer), the wakizashi is a good example of the common, 

undecorated shintb ffij] (new sword) produced during the 

Tokugawa period (1603-1867). As a pair, the katana and 

wakizashi are known as daishb ;fc /J> (lit. great and little), and 

the wearing of the two swords was the jealously guarded 

prerogative of the Edo period samurai. The wakizashi was 

allowed to be worn in the interior of a friend's house, but the 

katana was required to be left on a special rack in the vestibule 

(for types of swords and sword etiquette, see Newman and 

Ryerson, 1964:117-119). The wearing of swords at court 

ceremonies was prohibited in 1868 by Emperor Meiji (H.R. 

Robinson, 1969:52), and the 1877 imperial edict that abolished 

the samurai class brought an end to the wearing of two swords 

(Newman and Ryerson, 1964:118). The sword is signed 

"Echizen [no] kami Sukehiro" Mwi^fBhJM ([made by] 

Sukehiro, the master swordsmith of the Echizen district 

[modem Fukui prefecture]). Sukehiro was a prominent, 

mid-17th century swordsmith (Wakayama, 1967:645). He was 

the foster father of Tsuta Sukehiro ^ gf gfr g| , another noted 

Edo swordsmith, according to information supplied in 1972 by 

the Nihon bijutsu token hozon kyokai 

B£Hft?ZJ$J{£ ;^{$ £ (Society for the Preservation of 

Japanese Art Swords) of the Token Hakubutsukan 

71 $J W $9 fiS (Sword Museum), Tokyo. It was certified 

(certificate 259090) by the society as tokubetsu kichb token 

# S'J H M. J) ffl (especially valuable sword) (cf. ECC). The 

signature was re-examined in 1976 and was determined to be 

that of Tsuta Sukehiro (cf. ECC), the son who was active ca. 

1660 (Wakayama, 1967:645). 

Remarks: This is possibly one of the two short swords 

presented to Perry by the reception commissioners, Ido 

Tsushima-no-kami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami, as additional gifts in June 1854 at Shimoda. The entry for two tantb 

*g J) (lit. short swords) in the Shimoda gift list (cf. Appendix 

III) may be a rather loose reference to the wakizashi. A more 

precise, technical usage of tantb would refer to daggers. It was 

exhibited by the Division of Armed Forces History at the then 

Museum of History and Technology, now the National 

Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, during 

1965-1969. Subsequently, it was shown at the Pacific Heritage 

Museum, San Francisco, in 1987. 

94 Short samurai sword (wakizashi) 

USNM ECC 116 

Overall L: 77.5 cm 

Blade L: 54 cm 

Description: A wakizashi in magnolia wood sheath (cf. 

entry 93 for the manner of wearing with a companion long 

sword, its use as a status symbol for the wearer, associated 

etiquette, etc.). 

Characteristics: There is no sheath ornamentation. The 

sword is signed "Musashi [no] daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro Nigatsu 

Kitsujitsu" &,m.J:&BM>!&&XLfi^B ([Made by] Fujiwara Tadahiro of Hizen jfg gff [modem Saga prefecture] on an 

auspicious day in the month of February [post-1624]). Tadahiro 

added the title Musashi daijo to his name in 1624 and continued 

to use this signature until 1632 according to the information 

supplied by the Nihon bijutsu token hozon kyokai (cf. entry 93). 

It was certified (certificate 259089) as tokubetsu kichb token in 

1972 (cf. ECC). Tadahiro was a renowned early 17th century 

swordsmith who enjoyed the patronage of the powerful 

Nabeshima $g j| , family of Saga han fe @ •/£ (Wakayama, 

1967:216). 

Remarks: This sword possibly is one of two short swords 

that were received from Ido and Izawa at Shimoda (cf. entry 93 

for description of the other short sword). 
NUMBER 37 113 

USNM ECC 115 

USNM ECC 116 
114 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 207 

95 Polearm with sheathed blade (naginata to naginatabukuro mjjtmjJ^) 

USNM ECC 207 

Overall L: 255 cm 

Blade: L: 53.5 cm 

entered as an engetsutb MM 7J (lit. crescent-shape sword, a 

poetic variant for naginata) in the list of additional gifts 

presented to the American expedition party by Ido and Izawa at 

Shimoda in June 1854 (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 310; cf. 

Appendix III). 

Description: Naginata (lit. long sword; sword for mowing 

down [enemies]). 

Characteristics: The long and slightly back-curved steel 

blade is in the unokubi-zukuri $| §g fp (shaped like the neck of 

a cormorant) style (Yumoto, 1958:181; NKDJ, 1976, volume 2, 

page 713). The blade is inserted at the end of a long, slightly 

oval, cross-sectioned, wooden shaft. Inlaid mother-of-pearl 

decorates the upper 48 cm segment of the shaft, over which is 

mounted five cast iron bands that are finely inlaid with silver. 

The width of the bands varies from 1 to 7.5 cm. Heart-shape 

openwork in the wider bands symbolicly represents the boar's 

eye, "an auspicious charm, for the eye of the boar is 

unswerving, his charge always looking straight ahead at his 

foe" (H.R. Robinson, 1969:47). The hilt's tsuka-ito o ft fc 

(binding cord) is gilded. The lower end of the shaft is shod with 

a lunule iron fitting. The wooden naginata-bukuro (lit. bag for 

naginata; sheath; scabbard) is in the same shape as the blade. 

Its pebbled exterior is lacquered in black. Sieboldt (1973:57) 

described a similar specimen as "a long pike, its steel head 

incased in a beautifully lacquered sheath." Use of naginata in 

battle was common especially during the sen'goku jidai 

IfeSBfft (1490-1600), or "the country at war period" 

(B.W. Robinson, 1961:20). During the Edo period (1603-

1867), naginata continued to be used as ceremonial weapons in 

formal processions and as an ornate weapon designed 

especially for use by women for self defense (NKDJ, 1976, 

volume 15, page 218; H.R. Robinson, 1969:47; pers. comm. 

Okada, conversation, March 1979). H.R. Robinson (1969, 

color pi. 29) illustrates an Edo period woman's naginata of 

identical design, which now is in the collection of the Museo 

Orientale, Venice). 

Remarks: This sword has been variously identified as a 

"sword-like spear ornamented with scabbard" (1859-ACB, 

1953-AL), a halberd (Yumoto, 1958:181), a pike (Sieboldt, 

1973:57), and a glaive (B.W Robinson, 1961:29). It was 

96 Lance with scabbard (yari to hadome 

USNM ECC 208 

Overall L: 283 cm 

Steel head: L: 26.3 cm 

£7]±6b) 

Description: A yari (type of polearm) consisting of a long, 

straight, wooden shaft inserted into a kuchigane U & (metal 

ferrule) fitting and then mounted into a heavy triangular steel 

head, or moroha §%J} (lit. multi-cutting edged blade) 

(Yumoto, 1958:91, for the term). 

Characteristics: Below the ferrule is a sendanmaki 

~f* Wt # (lit- ribbing for one thousand ribs) of 42.5 cm, which 

is lacquered in dark vermilion. The dbrin M $$} (lit. torso ring) 

adjoins the sendanmaki and serves as the hilt. The tsuka-ito 

(binding cord) is gilded (NKDJ, 1976, volume 19, page 591, for 

the technical terms for various parts of yari). The lower end of 

the shaft is fitted with a brass ferrule and a blunt iron tip through 

which a hole has been pierced. Ornamental, heart-shape 

openwork in the metal fittings represent the boar's eye, an 

auspicious symbol commonly used in decorating Japanese 

armour and weapons furniture (pers. comm. Okada, conversation, March 1979; H.R. Robinson, 1969:47, for symbolism). 

The hadome (parrying bar) is in the shirasaya fi $£ (plain wood 

scabbard) style (Yumoto, 1958:181), and the black lacquered 

sheath is made of bark-like material with multiple creases. Yari 

were used both in battle and martial processions. 

Remarks: This lance was received from Ido and Izawa at 

Shimoda in June 1854. It was included in the list of additional 

Japanese presents (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 310; cf. 

Appendix III) and was identified as a "plain spear with 

scabbard" in the 1859-ACB, the 1953-AL, and the ECC, which 

was when its blade was noted as missing. 
NUMBER 37 115 

USNM ECC 208 (entire lance with scabbard) 

USNM ECC 208 (detailed view of lance head, 

ribbing, torso ring, and scabbard) 
116 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Tools 

97 Wood chisel (nomi fg) 

USNM ECC 359 

Overall L: 26.0 cm 

Blade L: 7.9 cm, W: 4.1 cm 

Description: Heavy, firm chisel with bevelled, rectangular 

steel blade. 

Characteristics: The blade has convex shoulders and a 

solid, conical neck that ends in a short tapered tang, which is 

square in cross section. The hardwood (oak, pers. comm. 

Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) handle is secured to the tang 

with a cast iron section, or neck ferrule. The end ferrule, 

presumably of similar construction, is missing. An illegible 

maker's mark is stamped on the top blade bevel at the neck. The 

partly legible sumi inscriptions on the handle in kanji Wk 3r 

(Chinese characters) and in katakana ft {5.% (the square form 

of the Japanese phonetic syllabary) read: "Issun tsukau nomi 

maruu [?]" -ttt^^Jb' ) [illegible] (chisel for 1 

inch use, Morrow [?]). Apparently, it was inscribed by a native 

Japanese, possibly by an interpreter. 

Remarks: The chisel was purchased by Dr. James Morrow, 

the scientist attached to Perry's Japan Expedition, at Hakodate 

in May 1854 (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for his 20 May 

diary entry). He listed it as a "one inch & four tenths chisel" in 

his list of items purchased at Hakodate (cf. Appendix IV). It 

was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 

98 Wood chisel (nomi) 

USNM ECC 360 

Overall L: 26.3 cm 

Blade L: 8.0 cm, W: 2.5 cm 

Description: Firm chisel with bevelled, rectangular steel 

blade. 

Characteristics: The blade's convex shoulders and solid 

conical neck end in a short, tapered tang. The hardwood (oak, 

pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) handle is 

secured to the tang with a cast iron neck ferrule, and the end 

ferrule is also in cast iron. Sumi inscriptions on the handle read: 

"hachibu tsuka no [mi] maru [?]" A ft {± ~? Jl 0 ? (eight bu 

[three fourth inch] chisel, Morrow [?]). Apparently, the 

inscription was handwritten by a native Japanese. 

Remarks: The chisel was purchased by Dr. James Morrow, 

the Perry expedition scientist, at Hakodate in May 1854 (see 

Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for his 20 May diary entry). He 

entered it as a "3/4 inch chisel" in his list of items purchased in 

Hakodate (cf. Appendix IV). 

99 Chisel (nomi) 

USNM ECC 367 

Overall L: 24.7 cm 

Blade L: 12.9 cm, W: 1.2 cm 

Description: Steel sash mortise with slightly collared neck. 

