Monument to Perry's Landing

Japan Vlog #16 Izu Peninsula; Exploring what's in Shimoda! (2/5)

Marin and I explore as many sightseeing locations in and around Shimoda as possible!

Marin offers translation services! (Japanese-English)
Contact:marinweber@outlook.com

Locations visited:
Shimoda Park (下田公園)
Perry Road (ペリーロード)
Chorakuji Temple (長楽寺)
Ryosenji Temple (了仙寺)
Shirahama Beach (白浜海岸)
Shirahama Shrine (白浜神社)

Shimoda is a pleasant city on the Izu Peninsula. It has historical importance as the landing place of several of Commodore Perry's black ships in 1854, an event which marked the end of Japan's era of isolation and the start of diplomatic relations between the US and Japan. Effectively ending Japan's 200-year era of isolation from the outside world.

Shimoda Park is an attractive wooded park on a hill next to Shimoda's city center.

Fortifications for the defense of the city once stood on the hill, but only ruins remain. Today, Shimoda Park is the site of the Monument to the Opening of US-Japan Diplomatic Relations built in 1957, and more than one thousand ajisai (hydrangea), which bloom in June.

Perry Memorial Hall, Kurihama, Kanagawa, Japan, A Meuseum About Commodore Perry's Trip to Japan

Perry Memorial Hall, Kurihama, Kanagawa, Japan, A Meuseum About Commodore Perry's Trip to Japan. This is a short clip of newspapers from the time of the building of the Perry Monument at the nearby park. This is still inside of Perry Memorial Hall.

Literature from Yokosuka City Tourist Brochure

Construction of the Monument
A monument commemorating Perry's landing was constructed in July 1901 (Meiji 34) following a visit to Kurihama in October 1900 by the retiredblack shipmidshipman, Rear Admiral Beardslee. Beardslee was shocked to find that Kurihama was a simple fishing village with nothing to indicate that the first encounter between the Japan and the United States took place there. The following November, Beardslee delivered a moving speech before the American Friends'Association where he expressed his treasured memories and his great disappointment with current day Kurihama.
The American Friends'Association was primarily made up of prominent businessmen and government leaders living near Tokyo and Yokohama. It's chairman, Kentaro Kaneko, had studied in the U.S. and also contributed to the drafting of the Meiji Constitution. Upon hearing Beardslee's speech, Kaneko led the Association to take initiative and plan for the construction of a comemmorative monument. They succeeded in collecting ¥20,000 in donations and were also granted a monetary gift from the Imperial Household Agency.
Thanks to a passionate campaign by Kaneko and the Association, the monument was completed within eight months of Beardslee's speech. Inscribed upon it were the wordsMonument to the Landing of U.S. Navy Commodore Perrywritten in Japanese brush script by Japan's first Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito. The unveiling of the monument took place on July 14, the same date as Perry's landing. Attending were domestic and foreign leaders including Prime Minister Taro Katsura and the U.S. Minister to Japan. The historical event which took place in the Miura Peninsula symbolized modern international relations and particularly the ties between Japan and the U.S.

[V0224] 東伊豆６：下田港ペリー記念碑から海中水族館でイルカと戯れる

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[V0224]　100101 静岡県下田市　下田港
[V0224]　100101 Driving on country roads for Shimoda port at Shimoda, Shizuoka, in JAPAN.

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Matthew C. Perry

Matthew Calbraith Perry was a Commodore of the United States Navy and commanded a number of ships. He served in several wars, most notably in the Mexican–American War and the War of 1812. He played a leading role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854. Perry was very concerned with the education of naval officers and helped develop an apprentice system that helped establish the curriculum at the United States Naval Academy. With the advent of the steam engine, he became a leading advocate of modernizing the US Navy and came to be considered The Father of the Steam Navy in the United States.


This video is targeted to blind users.

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Creative Commons image source in video