Characteristics: The neck tang is inserted into a hardwood 

(oak, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) handle. 

The neck and end ferrules are of iron. The sumi inscription on 

the handle reads: "yombu kiri [ni] tsukau no [mi] marou 

[?]" mft® V it O ) [ 5 J V D ry [?] (Quarter sun 

[Japanese inch, which is -1.9 Western inches] cutting chisel 

Morrow [?]). Two illegible characters and the maker's trade 

mark are stamped on the bevelled upper surface of the blade. 

Remarks: The chisel was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Hakodate in May 1854 (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for 

his 20 May diary entry). It was included in the list of the items 

purchased at Hakodate (cf. Appendix IV). Entry 103 of the ML 

records 11 chisels of different sizes, as does the 1953-AL. 

Missing are chisels ECC 364, 365, and 369. 

100 Chisel (nomi) 

USNM ECC 368 

Overall L: 25.3 cm 

Blade L: 12.9 cm, W: 0.6 cm 

Description: Mortise chisel with steel blade and slightly 

collared neck. 

Characteristics: The tang is inserted into a hardwood (oak, 

pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) handle. The 

neck and end ferrules are of iron. The Japanese inscription in 

sumi on the handle is illegible. 

Remarks: This item was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Hakodate in May 1854 (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for 

his 20 May diary entry). It was identified as a "six tenths inch 

chisel" in the list of chisels purchased at Hakodate (cf. 

Appendix IV). 

101 Wood chisel (nomi) 

USNM ECC 362 

Overall L: 25.5 cm 

Blade L: 7.5 cm, W: 1.0 cm 

Description: Narrow, firm chisel. 

Characteristics: The bevelled, rectangular iron blade, with 

convex shoulders and conical neck, ends in a square, 
NUMBER 37 117 

From left to right: USNM ECC 355 (2 specimens), ECC 366, ECC 363, ECC 362, ECC 368, ECC 367, ECC 360, ECC 359 

cross-sectioned tang. The hardwood (oak, pers. comm. Tanabe, 

conversation, June 1979) handle is fitted with a roughly cast 

iron ferrule. The end ferrule is missing. Illegible inscriptions in 

sumi are on the handle. It is identified as a hira-nomi ¥• M (lit. 

flat or plain chisel) (see Janata, 1965, entry 545, for a similar 

specimen). 

Remarks: The chisel was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Hakodate in May 1854 (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for 

his 20 May diary entry). It was included in his list of various 

items purchased at Hakodate as a "triming knife chisel" (cf. 

Appendix IV). The chisel was exhibited at the Japan Society, 

New York City, in 1969. 

102 Chisel (nomi) 

USNM ECC 363 

Overall L: 26.0 cm 

Blade L: 8.4 cm, W: 0.4 cm 

Description: Mortise chisel with narrow, rectangular steel 

blade. 

Characteristics: The slightly indented shoulders adjoin a 

solid conical neck that ends in a short tapered tang, which is 

square in cross section. Both the neck and end ferrules are 

missing. The inscriptions in sumi on the cylindrical hardwood 

(oak, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) handle are 

illegible. 

Remarks: The chisel was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Hakodate in May 1854 (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for 

his 20 May diary entry). It was entered as a "two tenths inch 

chisel" in the list of items purchased at Hakodate (cf. Appendix 

IV). 

103 Chisel blade (nomi no ha £ CO J} [ % ] ) 

USNM ECC 366 

Overall L: 13.2 cm, W: 1.4 cm 

Tang L: 4.2 cm 

Description: Mortise chisel blade of heavy steel with 

slightly collared neck. 

Characteristics: The tapered tang is square in cross 

section. The maker's mark and two illegible characters are 

stamped on the bevelled surface of the blade. 

Remarks: This item was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Hakodate in May 1854 (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179, for 

his 20 May diary entry. 
118 

SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

104 Chisel handle (nomi e 1£ #?) 

USNM ECC 361 (not illustrated) 

L: 12 cm, D: 2 cm 

Description: Cylindrical hardwood (oak, pers. comm. 

Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) chisel handle with an iron 

ferrule. 

Characteristics: The inscription in sumi on the handle, 

apparently written by a Japanese, is undecipherable. The blade 

and neck ferrule are missing. 

105 Nail (kugi IT) 

USNM ECC 355 (13 small-size nails; 3 large-size nails) 

L: 5 cm (small size); L: 7.8 cm (large size) 

Description: Kana kakukugi & £§ IT (angulated iron nail) 

made of a square-cut strip of iron with a tapered end. 

Characteristics: The uses of kakukugi (lit. angulated nail) 

were varied and depended upon the nail's size and the materials 

from which it was manufactured. Wooden and bamboo nails of 

similar types were used for woodcrafts (Hickman and Fetchko, 

1977, entry 78, for illustration). The introduction of the 

so-called marukugi %£\ (round nail) is considered to be a 

Western import (Otsuki, volume 2, page 5; NKDJ, 1976, 

volume 4, page 415). A flat square head is brazed to the 

large-size nail. 

Remarks: The nails were purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

at Hakodate in May 1854. The ML lists them as "paper black 

nails" (see Morrow in Cole, 1947:179; cf. Appendix IV). They 

were identified in the ECC as "cut nails." 

106 Iron hook (kagi |6j ) 

USNM ECC 333 

L: 4 cm, H: 4 cm 

Description: Right-angled iron hook made of a square-cut 

thin strip with a tapered end, and a thin, flat oval head brazed to 

the upright portion. 

Characteristics: The similarity of the iron hook to what is 

called a "T-headed nail" (Hume, 1976:253) is striking, and the 

Japanese use of hook-nails probably is basically the same. 

Remarks: This hook was one of two hooks included in the 

list of Japanese carpenters' tools purchased by Dr. James 

Morrow in May 1854 at Hakodate (Morrow in Cole, 1947:176, 

231, for his 10 May [1854] diary entry and for the list of items; 

cf. Appendix IV). Only one iron hook now remains. It was 

identified as an "iron hat hook?" in the 1859-ACB, the 

1953-AL, and in the ECC. 

USNM ECC 364 (left), ECC 356 (top right). ECC 333 (bottom right) 

107 Gimlet (kiri & ) 

USNM ECC 364 

Overall L: 23.4 cm 

Handle L: 20.2 cm, D: 1.3 cm 

Description: Short, thin, and triangular iron point. 

Characteristics: The point is inserted into a cylindrical 

wooden (oak, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) 

handle. 

Remarks: This is one of a number of varied-size chisels 

and other items purchased in Hakodate by Dr. James Morrow 

(Morrow in Cole, 1947:176, for his diary entry for 10 May 

[1854]; ML entry, "small chisel," in Appendix IV). It was 

identified in the 1859-ACB and in the 1953-AL as a very 

small-size chisel, but in the ECC it is listed as an awl. 
NUMBER 37 119 

108 Brass hinges (do chbtsugai £ft gg $ ) 

USNM ECC 356 

L: 4.8 cm, W: 1.5 cm 

Description: Two rectangular brass plates hinged togetiier 

along their length with an iron hinge pin. 

Characteristics: Each hinge plate bears five nail holes and 

an indentation of a quarter circle in the two comers away from 

the hinge. The term chbtsugai (lit. butterfly joints) is said to 

originate from the shape of the hinges, which resemble that of 

a butterfly (NKDJ, 1976, volume 13, page 527). 

Remarks: This item probably was purchased or given 

informally. Only the AWL has an entry for iron and other metal 

products (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 198). 

109 Cutting iron for carpenter's plane (kanna no ha 

mo?}) 

USNM ECC 372 

L: 11 cm, W: 1.8 cm, T: 0.8 cm 

Description: ECC 372 is a knife-shape cutting iron made 

of steel with a dull edge. 

Characteristics: This cutting iron is specifically designed 

for hidari-wakitori kanna fE f£s M U ffe (lit. leftside scraping 

plane), which is used for smoothing or shaping the left side of 

a given object (Janata, 1965, entry 538, for the term and 

illustration). This type of cutting iron stands vertically in the 

wooden stock (Morse, 1886:38-39, for various types of 

Japanese carpenter's tools and illustrations). 

Remarks: This is one of two plane bits purchased in 

Hakodate, 1854, by Dr. James Morrow (Morrow in Cole, 

1947:176, 231, for his 10 May [1854] journal entry and for the 

list of materials purchased in Hakodate, which includes an 

entry for a "small bit for plane"; cf. Appendix IV). It was 

identified as a "carpenter's hone" in the 1859-ACB, the 

1953-AL, and in the ECC. USNM ECC 372 (illustrating both sides of cutting iron) 
120 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

USNM ECC 358 (illustrating both sides of cutting iron) 

110 Cutting iron for carpenters plane (kanna no ha) 

USNM ECC 358 

L: 11.8 cm, W: 6.8 cm, T: 0.7 cm 

Description: ECC 358 is a slightly larger but otherwise 

identical cutting iron to that of entry 109 (ECC 357). 

Characteristics: A partially legible, incised inscription 

reads: "Dai Watanabe honten Hirabe [?]" [the main shop of the 

great Watanabe Hirabe] X :0.iH&!£ ¥&'& [?Lphis ^ , 

which is a trade mark (see Kurihara, 1901:187-189, for 

common types of trade marks). 

Remarks: This tool was purchased in Hakodate, 1854, by 

Dr. James Morrow (Morrow in Cole, 1947:176, 231, for his 

journal entry for 10 May [1854] and for the list of items 

purchased in Hakodate, which includes an entry for a "large bit 

for plane"; cf. Appendix IV). 

I ll Carpenter's plane (kanna $& ) 

USNM ECC 357 

Overall L: 28.8 cm, W: 7.5 cm, H: 3.0 cm 

Cutting iron L: 11.3 cm, W: 5 cm, T: 0.5 cm 

Description: A type of "smoothing plane" (Jackson and 

Day, 1978:135, for the term) known as daiganna or daikanna 

t3$§ (lit- the plane in rectangular wood block) (oak, pers. 

comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979). 

Characteristics: A carpenter's plane is used for the final 

smoothing or shaping of plain wooden surfaces. The rectangular cutting iron is made of steel and has a round top and 

bevelled edge. It is inserted in an inclined slot in the wooden 

stock. "The Japanese carpenter draws the plane towards him 

instead of pushing it from him Their bodies [planes], instead 

of being thick blocks of wood, are quite wide and thin, and the 

blades are inclined at a greater angle than the blade in our 

plane" (Morse, 1886:38). Faint illegible inscriptions in sumi 

occur on both the cutting iron and the wooden stock. 

Remarks: This tool was purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

in Hakodate in 1854. Morrow's diary entry of 10 May [1854] 

states that he "also bought... a few carpenter's tools" (Morrow 

in Cole, 1947:176). His "List of Specimens in Arts Manufactures, Etc. Bought in Hakodadi [Hakodate]..." records "two 

planes" (Morrow in Cole, 1947:231; cf. Appendix IV). This 
NUMBER 37 121 

USNM ECC 347 (left), ECC 357 (top right), ECC 350 (bottom right) 

plane was exhibited at the Naval Historical Foundation's 

Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum, Washington, D.C, in 

1975-1976. 

112 Draw knife (sen ^4 ; sen-kanna) 

USNM ECC 347 

L: 50.3 cm, W: 4 cm 

Description: Single-edge straight iron blade formed with a 

tang at each end that inserts at an oblique angle into a 

cylindrical wooden handle. 

Characteristics: The flat blade is bevelled on the top front 

edge only. The main use of a draw knife is to shape lumber 

sections roughly to size before applying a plane (Jackson and 

Day, 1978:174). 

Remarks: This knife was purchased at Hakodate by Dr. 

James Morrow, 10 May 1854 (Morrow in Cole, 1947:176, for 

his 10 May [1854] journal entry; also cf. Appendix IV). It was 

exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. It also 

was included in the "Men Who Made the Navy" exhibit at the 

Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum, Washington, D.C, in 

1975-1976. 

113 Saw (nokogiri |g) 

USNM ECC 350 

Overall L: 36.0 cm, W: 1.0 cm 

Blade L: 21.0 cm 

Description: A mawashinoko M L CO Z. (compass saw) 

with a narrow steel blade inserted into a straight, cylindrical 

wood handle (oak, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 

1979). 

Characteristics: Also known as a keyhole saw, the 

compass saw with its chisel-like teeth is designed to cut curves 
122 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

l i 

• l -.1 , '•> * -,*** , 

(Japanese cedar, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 

1979). The length of the handle is approximately the same as 

the saw itself (Janata, 1965, entry 526; Morse, 1917, volume 2, 

page 39, for similar specimens and method of use). This 

compass saw was not entered in either the official lists of 

Japanese presents nor in the AWL. It was exhibited at the Japan 

Society, New York City, in 1969. 

114 Kitchen knife (hbchb & T ) 

USNM ECC 320 

Blade L: 17.5 cm, W: 4.7 cm 

Handle L: 12 cm, D: 3 cm 

Description: Common nakiri-bbchb MtfJi) tUT (litkitchen knife for cutting vegetables) consisting of a paralleledged, thin but broad blade with a rounded end. 

Characteristics: The blade is inserted into a straight, oval, 

wooden handle (pine, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 

1979) (for illustrations of several other types of nakiri-bbchb, 

see Janata, 1965, entries 343, 345). Hbchb is an abbreviation of 

hbchb-gatana iULT 73 (lit. knife for cookery), but it often is 

used as a generic term for all kitchen knives (NKDJ, 1976, 

volume 18, page 64). 

Remarks: This item probably was purchased at the bazaar 

held in Shimoda. The AWL includes an entry for "tetsu narabi 

ni hagane mono" $k$LMfy) (iron and other metal products) 

(BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 198), but none of the official 

lists of Japanese presents includes a kitchen knife. It was 

exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 

USNM ECC 320 

USNM ECC 351 

115 Hoe blade (kuwa-saki 

USNM ECC 376 

L: 24.8 cm, W: 12.3 cm 

%) 

or holes in a panel. Similar saws have been identified as 

hikimawashinoko X> £ £ £> L CO Z (Hickman and Fetchko, 

1977:77) and mawashibiki £ fo L Uf g (Janata, 1965:113, 

entry 531). 

Remarks: The list of articles purchased by Dr. James 

Morrow at Hakodate in 1854 includes "one small ripping saw" 

(cf. Appendix IV); however, this item may refer to ECC 351, a 

common type of a small handsaw (tatehikinoko $£ 3 \ g CO Z ) 

(L: 42 cm, W: 3.7 cm) with a parallel-edge square iron blade 

that is inserted into a straight, cylindrical, wooden handle 

Description: Straight-edge, rectangular kuwa-saki (lit. 

front end of a hoe), or iron hoe blade, tapering at the back end 

into a looped shank. 

Characteristics: A long, cylindrical, wooden handle is 

inserted, when in use, at right angles into the looped shank. 

Remarks: This probably was a purchased item. The SML 

has an entry for "kuwa" (hoe) (BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 

555), and the AWL includes "nbgu no hinagata" 

MMtCO&Wl (samples of agricultural implements) (BGKM, 

1914, volume 6, page 202). 
NUMBER 37 123 

USNM ECC 376 

USNM ECC 381 

116 Ploughshare (suki no saki 

USNM ECC 381 

L: 24 cm, W: 16.2 cm 

'©£ ) 

Description: Suki no saki (lit. the front edge of plough; 

metal ploughshare), or, in the Aomori dialect of northern Japan, 

suki-nomi (NKDJ, 1976, volume 11, page 371), made of cast 

iron. 

Characteristics: The blade is broad in shape but has a 

tapered point and a square-cut molded hollow that is edged to 

fit over the wooden body of the plough. It possibly is a 

Ryukyuan variety (Janata, 1965, entry 191, for a similar type). 

Remarks: This probably was a purchased item. The SML 

includes the word "suki" (BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 555), 

and the AWL has an entry for "nbgu no hinagata." It was 

entered in both the 1859-ACB and the 1953-AL as a "cast-iron 

ploughshare point." This piece was exhibited at the Japan 

Society, New York City, in 1969. 
124 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

117 Ploughshare (suki no saki) 

USNM ECC 379 (not illustrated) 

L: 26 cm, W: 14.1 cm 

Description: Cast-iron, slightly convex-edged rectangular 

blade with U-shape cut in the back. 

Characteristics: The back is split at the edges for insertion 

of a wooden handle (not present). 

Remarks: This piece probably was purchased by Dr. James 

Morrow, either at Hakodate or at Shimoda, or it may have been 

received as an informal gift. The AWL has an entry for "nbgu 

no hinagata" (cf. Appendix V). It was entered in both the 

1859-ACB and the 1953-AL as a spade, and it was identified in 

the ECC as "spade blade." 

118 Hoe (kuwa M ) 

USNM ECC 375 

L: 90.0 cm 

Description: Kuwagara ffaffi , hoe with a long handle 

(NKDJ, 1976, volume 7, page 43, for the standard term and 

other local variants). 

Characteristics: The hoe is constructed of a heavy and 

slightly oval wooden stick (oak, pers. comm. Tanabe, conversation, June 1979) that fits into a triangular cross section of wood 

block. The front end of the rectangular block is rounded and 

bevelled. The kuwasaki (metal blade) slides onto the bevelled 

part of the block. 

Remarks: The hoe was purchased by the Rev. George 

Jones, chaplain of the Mississippi, at a bazaar held on 21 June 

1854 in Shimoda. Dr. James Morrow reimbursed the Rev. 

Jones the cost from "the money fund of the Department of 

Interior" (Morrow in Cole, 1947:203, for his 23 June diary 

entry). The ML includes an entry for "June, Japanese hoe" (cf. 

Appendix IV). Morrow listed it as a desired sample specimen 

(Morrow in Cole, 1947:250), and the AWL included an entry 

for "nbgu no hinagata" (cf. Appendix V; BGKM, 1914, volume 

6, page 202). It was identified as a large-size hoe in both the 

1859-ACB and 1953-AL. 

USNM ECC 375 
NUMBER 37 125 

119 Hoe(kuwa) 

USNM ECC 384 

L: 27.0 cm 

Description: Tekuwa 3= %k (hand hoe) with an iron blade 

and a short, straight, wooden handle. 

Characteristics: The blade has a slightly concave edge and 

a loop at the back through which is inserted the wooden handle. 

A tekuwa commonly is used for weeding. 

Results: The hoe was purchased by the Rev. George Jones, 

chaplain of the Mississippi, 21 June 1854, at a bazaar held in 

Shimoda. The purchase was made on behalf of Dr. James 

Morrow (Morrow in Cole, 1947:203, 233, for his 23 June 

journal entry, and for an entry for a Japanese hoe that was 

included in the specimens purchased in Shimoda). It was listed 

as one of the agricultural sample specimens desired (Morrow in 

Cole, 1947:250), as reflected in the AWL entry "nbgu no 

hinagata" (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 202). It was identified 

as a "hand hoe for beans" in both the 1859-ACB and the 

1953-AL but was recorded as a "small digger" in the ECC. 

USNM ECC 384 

USNM ECC 288 

120 Shovel (shaberu i/ •y A JV ) 

USNM ECC 288 

L: 23.5 cm, W: 15.5 cm 

Description: Square mouth, cast-iron shovel blade with 

hollow-handle shank. 

Characteristics: The Japanese term, shaberu, indicates 

that the tool's design and concept was of European origin. 

Remarks: This item probably was purchased by Dr. James 

Morrow at Shimoda in June 1854. The entry, "spade," in the list 

of items purchased at Shimoda may refer to this shovel (cf. 

Appendix IV). 
126 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

From left to right: USNM ECC 386, ECC 387, ECC 385 

121 Sickle (kama ffi. ) 

USNM ECC 385-388 

various sizes 

Description: Te-gama # $t (hand sickle) in a variety of 

sizes and shapes. 

Characteristics: Only the hand-sickle blade (L: 26 cm, W: 

7.2 cm) remains of ECC 385. The blade is composed of a wide, 

curved, single-edge iron blade with the sharp edge on the inside 

of the curve. The blade ends in an open shank. ECC 386 (L: 51 

cm, W: 5 cm) has a slightly curved iron blade that tapers to a 

point. The sharp edge of the blade is on the inside of the curve. 

The flat back end is inserted, through an iron ferrule, into a split 

in the straight wooden handle. ECC 387 is a type of hand sickle 

known as a bill hook (L: 49 cm, W: 7 cm). The short, broad 

blade is inserted, through an iron ferrule, into the short, straight 

wooden handle. ECC 388 is a hand sickle or hand scythe (L: 

45.8 cm, W: 2.8 cm) that consists of a long narrow iron blade 

with a pronounced curve toward the tip and a serrated cutting 

edge. The blade is inserted, through an iron ferrule, into a short, 

wooden, barrel-shape handle with carved panels to form a grip. 

This type of te-gama is used for harvesting rice; thus, it is called 

inakari-kama IS M £$ (lit. rice-cutting sickle) (Janata, 1965, 

entry 201, for a similar tool with a longer handle). 

Remarks: The sickle was listed in the SML as "kama" 

(BGKM, 1916, volume 8, page 555), and the AWL includes an 

entry for "nbgu no hinagata" (BGKM, 1914, volume 6, page 

202). It was exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 

1969. 
NUMBER 37 127 

Miscellany 

122 Doll (nin'gyb A J& ) 

USNM ECC 161 

H: 9.5 cm, W: 8 cm 

Description: Seated gosho nin'gyb 'MrHAM (palace 

doll) figure of a boy. 

Characteristics: This doll is made of clay that is coated 

with a thick application of gofun #J #)• (levigated oyster shell) 

mixed with nikawa |g? (isinglass, a glue-like substance) to 

provide a highly glossy white surface. The eyes, nose, mouth, 

and body front are painted. Two round pieces of black cloth are 

pasted on both sides of the top of the head, along with painted 

hair strands. The doll wears the traditional haragake flg $& \-f 

(a bib-like piece of cloth that covers the front of the body of a 

child and ties behind the neck and waist) in a painted floral 

design. Held in its left arm is a decorated gourd, which includes 

an image of a turtle. An inscription in gold on back of the turtle 

reads: "kin bshb" & 3£ ^ (lit. gold general). The term "gold 

general" refers to a high ranking chessman in the game of shbgi 

ffilfg. . The b 3E (king) and gold generals retain their rank 

throughout the game and are guarded by other pieces (Culin, 

1958:90-91). Edo period palace dolls were produced in Kyoto 

and traditionally were given as gifts by members of the 

Imperial household and other nobles. They often were used as 

charms against misfortune and sometimes were placed in 

household shrine altars to solicit the favor of the gods for a 

good harvest (Boger, 1964:305-306, for use of palace dolls). 

The inscription may allude to the venerable rank of the 

recipient, especially with respect to the symbolism ascribed to 

the title. 

Remarks: The doll probably was received from Izawa 

Mimasaka-no-kami. The HNL and PJL each includes an entry 

for "8 boxes, 13 dolls" (cf. Appendixes I, II). It was entered as 

"Japanese household gods" in the 1859-ACB and 1953-AL. 

The doll was described as a "plump squatting figure of a man" 

in the ECC 

Additional Specimens: ECC 159 and 160 have slightly 

different sizes than ECC 161; however, further descriptions of 

them are not possible due to the extent of their deterioration. 

USNM ECC 161 (front view) USNM ECC 161 (side view) 
128 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

123 Doll (ningyb) 

USNM ECC 304, ECC 316 

H: 25.3 cm, W: 7 cm 

Description: Two mitsuore-ningyb H #f A ^ (lit. threebend doll or three-jointed doll) are figurines of smiling boys, 

each with a movable head (Boger, 1964:304, for origin of the 

term mitsuore). 

Characteristics: With the exception of the upper arms, 

both dolls are made of clay that is coated with a thick 

application of gofun mixed with nikawa to provide a highly 

glossy white surface. The upper parts of the arms are 

constructed from ivory crepe de Chine that is covered with steel 

wires overlayed with cotton padding. The three flexible joints, 

devised of metal clasps, are at the shoulders, thighs, and knees 

so as to maneuver the dolls into poses of standing, bowing, and 

squatting in a typical Japanese manner, and also to perform 

acrobatic feats (Newman and Ryerson, 1964:39). Black, 

man-made, hair-like material is pasted on each doll's head in 

the fashion of an Edo period hair style known as karako-mage 

B^FM (NKDJ, 1976, volume 5, page 189, for term). This hair 

style was worn by male children from infants to six years old 

(Boger, 1964:304). The dolls have glass eyes, red-painted lips, 

and open mouths showing the teeth. This type of doll, unlike 

other types that were used as charms or for ornamentation, was 

specifically designed as a child's plaything and also as a 

costume doll (Boger, 1964:304) that could be dressed in a 

variety of garb. 

Remarks: The dolls were a gift from Izawa Mimasaka-nokami. The HNL has an entry for "8 boxes, 13 dolls" (BGKM, 

1914, volume 5, page 309). Although the KORL described the 

dolls as hassun-ningyb A ~\f" A & (eight inch dolls) (BGKM, 

1916, volume 8, pages 541-542), the NGL entry listed them as 

hadaka-ningyb $g A ^ (naked dolls) (BGKM, 1912, volume 

4, page 560). Both the 1859-ACB and the 1953-AL listed them 

as "baby dolls." 

Additional Specimens: ECC 305 and ECC 306 are identical to ECC 304. 

124 Toy figurines (ningyb) 

USNM ECC unnumbered (not illustrated) 

H: 7.5 cm (average) 

Description: A set of 65 painted miniature clay dolls, or 

fushimi-ningyb {££A 0 (lit. dolls from the Fushimi 

district of Kyoto) (Boger, 1964:302, for origin of the term and 

popular representative types), ranging in size from 5.4 to 18.5 

cm. 

Characteristics: The differing sizes are due to the figurines' postures, dress, and the length of various objects that 

they carry. Most of the dolls represent samurai, footmen, and 

other grades of warriors. The figure of a daimyb ^c ^ (feudal 

lord) in a kago j}\} ff (palanquin) also is included. From the 

number of pieces, the varied types of costume used to represent 

rank, and such equipment and regalia as umbrellas, spears, 

streamers, chests, food baskets, etc., this set of figurines was 

intended to be arranged to depict the annual processional 

journey of the local daimyb and his retinue to Edo (Sieboldt, 

1973:68-71, for detailed descriptions of the travelling party 

and various types of equipment). Such displays of martial dolls 

are a common form of celebration of tan'go fift^f , a boy's 

festival, which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month 

(Newman and Ryerson, 1964:39, for a discussion of special 

types of boy's day display dolls and manners of display; 

Griffis, 1876:462, and H.R. Robinson, 1969:49, for the appeal 

of such toys to young Japanese masculinity). A very thin, 

painted wooden stick with a pointed end is attached to each 

figure, and numerals are inscribed on the sole of each bare foot, 

along with either migi ^ (right) or hidari tE (left), designating 

the order and position in the procession. 

Remarks: These dolls probably were purchased as a 

complete set at the Shimoda bazaar, for the AWL has an entry 

for "shbni gambutsu" 'b%^i^} (children's toys) (BGKM, 

1914, volume 6, page 201). Of the 65 dolls, 43 are broken. The 

number comprising a complete set is unknown. 
NUMBER 37 129 

USNM ECC 304 

USNM ECC 316 
130 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

125 Spoon (saji ffc) 

USNM ECC 167 

L: 12 cm, W: 5.5 cm 

Description: A spoon made from hora-gai tfxM M. 

(conch or trumpet shell) by cutting lengthwise through a conch 

shell. 

Characteristics: The spoon has retained the natural pinkish beige lustre and texture of the shell. The shape of the spoon 

is similar to that of a Chinese soup spoon, which suggests that 

the article was specially designed for export or for use on 

special, ceremonial occasions. 

Remarks: An entry in the HNL for "7 boxes cups and 

spoons and goblet cut from conch shells" indicates that this 

spoon and other similar objects were the gifts of Chief 

Commissioner, Hayashi Daigaku-no-kashira (Hawks, 1865). 

The HL also has an entry for "saji" (Hora, 1970:242). This 

spoon was exhibited at the Naval Historical Foundation's 

Truxtun Decatur Naval Museum, Washington, D.C, in 

1975-1976. 

Additional Specimens: ECC 168 is similar to ECC 167, but 

it has a repaired crack line between the handle and the small 

shallow bowl. 

USNM ECC 167 
NUMBER 37 131 

USNM ECC 313 

126 Inkstone (suzuri-ishi #1 5 ) in wooden case 

USNM ECC 313 

L: 10.2 cm, W: 6.5 cm, H: 1.3 cm 

Description: A slightly irregular, oval slab of stone with a 

greyish brown texture. 

Characteristics: The ink is produced by rubbing a sumi 

(ink-stick) against the stone's surface. Close to the edge of the 

stone are carved two well-like, oval-shape holes called suzuri 

no umi $LC0lfe (lit. the inkstone sea) or suzuri no kenchi 

?E CO 51 '/ft (lit. the inkstone lake), which are used for holding 

water to mix with the ink powder. Carvings of decorative vine 

leaves in low relief surround the holes, giving the effect of a uri 

^ (melon) design sculpture. Encasing the inkstone is a dark 

reddish brown mahogany container with cover that is constructed to fit the stone's size. 

Remarks: The inkstone was purchased by Dr. James 

Morrow, the expedition scientist, at Hakodate in May 1854, 

and it was listed in the ML as "one ink stone" (cf. Appendix 

IV). It was entered as an "ink stand" in the 1859-ACB and was 

so marked on the surface of the inkstone. The inkstone was 

exhibited at the Japan Society, New York City, in 1969. 
132 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00103 (book cover) 

127 Book (shomotsu IS #7 ; hon if.) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00103 and 59873-N-00104 

H: 26 cm, W: 17.8 cm, T: 1 cm (each volume) 

Description: Volumes 2 and 3 of a woodblock print of a 

Chinese classic by Mencius. 

Characteristics: The book is unpaginated, double leaf, and 

thread bound. The title on the cover reads: "Mbshi Dbshun-ten 

Kansei kaisei" ^:Fiii#/<£l[j§c3x'iE (Revisededition of 

Moshi; punctuation by Doshun, published in the Kansei period 

[1789-1800]). Moshi is the Japanese reading of Meng Tzu or 

Mencius (371-289 BC), a Chinese philosopher of the 

Confucian school. Hayashi Doshun £fc jl # (1583-1657) was 

a famous Confucian scholar in Japan who was appointed 1st 

Secretary upon the founding of the Tokugawa shogunate in 

1606 (see Papinot, 1948:148, for a biographical sketch). The 

title page imprint qualifies the edition as being "Shu Ki shuchu" 

yfc H H li (a variorum edition annotated by Chu Hsi 

(1130-1200) [a Neo-Confucian]). 

Remarks: This incomplete set was purchased from a 

bookseller, Yoshizakiya lif *gf II , in Hakodate, May 1854. A 

notation by the collector described it as "a Japanese novel 

[entitled] The Orphans of Mount Tsuruga or The Cruel Uncle." 

The volumes were a gift of E.M. Guilmette, a descendant of the 

collector; they were received in 1977. 
NUMBER 37 133 

• 

. 5 W IT ! 

\ -'[-:X 

••''• ' , • ;- 3 

I i ' ' * -

->'• M .<-•';• I ,. •,".:• ; / 

gpa I J-lctka eta oU ~J^Kco\ 

rw«u, /^ryNMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00103 (title page) 

128 Signature (shomei 1^ ) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00120 (not illustrated) 

H: 9 cm, W: 5.0 cm 

Description: An autograph of Iida Keinosuke 

i£ BB %. tL &] in the traditional manner of brush writing in 

sumi on a piece of mulberry bark paper. 

Characteristics: The signed bark paper was pasted on a 

typical-size (5x9 cm) Western style calling card. The penciled 

inscription in the hand of the collector reads: "Eda [Iida] 

Keinosuke Colonel of a Regiment at Uraga. Visited U.S.S. 

Powhatan, at Yokohama March 1854." 

Remarks: The NMAH-DAF Dudley collection accession 

list, number 1977.0186, and card catalog recorded the item as 

being a "calling card of Japanese colonel," which is most 

unlikely as use of calling cards by the Japanese began ca. 

1860's and then only by a small select group of people. The 

signature, received in 1977, was a gift of E.M. Guilmette, a 

descendant of the collector. 
134 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00160 

129 Provisions list (kybkyu himmoku #t £p g, g ) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-00160 

H: 31 cm, W: 40.5 cm 

Description: List of provisions supplied by the Japanese to 

the Powhatan at Shimoda in 1854. 

Characteristics: The list was prepared in the traditional 

manner with the brush writing in sumi on a piece of white 

mulberry bark paper. The inscription reads: "Hottemen e" 

ft v T- * y H (To Portman [Anton L.C. Portman, the 

Dutch-Japanese interpreter, hired in Shanghai, who served as 

Perry's flag clerk]) (Morison, 1967:297). The provision list 

recorded sake isson j@^ # (one barrel of rice wine), 

satsumaimo ippyb £ ~D £ ^ ^ |jg (one sack of potatoes), na 

issoku M^M (one bunch of vegetables), tamago hyaku 

ffl H (100 eggs), and hakusha ippb Q $> — Q (one bag of 

white sand). An English translation of each entry was provided, 

probably by the collector. The vegetables were identified as 

"greens," whereas the bag of sand was incorrectly translated as 

"one bag of onions," and the eggs as "wine." In the handwriting 

of the collector is written "Bill in Japanese for provisions 

purchased in Simoda, Japan for Starboard Steerage, Powhatan." No prices were given with the itemized list. 

Remarks: The provision list, received in 1977, was a gift of 

E.M. Guilmette, a descendant of the collector. 
NUMBER 37 135 

130 Gift label (okurimono hybsatsu &jfy)M$L ) 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0089 

H:31cm,W: 10.8 cm 

Description: Rectangular piece of thick, off-white minogami inscribed in Japanese, apparently used as a gift label. 

Characteristics: The inscription reads: "Tei Potomen 

M AK — S ^ y [Anton L.C. Portman] Hirayama Kenjiro 

T til M #C SP [and] Aibara Isaburo" £• W, tik H gJS (Presented 

to Portman by Hirayama Kenjiro and Aibara Isaburo). Anton 

L.C. Portman was the Dutch interpreter hired at Shanghai, who 

served as Commodore Perry's flag clerk (Morison, 1967:297). 

In April 1854 (cf. the collector's acquisition date below), 

Hirayama was a public censor assigned to the Kanagawa 

district. Hora (1970:169) identifies him as Kanagawa zaikin 

kachi metsuke # ^ ill £ W] t£ @ H . Aibara, an assistant to 

the Uraga magistrates, is identified by Hora (1970:237) as 

Uraga bugyb shihai kumi yoriki $fff^fT^SE&l#;fr . 

Inscribed in pencil in the hand of the collector is the incorrect 

translation: "List of presents from the Emperor of Japan to Mr. 

Portman, Tokohama [Yokohama], Jeddo [Edo] Bay, April, 

1854." 

Remarks: The label was received in 1977 as a gift of E.M. 

Guilmette, a descendant of the collector. 

NMAH-DAF Dudley 59873-N-0089 
APPENDIXES 

I. List of the Articles Received from the 

Japanese Government on 24 March 1854 

The source for this list is Francis Hawks, 1856, Narrative of the Expedition of an American 

Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years 1852,1853, and 1854, 

under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy, by Order of the 

Government of the United States, page 369. 

1st. For the government of the United States of America, from 

the Emperor— 

1 gold lacquered writing apparatus. 

1 gold lacquered paper box. 

1 gold lacquered book-case. 

1 lacquered writing table. 

1 censer of bronze (cow-shape), supporting silver flower and 

stand. 

1 set waiters. 

1 flower holder and stand. 

2 brasiers. 

10 pieces fine red pongee. 

10 pieces white pongee. 

5 pieces flowered crape. 

5 pieces red dyed figured crape. 

2d. From Hayashi, 1st commissioner— 

1 lacquered writing apparatus. 

1 lacquered paper box. 

1 box of paper. 

1 box flowered note paper. 

5 boxes stamped note and letter paper. 

4 boxes assorted sea-shells, 100 in each. 

1 box of branch coral and feather in silver. 

1 lacquered chow-chow box. 

1 box, set of three, lacquered goblets. 

7 boxes cups and spoons and goblet cut from conch shells. 

3d. From Ido, 2d commissioner— 

2 boxes lacquered waiters, 4 in all. 

2 boxes, containing 20 umbrellas. 

1 box 30 coir brooms. 

4th. From Izawa, 3d commissioner— 

1 piece red pongee. 

1 piece white pongee. 

8 boxes, 13 dolls. 

1 box bamboo woven articles. 

2 boxes bamboo stands. 

5th. From Udono, 4th commissioner— 

3 pieces striped crape. 

2 boxes porcelain cups. 

1 box, 10 jars of soy. 

6th. From Matsuzaki, 5th commissioner— 

3 boxes porcelain goblets. 

1 box figured matting. 

35 bundles oak charcoal. 

7th. From Abe, 1st Imperial councillor [sic]— 

14 pieces striped-figured silk (taffeta). 

8th.-12th. From each of [the] other 5 Imperial councillors 

[sic.]— 

10 pieces striped-figured silk (taffeta). 

13th. From [the] Emperor to Commodore Perry— 

1 lacquered writing apparatus. 

1 lacquered paper box. 

3 pieces red pongee. 

2 pieces white pongee. 

2 pieces flowered crape. 

3 pieces figured dyed crape. 

14th. From [the] commissioners to Capt. H.A. Adams— 

3 pieces plain red pongee. 

2 pieces dyed figured crape. 

20 sets lacquered cups and covers. 

15th.-17th. From [the] commissioners to Mr. Perry, Mr. 

Portman, and Mr. S.W. Williams, each— 

2 pieces red pongee. 

2 pieces dyed figured crape. 

10 sets lacquered cups and covers. 

136 
NUMBER 37 137 

18th-22d. From [the] commissioners to Mr. Gay, Mr. Danby, 

Mr. Draper, Dr. Morrow, and Mr. J.P. Williams— 

1 piece red dyed figured crape. 

10 sets lacquered cups and covers. 

23d. From [the] Emperor to the squadron— 

200 bundles of rice, each 5 Japanese pecks. 

300 chickens. 
138 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

II. List of Presents Received from the Emperor of Japan and His 

High Ministers for the Government of the United States and Others 

The source for this list is Roger Pineau, editor, 1968, The Japan Expedition 1852-1854: 

The Personal Journal of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, pages 194-196. 

For the Government of the United States 

1st. From the Emperor. 

1 lacquered writing table. 

1 gold " book-case. 

1 " * paper box. 

1 " " writing apparatus. 

1 bronze censer on stand, shaped like an ox with silver 

flower on his back. 

1 set of two lacquered trays. 

1 bamboo bouquet holder and stand. 

2 braziers or censers with silver tops. 

10 pieces fine red pongee. 

10 " fine white pongee. 

5 " each figured and dyed flower crape. 

2 swords and 3 matchlocks. 

2nd. From Abe, Prince of Ise. 

15 pieces striped and figured pongee or taffeta. 

3rd to 7th. From Matsudaira and each of the other four 

imperial councillors. 

10 pieces striped and figured pongee or taffeta silk, 50 pieces 

in all. 

8th. From Hayashi, 1st commissioner. 

1 lacquered writing apparatus. 

1 lacquered paper box. 

1 box flowered paper. 

5 " stamped note paper. 

1 " flowered note paper. 

1 " branch of coral and silver feather of "byssus." 

1 lacquered chow-chow box. 

8 boxes cups and spoons of conch shell and shell cup. 

100 kinds of seashells in 4 boxes. 

1 box of 3 lacquered cups. 

9th. From Ido, 2d commissioner. 

2 boxes lacquered waiters, 2 in each. 

2 " 20 umbrellas each. 

1 " 30 coir brooms. 

10th. From Izawa, 3d commissioner. 

2 pieces red and white pongee. 

8 boxes of 13 dolls. 

1 " of bamboo ware. 

2 " of bamboo low tables. 

11th. From Udono, 4th commissioner. 

3 pieces striped crape. 

2 boxes 20 porcelain cups. 

1 " soy, 10 jars. 

12th. From Michitaro Matsuzaki. 

3 boxes porcelain cups. 

1 " figured matting. 

35 bundles oak charcoal. 

13th. For Commodore Perry from the Emperor. 

1 lacquered writing apparatus. 

1 paper box. 

3 pieces red and 2 pieces white pongee. 

3 " dyed and 2 pieces flowered crape. 

14th. From the commissioners for Capt. Adams. 

3 pieces plain red pongee. 

2 " red dyed figured crape. 

20 lacquered cups and covers. 

15th to 17th.—For Messrs. S.W. Williams, O.H. Perry, and 

A.C. Portman (to each). 

2 pieces red pongee. 

2 " red dyed figured crape. 

10 lacquered cups and covers. 

18th to 22d. For Messrs. J. Gay, R. Danby, J. Williams, J. 

Morrow, W.B. Draper (to each). 

1 piece dyed figured crape. 

10 lacquered cups and covers. 

23d. For the squadron from the Emperor. 

300 fowls. 

200 bales rice, each 135 pounds. 

24th. For United States of America from the prefect and 

interpreters. 

5 pieces figured crape. 
NUMBER 37 139 

III. List of Japanese Reception Commissioners' Gifts Presented 

to the American Expedition Party on 9 June 1854 [at Shimoda]* 

The source for this list is "Kokui osetsuroku" [The Reception Commissioners' Records 

Relating to the Black (ship) Barbarians (Americans)] in Bakumatsu gaikoku kankei monjo 

[BGKM], 1914, volume 6, pages 310-313. 

Return Gifts for the Howitzer 

From Ido Tsushima-no-kami and Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami: 

1 Engetsutb; naginata MM 73 [halberd; polearm with 

crescent-moon shape sword] 

1 Yari $k [spear, lance] 

2 Tantb M 73 [short swords] 

1 Kagami $% [mirror] 

| [small bell] 

WsW&M^ [painted, decorated 

£ £ 0 [straw mats decorated with 

1 Shbshb; kogane /J\fj 

1 Nukikae saiga shi 

clothes chest] 

100 Kamon mushiro ^ 

floral design] 

7 Shi no [no] utsuwa; shi no utsuwamono; seika shiki 

If TE % ^ [Blue and white porcelain wares fashioned 

after the Ming Chinese wares] 

1 Suzuribako fiH. E [inkstone box; writing box] 

1 Kamibako $£ E [stationery box] 

1 Tsukue #L [desk] 

2 Teishobako M lr ffi [letter boxes] 

1 [set] Urushi-e kobako %£%&'h%H [large and small handy 

boxes lacquered dark red] 

5 [bolts] Kbketsu shusha; beni shibori shusha £E£S#&&r 

[red crape de chine] 

5 [bolts] Shiketsu shusha; murasaki shibori shusha 

$fe j$(#3 f$ [purple crape de chine] 

100 Amagasa M& [umbrellas] 

Reception Commissioners' Farewell Gifts 

From Hayashi Daigaku-no-kashira: 

2 Kaiheki gafuku j# §i gj ipg [picture scroll wall hangings] 

2 [rolls] Origane kinu $ & $jf [brocade] 

From Ido Tsushima-no-kami: 

1 Raden-bako %&MH [lacquer box with inlaid shell 

decoration] 

From Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami: 

2 Kybka H $L [mirrors with stands] 

1 Kamibako &£ E [stationery box] 

1 Suzuribako $[ E [inkstone box, writing box] 

2 Teishobakog§|H [letterboxes] 

From Udono Mimbe shoyu: 

2 Kaiheki gafuku ^ H jig fg [picture scroll wall hangings] 

2 Shuro ^ jji [small brasiers; hand warmers] 

* The original Japanese title is [Ansei gannen] Gogatsu juyokka Amerika 

osetsu-gakari yori Beijin e no sohin mokuroku. 
140 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

IIIA. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented at Naha on 8 June 1853 

The source for this list is "Peri kantai Okinawa raiko kankei Satsuma-han Naha zai bugyo 

todokesho" [Reports of the Perry Squadron's Ryukyu Visits by the Naha 

Magistrate Appointed by Satsuma han], in Hora, Tomio, 1970, Peri Nihon ensei zuikb-ki, 

page 482. 

To the Commodore: 

10 sensu M ~F [folding fans] 

4 [sets] kinu tabako-ire kiseru-ire tsuki %&MM 

A %t "fe Jl A f\f [silk tobacco pouches and pipes] 

2 kin [1.2 kg] Kokubu tabako IMftMM [Kokubu (district, 

Kagoshima prefecture) tobacco] 

2 [sheaves] shiro asa fi M [white hemp] 

3 Sukiya tenugui ffc 1? M # ££ [tea (ceremony) towels] 

1 tan [roll = 12 yards] momen rinji nuno 7|<CJMJ *J AjV&ft 

[pure, high quality cotton cloth] 

1 [roll] shiro saya S $ $£ [white figured silk] 

1 [roll] Tango jima ft'tikWi [striped Tango (northern Kyoto) 

silk] 

To the Captains of the Susquehanna and Mississippi, the 

translator, two other officers, and the Commodore's son, to 

each: 

10 sensu M ~P [folding fans] 

4 [sets] kinu tabako-ire kiseru-ire tsuki liMJ ? 

A %t ~& )\> A ¥s [silk tobacco pouches and pipes] 

2 kin [1.2 kg] Kokubu tabako (U^rM ^ [Kokubu brand 

tobacco] 

1 [sheaf] shiro asa S M [white hemp] 

1 [roll] Mbka nuno M M ft [cotton fabric produced in Moka, 

Tochigi prefecture] 
NUMBER 37 141 

IIIB. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented to 

the American Expedition Party at Naha on 11 July 1854 

The source for this list is "Peri kantai Okinawa raiko kankei Satsuma han zai bugyo 

todokesho" [Reports of the Perry Squadron's Ryukyu Visits by the Naha Magistrate 

Appointed by Satsuma han], in Hora, Tomio, 1970, Peri Nihon ensei zuikb-ki, pages 

484-485. 

[Recipient Unspecified]: 

10 sambon mono sensu H ;£; #J §f ^f*- [three-rib folding fans 

used in the tea ceremony] 

1 soku [bundle] Sugihara garni f£ JE $£; [Sugihara (modem 

Hyogo prefecture) paper treated with rice paste] 

10 tabako ire^%Wi\ [tobacco pouches] 

10 kiseru & W H? [tobacco pipes] 

5 kin [3 kg] Kokubu tabako gj ft M W- [Kokubu (district in 

Kagoshima) brand tobacco] 

1 bento # ^ [lunch box] 

2 [sets] suzuri buta h% y $ [trays] 

2 meshibako f& $i [rice (cooked rice) boxes] 

5 [goku] joyaki [mono] choka feh%i%'fe% [high quality 

pottery tea jars] 

3 soku [bundles] do chawan fWJ^^B [high quality tea cups] 

1 do mizu-sashi [sj 7K V~ i/ [high quality ceramic water 

pitcher] 

1 do chbji furo IWT^JEtf3 [high quality pottery incense 

burner] 

1 do hana-ire |HJ ?£ A [high quality ceramic flower vase] 

1 do c/idzu-bachi M^7K$fc [nig

n

 quality large water jar] 

3 [rolls] bashb nuno&m ft [banana cloth; abaca cloth] 

3 [rolls] konji momen nuno ffitibjzffift [indigo cotton 

cloth] 

5 [rolls] Mbka nuno H N ft [Moka cotton cloth] 
142 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

IIIc. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented to 

Commodore Perry at Naha on 12 May 1853 [lunar calendar] 

The source for this list is "Zen-kindai 2: Peri raiko kankei kiroku" [Pre-Modem Period, 2: 

Official Records of Perry's Ryukyu Visits], in Okinawa-ken Okinawa shiryo hensanjo, 

editor, 1982, Okinawa-ken shiryo [Historical Documents Relating to Okinawa Prefecture], 

pages 414-415. 

To the Commodore: 

Sensu nijuppon M"? XL -f- ;£ [20 folding fans] 

Sugihara garni nijitchb # M. ffi XL -f- ij}£ [20 folios of Sugihara 

paper] 

Tabako ire roku-gumi kiseru ire tsuki MW- AAI ^ it -5 A 

H [6 sets of tobacco pouches and pipes] 

Mbka nuno santan j | |B| ft = ffi [3 rolls of Moka type cotton 

cloth] 

Someji shima momen nuno ittan $£ife*§7kl$^ ^ [1 roll of 

colored, striped cotton cloth] 

Konji shima momen ni-tan ffit&iOkfcBft X.iffi [2 rolls of 

striped indigo cotton cloth] 

Aka shima nuno ni-tan jfci&ftX.)ffi [2 rolls of red-striped 

cloth] 

Shira hoso [goku] jb nuno san-tan & ff& [ M ] -tftEi)ffi[3 

rolls of white, finely woven high quality cloth] 

Tabako go-kin jg[ |§[ £ /f [5 kin (1 fen = 0.6 kg) tobacco] 

Meshibako futatsu fj£ Wi XL [2 rice (cooked rice) boxes] 

Suimonowan issoku $.$}$&—'W. [1 bundle of soup bowls] 

Bento ittsu # ^ — M. [1 lunch box] 

Shbchu futa-tsubo nijugo-hai iri §£ j§f H H H -f" £ ^ A [2 

25-cup capacity jugs of rice wine] 
NUMBER 37 143 

HID. List of Official Ryukyuan Gifts Presented to 

Commodore Perry at Naha on 17 June 1854 [lunar calendar] 

The source for this list is "Zen-kindai 2: Peri raiko kankei kiroku" [Pre-Modem Period, 2: 

Official Records of Perry's Ryukyu Visits], in Okinawa-ken Okinawa shiryo hensanjo, 

editor, 1982, Okinawa-ken shiryo [Historical Documents Relating to Okinawa Prefecture], 

pages 543-544. 

Sambon mono sensu nijuppon =L&$}M^F:i%%i& [30 

three-rib folding fans used in the tea ceremony] 

Shiro asa go-soku £| $c £ ^ [30 sheaves of white hemp] 

Sugihara-gami ni-soku 1& B. %fc ^ ^ [2 bundles of Sugihara 

paper] 

Oribe-gata ginu tabako ire jugo-kumi kiseru ire tsuki 

ffiffi:f&$>mm®A&K®.Z-£Z>Att [15 sets of 

Oribe type silk tobacco pouches and pipes] 

Kokubu tabako jukkin H ft # H ffr fe ff [ 10 kin (1 kin = 0.6 

kg) Kokubu tobacco] 

[Goku] jo yaki [mono] chbjifuro hitotsu [ ffi ] _L$5 [ $9 J 

T •?" M. At 1§ y [1 high quality pottery incense burner] 

Shunuri suimonowan ni-soku 6#ci^lg£$y#E — ]£[2 bundles 

of red lacquer soup bowls] 

Bento ittsu fi-^i^M [1 lunch box] 

Suzuri buta ni-kumi fil/S\ fc ^;M & sets of trays] 

Meshibako futatsu gg f| =£ *y [2 rice (cooked rice) boxes] 

[GoJfo] ;"o yaih' [mono] choka itsutsu [ ft ] ± #£ [ $7 J 

^ ^ £ *V [5 high quality pottery tea jars] 

Do chawan san-soku \s\ 2£ #ij H M [3 bundles of high quality 

tea cups] 

Do ambin futatsu [WJ H A, M ^ ^ ^ [2 high quality ceramic 

water pitchers] 

Do hanaire futatsu HJ TE A 5^ y [2 high quality ceramic flower 

vases] 

Do mizubachi futatsu [^J 7K ^ ^ ^ t2 nig

n

 quality ceramic 

water jugs] 

Bashb nuno san-tan ~&Wft=-K P rolls of banana cloth] 

Konji momen nuno san-tan U^^H f H S [3 rolls of 

indigo cotton cloth] 

Shirobana saya ittan BltftJ/l&^fc [1 roll of white figured 

silk] 

Mbka nuno go-tan j | ffl ft £ K [5 rolls of Moka type cotton 

cloth] 

Jushichi-sen [kasuri] kon shima nuno san-tan j^-bMi l 

ft H K [3 rolls of striped, splashed-pattemed indigo 

cotton cloth] 
144 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

IV. List of Articles Purchased by Dr. James Morrow 

The source for this list is Allan B. Cole, editor, 1947, A Scientist with Perry in Japan: The 

Journal of Dr. James Morrow, pages 230-233. 

List of Specimens in Arts Manufactures &c. Bought in 

Hakodadi Japan Lat. 42V2°N 

Foot Adze 

5 Small files 

1 Specimen dried tow 

Small Hammer 

2 Knives 

2 small saws 

Half inch Chisel 

Three fourths inch Chisel 

Six Tenths inch Chisel 

Two Tenths inch Chisel 

Three Tenths inch Chisel 

Six Tenths inch Chisel 

One Tenth inch Chisel 

Four Tenths [inch] Gauge 

Four Tenths [inch] Gouge (thick) 

One inch & four tenths chisel 

Two pair Brass Hinges 

One pair iron Hinges 

Two papers needles 

One paper Brass tacks 

Two iron Hooks 

Two brass Handles 

Four tweezers 

Hooks & Staples 

Paper black nails 

Paper bright Hooks 

Paper Spikes 

Small spikes 

Pair Steel yards for weighing 

Large Whip saw 

Large Iron Kettle 

Two dippers 

Small chisel 

Two spindles 

One Ink Stone 

One pair Scissors 

One Large bit for plane 

Small Bit for plane 

Trimming Knife chisel 

3/4 inch chisel 

Two planes 

One Japanese lock 

One small ripping saw 

One drawing Knife 

One Iron notched tea Kettle 

List of cloths cotton silk & grass bought in Hakodadi 

Diamond Spot 

Blue Kerchief 

Blue " Spots 

Two red Fancy Kerchiefs 

Blue Stripe 

Blue check 

Black & white (variegated) 

Thin white 

Thick white 

Black centre 

Japanese printed Silk (dark colour) 

Piece printed cloth gold stamp 

Red & white fine silk 

Blue & white plaid silk 

Piece grass cloth (linen) 

One piece cotton stripe 

One piece fillagree 

One Kerchief 

One " Blue & white (fancy) 

Blue cotton sash— 

One piece Blue & white 

One Striped cotton Sash 

One fancy Yellow & green 

Blue Transverse square 

One piece printed cotton (peculiar) 

One small piece (fancy) 

Two small fancy 

List of Specimens in Natural History arts Manufactures &c. 

bought in Simoda Japan 32V2° Degrees [sic] N. Latitude & 

brought to the U.S. 

3 Specimens fine bloome or iron ore 

Specimen Copper ore 

Specimen Lignite ore 

Peculiar bullrush used as sand paper 

Two large fish, for their skins 

Specimens of Hemp 

10 half quires of paper made of bark of tree Morus popepea 

Ream of very fine ladies paper (same) 

Iron pot 

Coil Iron wire 
NUMBE

R 37 145 

Small copper wire 

Whet-stones 

Coil large copper wire 

Tea Kettle 

Ream of Japanese paper 

Ginsing root 

2 Farmers knives 

Plough casting 

Broad blunt Knife 

June, Specimens copper ware & plate 

Reaping Knife 

Japanese Hoe 

Spade 8 pots flowers 

Three Household shrines 
146 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

V. List of Articles Desired by the Americans, Submitted by the 

Reception Commissioners to the Rqju [Senior Council] on 24 May 1854 

The source for this list is "Machi bugyb shoruisho shu gaikoku jiken sho" [Shimoda City 

Magistrate Records Relating to Foreign Affairs], in Bakumatsu gaikoku kankei monjo 

[BGKM], 1914, volume 6, pages 197-202. 

For the United States Government: 

Nuri dansu W. W-115 [lacquered clothes chest] 

Nuri handai kyokuroku ^ gg •£ |gj $ | [lacquered table and 

chair] 

Tatami [hana mushiro] | | [ ;f£ |f ] [straw-woven, decorated 

floor mats] 

Yakimono rui j$.fy)M [pottery ware] 

Tetsu narabi ni hagane mono g£MIS#7 [ir o n and other 

metalware] 

Danjo ifuku ^ fa ~ti WL [men's and women's clothing] 

Juhi gyohi saiku mono i£ i£ ,H i£ $H X % [animal hide and 

fishskin crafts] 

Oyoso nijb nana shaku no Nihon-sen tadashi shogu o sou 

Jl^3t:-fc^ £ H **&{&§#£& [fully rigged Japanese 

boat of approximately six meters in length and a beam of 

two meters] 

Nihon buki 0 ffc. jj£ %& [Japanese weapon] 

Nihon-sen no hinagata B fc%tC0f&W. [models of Japanese 

ships] 

Nihon gozafune no hinagata B ^ffl&MiCOt&W. [model of 

Japanese state barge] 

Jumoku no nae f§J if. CO HI [tree seedlings] 

Kusabana no nae IpE <t CO 3J [flower seedlings] 

Chb, ju, kai rui H j|£ j=J. gf [birds and shells] 

Kempu chirimen karamushi mempu |§ ft $f m ^ $$ ft [crepe 

silks, ramie, and cotton fabrics] 

For Commodore Perry [either as direct gifts or merchandise 

available to him for purchase]: 

Gokujb nuri handai kyokuroku tansu MX^St'nffilllptlt) 

[top quality lacquered table, chair, and clothes chest] 

Tsukue bunko suzuri-bako ^. ~% ^ $% H [stationery and inkstone boxes] 

Nihon hibachi B fc A £fc [hibachi] 

Nuri-bako ^ ^ [lacquered box] 

Do sarawan |ij[ IE #B [lacquered bowls] 

Danjo no kybdai ^icCOM'u [men's and women's mirror 

with stand] 

Nihon no gambutsu B^CO^L fy) [Japanese toys] 

Nihon kake-e [keiga] B #Wk\M [Japanese scroll painting wall 

hangings] 

Bokuseki zaiku mono if. jEi $0 X #J [wood and stone crafts] 

Nihon kempu chirimen sha B £ li ft #t ffiti %P [Japanese crepe 

de chine] 

Kago zaiku mono iHl ^ [basketry] 

Nihon tenuki B ^ # Jf [Japanese gloves] 

Nihon setta geta B ^IflfcTlf c [Japanese snow shoes and 

wooden clogs] 

Nuri-gasa ^ ^ [lacquered hat] 

Nihon-sen no hinagata B >fc Jft} CO g| W. [models of Japanese 

ships] 

Gyohi zaiku hitsu t^iXJ i [fishskin crafts] 

Do nurimono £jof ^ $) [copper castware] 

Tatami [hana mushiro] H [ /t M ] [straw-woven floor mats 

decorated with floral design] 

For Purchases by Others at Shimoda: 

Nuri handai ^ g£ •£? [lacquered table] 

Nurimono ^ fy) [lacquerware] 

Nuri-gasa ^ *£ [lacquered hat] 

Do nurimono rui $BJ ^ % gj [copper castware] 

Aog<z/ nurimono f ^^| ) [mother-of-pearl inlay lacquerware] 

&zmi zaiku nurimono &£ #ffl X i^ $9 [papier-mache products] 

Kempu ifuku ffiftlZM [silk clothing] 

Mino narabi ni tbyu gappa HM^ I [ffl~\ i^ l [oiled 

straw rain coat] 

Yakimono chawan zara $E#7 3fc#BiDL [ceramic tea cups and 

plates] 

Kago-tsumi yakimono ft£j,#£$9 [pottery with bamboo 

covering] 

Kaisbokimono $fc ^ M % [seagrass ornamental figures] 

Take zaiku narabi ni kyb [to] zaiku kago ft $fl X 3£ 

&> [%% 1 il l [bamboo baskets and other woven 

crafts] 

Zenwan JU $& [serving bowls] 

/sToo/n <tJS [flower vase] 

Mnon kagami 0 ^ ^F [Japanese mirror] 

Bybbu H m, [folding screen] 

Kasa ifc [umbrella] 

Snon/ gambutsu 'h J& ^# 7 [children's toys] 

Sna chirimen kempu ftjffiilffiffift [crepe de chine] 

Nbgu no hinagata ^ ^ (7) g | gJ [samples of agricultural 

implements] 
NUMBER 37 147 

VI. 1953 Accession List: Division of Ethnology 

List of Presents Given by the Emperor [sic] of Japan 

to Commander [sic] Mathew [sic] C. Perry, March, 1859 

The source for this list is the NMNH Registrar's Office, Accession File Number 199043 

ECC No. Item 

1 

2 

3-5 

6-14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23-24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

35-43 

44-45 

71 

72 

103-104 

105 

106 

107 

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

115-116 

117 

118 

119 

120 

121 

122 

123-124 

Japan Silk, Red 

Japan Silk, Yellow 

Japan Fan 

Wooden cup & saucer 

Wooden black bowl 

Wooden brown bowl 

Wooden black bowl 

Wooden black cup & saucer 

Wooden brown cup & saucer 

Wooden work box, black 

Wooden work box, red 

Wooden fan 

Wooden tea chest 

Wooden fan 

Japan red silk 

Japan belt 

Japan yellow silk 

Lew Chew pipes 

Lew Chew pouches 

Lew Chew pipe 

Lew Chew pouch 

Japan pipes 

Lew Chew tobacco 

Fancy box gilt 

Segar writing case 

China large dish 

China cylinder water jar 

China round water jar 

China butter pot 

China vegetable dish 

Bamboo small basket 

Rattan working basket 

Tissue paper fan 

Tissue paper, 1 ream 

Japan swords with scabbards 

Rattan working basket 

Fancy cane little table 

Pouch 

Pipe 

Pouch 

Pipe 

Ladies cuffs of shaw 

ECC No. Item 

125-127 

128-130 

131-133 

134-135 

136-148 

149 

150 

151 

152 

153-155 

156-158 

159-161 

162-163 

164-165 

166 

167-170 

171-173 

174-175 

176 

177-182 

183-188 

189-194 

195-200 

201-206 

207 

208 

209-231 

232 

233 

234-255 

256 

257 

258-262 

263 

264-268 

269-271 

272 

273 

273-275 

276 

277 

278 

Japan China cups, white & blue 

Japan China cups, dark blue 

Japan China cups, white 

Japan earthen little jars, dark 

Japan red wooden cups & saucers 

Large & highly ornamented wooden teawaiter 

Mirror and case 

Japan tea box 

Black working box 

Black pearl figd. boxes 

Wooden highly ornamented red bowls 

Japanese household gods 

Japanese tea apparatus boxes 

Bamboo water canteens 

Bamboo goblet 

Japan shell spoons 

Japan earthen brown jars 

Japan earthen brown jars, smaller size 

Earthen brown little jar 

Red wooden cups and saucers 

White & blue china cups 

Dark blue china cups 

White small china cups 

Small transparent china cups 

Sword-like spear ornamented with scabbard 

Plain spear with scabbard 

Japan assortd. pieces of silk 

Japan red pieces of silk 

Japan white pieces of silk 

Japan assortd. pieces of silk 

Japan white pieces of silk 

Japan red pieces of silk 

Japan assortd. pieces of crape 

Japan white pieces of crape 

Japan assorted pieces of cotton cloth 

Japan assorted pieces of grass 

Box Lew-Chew tobacco 

Japan gong 

Bamboo basket 

Rattan working basket 

3 dark rollers 

3 light rollers 
148 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

ECC No. Item 

279 6 reed 

280 Paper fan 

281 Cast-iron dinner pot 

282 Earthen kettle 

283 Cast-iron kettle 

284 Cast-iron teapot 

285 Clay teapot 

286 Imitation cast ponkin 

287 Copper stew pan 

288 Cast-iron shovel 

289 Cast-iron ladle 

290 8 paper fans 

291 Japan rolled paper 

292-296 Ladies' note fancy writing paper 

297-300 Japan writing paper 

301 Japan sanctuary 1st class 

302 Japan sanctuary 2nd class 

303 Japan sanctuary 3rd class 

304-306 Japan baby dolls 

307-308 Five brooms 

309 One broom 

310 2 thin copper sheets 

311 7 plates, 3 brushes, 1 mallet—printers implements 

312 Ink bottle, printer's implements 

313 Japan inkstand 

314 Japan writing brushes 

315-316 Japan baby dolls 

317 [cocoanut fiber] 

318 Table mats 

319 Large kitchen knife 

320 Small kitchen knife 

321 Lignite 

322-324 Copper pan in lacquer stand 

325 Lacquered stool 

326 Large square porcelain tank, 2 holes in the 

bottom 

327 Stink pot 

ECC No. Item 

328 

329-330 

331 

332 

333 

334 

335-337 

338-339 

340-345 

346 

347 

348 

349-350 

351 

352 

353 

354 

355 

356 

357 

358 

359-363 

364 

365-369 

370-371 

372-373 

374 

375 

376-377 

378-379 

380 

381 

382-384 

385-388 

389-445 

Iron wire 

Copper wires 

Copper holders 

Iron holders 

Iron-hat-hooks 

Japan sand 

Brooms 

Pin cushion of light wood 

Box of Japan shells 

Japan iron hammer & handle, extra 

Draw knife 

Whipsaw 

Japan compass small saws 

Japan small saw 

Japan needles, large 

Japan needles, 2nd size 

Japan copper nails 

Japan iron nails 

Japan brass and iron hinges 

Japan plain 

Japan plain, large size 

Japan carpenters implements of chisels of 

different sizes 

Japan carpenters implements of chisels, very 

small 

Japan carpenters implements of chisels, large 

Japan plough bits 

Japan hones 

Japan hoe, large size 

Japan hoe, 2nd size 

Japan hoes 

Japan spades 

Japan cast-iron plough shear point 

Japan hand hoe for beans 

Chinese scythe for rice 

Japan hand scythes 

Japan common umbrellas 
NUMBER 37 149 

VII. List of American Presents 

Brought Ashore in Japan on 13 March 1854 

The source for this list is Roger Pineau, editor, 1968, The Japan Expedition 1852-1854: 

The Personal Journal of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, page 233. 

For the Emperor: 

Miniature steam engine, */4 size, with track, tender, and car. 

2 telegraph sets, with batteries, three miles of wire, gutta percha 

wire, and insulators. 

1 Francis' copper lifeboat. 

1 surfboat of copper. 

Collection of agricultural implements. 

Audubon's Birds, in nine vols. 

Natural History of the State of New York, 16 vols. 

Annals of Congress, 4 vols. 

Laws and Documents of the State of New York. 

Journal of the Senate and Assembly of New York. 

Lighthouse Reports, 2 vols. 

Bancroft's History of the United States, 4 vols. 

Farmers' Guide, 2 vols. 

1 series of United States Coast Survey Charts. 

Morris Engineering. 

Silver-topped dressing case. 

8 yards scarlet broadcloth, and scarlet velvet. 

Series of United States standard yard, gallon, bushel, balances 

and weights. 

Quarter cask of Madeira. 

Barrel of whiskey. 

Box of champagne and cherry cordial and maraschino. 

3 boxes of fine tea. 

Maps of several states and four large lithographs. 

Telescope and stand, in box. 

Sheet-iron stove. 

An assortment of fine perfumery. 

5 Hall rifles. 

3 Maynard muskets. 

12 cavalry swords. 

6 artillery swords. 

1 carbine. 

20 Army pistols in a box. 

Catalogue of New York State Library and ofPostofftces. 

2 mail bags with padlocks. 

For the Empress: 

Flowered silk embroidered dress. 

Toilet dressing-box gilded. 

6 dozen assorted perfumery. 

For Commissioner Hayashi: 

Audubon's Quadrupeds. 

4 yrds. scarlet broadcloth. 

Clock. 

Stove. 

Rifle. 

Set of Chinaware. 

Teaset. 

Revolver and powder. 

2 dozen assorted perfumery. 

20 gallons of whiskey. 

1 sword. 

3 boxes fine tea. 

1 box of champagne. 

1 box of finer tea. 

For Abe, Prince of Ise, first councilor: 

1 copper lifeboat. 

Kendall War in Mexico and 

Ripley History of the War in Mexico. 

1 box of champagne. 

3 boxes fine tea. 

20 gallons whiskey. 

1 clock. 

1 stove. 

1 rifle. 

1 sword. 

1 revolver and powder. 

2 dozen assorted perfumery. 

4 yards scarlet broadcloth. 

For each of the other five councilors: 

1 book.* 

10 gallons of whiskey. 

1 lithograph. 

1 clock. 

1 revolver. 

1 rifle. 

1 sword. 

12 assorted perfumery. 

* The books thus distributed were Lossing, Field Book of Revolution; Owen, 

Architecture, Documentary History of New York; Downing. Country Houses; 

and Owen, Geology of Minnesota. 
150 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

VIII. List of American Presents to the Queen Dowager, Regent, and 

Treasurers of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, and to Individual Japanese Officials 

The source for this list is S. Wells Williams, 1910, A Journal of the Perry Expedition to 

Japan (1853-1854), edited by F.W Williams, pages 24, 67-68, 205, 244. 

June 7-8, 1853, Naha, Ryukyu 

To the Queen Dowager: 

Looking glasses 

Soap 

Perfume, etc. 

To Each of the Two Treasurers: 

1 engraved picture 

1 sword 

4 pieces of cotton 

1 bottle of whiskey 

1 bottle of wine 

1 cake 

July 16, 1853, Edo Bay 

To Kayama Eizaemon, Assistant Magistrate of Uraga: 

1 box of tea 

3 engravings of steamers and a house 

3 History of U.S.A. 

20 pieces of coarse cotton 

1 bale of drillings [a variety of American seeds] 

1 loaf of sugar 

1 box of champagne 

1 demijohn of whiskey 

June 9, 1854, Shimoda 

To the two new Reception Commissioners, Tsuzuki (Mineshige) Suruga-no-kami and Takenouchi Seitaro: 

Rifles, swords, perfumery, etc. 

July 11, 1854, Naha, Ryukyu 

To the Regent: 

1 revolver 

1 flask of powder 

1 engraving of the Washington Monument 

All remaining agricultural implements 

To 1st Treasurer: 

1 dressing table 

1 engraving 

To each of the 2nd and 3rd Treasurers: 

1 lorgnette 

1 engraving 
NUMBER 37 151 

IX. List of Japanese Personal Names 

Abe Masahiro H c$ IE §£ 

Aibara Isaburo i^U. #§H£[S 

Fujiwara Kunimitsu $£ j ^ H] it 

Fujiwara Tadahiro §| jj^ J& IS 

Hayashi Doshun (1583-1657) Wat # 

Hayashi Noboru (1799-1856) ^ $f. 

Hirayama Kenjiro ^ftllglftgfS 

Hiroshige I (1797-1858) JM M. — ft 

Hiroshige II (1829-1869) ^fi^tf t 

Ido Satohiro (d. 1858) # p f; 5/, 

Iida Keinosuke t£ ffl $fc £ #J 

Imai Handayu ^ # ^ ^ "^ 

Itarajiki t5J^Uc 

IzawaMasayoshi ^ $R 3& H 

Kayama Eizaemon ff 111 3£ £ ffi P^ 

Kiyoharu fit a* 

Koj ima Mataj i ro >\ > *§ 31 #C fifl 

Kunitsuna (1805-1868) S #3 

Matsuzaki Mitsutaro ^ ^ jjig ^c HP 

Mera [Mura?] Taichiro 

Moriyama Einosuke M ill ^ i Bfr 

Muragaki Norimasa ft JH fE X 

(1813-1880) 

Muramatsu 

Namura Gohachiro & M 5 A £B 

Rissai (1829-1869) TZ^ 

Shigenobu (1787-1832) gJC 

Sh6K6-kun ftM 

ShoTai-kyuO &mtK^ 

Ise-no-kami (Lord of Ise [modem Mie prefecture]); senior member of 

shbgutfs council 

Assistant to the Uraga Magistrate 

Daiku Emon-no-jo (official metal-worker of the Imperial Palace 

Guard; maker of the Ryukyuan 1456 Gokoku-ji temple bell 

Musashi-no daijo (official swordsmith of the Musashi district 

[modem Tokyo, parts of Saitama and Kanagawa prefectures]); 17th 

century Hizen [modem Saga prefecture] swordsmith 

Confucian scholar, appointed 1st Secretary of the Tokugawa 

Shogunate in 1606 

Daigaku-no-kashira (Lord Rector of the University at Edo); chief 

reception commissioner 

Public censor, Kanagawa district 

Ukiyo-e artist 

Ukiyo-e artist 

Tsushima-no-kami (Lord of Tsushima [modem Nagasaki prefecture]); reception commissioner; magistrate of Shimoda (temporary 

appointment, 1854); also known as Iwanami-no-kami, temporary 

co-govemor of Uraga, 1853 

Coastal defense regiment commander, Uraga, March 1854 

Mid-19th century paper manufacturer in Atami [city] 

Official interpreter, The Kingdom of Ryukyu 

Mimasaka-no-kami (Lord of Mimasaka [modem Okayama prefecture]); reception commissioner 

Assistant magistrate of Uraga 

Ryukyuan tobacco pipe maker 

Japanese shopkeeper and author and illustrator of Commodore 

Perry's Expedition to Hakodate May 1854 

Ukiyo-e artist 

Hayashi Noboru's secretary 

Ukiyo-e print censor 

Chief official interpreter 

Awaji-no-kami (Lord of Awaji [modem Hyogo prefecture]); senior 

member of the 1860 first Japanese Mission to the United States 

Ukiyo-e print censor 

Official interpreter 

Pseudonym of Hiroshige II, Ukiyo-e artist 

Ukiyo-e print artist 

Regent, The Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1853 

King Sho Tai-kyO, The Kingdom of RyukyQ (reigned 1454-1461) 
152 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 

Sukehiro gf) JH 

TodaShiei FEB ft 3c 

ToyokuniIII (1786-1864) ^ g 

Tsuta Sukehiro ^ BB Hfr IS 

Tsujiya Yasubei 

Udono Nagatoshi H^^i ^ 

(1808-1869) 

Utagawa Kuniyoshi lfc) 11 HI ^f 

(1798-1861) 

Watanabe Shoyemon #£ jfl j± ffr | 

Mid-17th century swordsmith of the Echizen district 

Izu-no-kami (Lord of Izu [modem Shizuoka prefecture]); magistrate 

of Uraga 

Ukiyo-e artist; also known as Kunisada I 

17th century Echizen [modem Fukui prefecture] swordsmith 

Ukiyo-e publisher 

Member of the Board of Revenue (title: mimbu shbyu); reception 

commissioner 

Ukiyo-e artist; also known as Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi 

Ukiyo-e print censor 
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