On February 13, 1860, a delegation of 77 samurai left Yokohama, Japan, and traveled to Washington, DC, to ratify the 1858 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce (Harris Treaty) between Japan and the United States. This trip to the United States was a major result of Commodore Matthew C. Perry's negotiated Treaty of Peace and Amity (Treaty of Kanagawa) in 1854. The Willards’ (later Willard) Hotel provided housing for the Japanese men and friendship to make their stay in Washington comfortable and memorable. 

In the early 1840s, the Willard brothers had purchased and consolidated several poorly run hotels on the corner of Pennsylvania and 14th Streets and then made major changes in the 1850s. This historic hotel has been greatly modified since the delegation was in Washington and now has the title of the Willard International Hotel. Some of the memories of this momentous trip of Japanese are re-lived in a small but informative museum in the hotel. Details of the historic visit are also in a book, a copy of which the head hotel concierge/historian gave to me. 

Two ships were involved with the historic diplomatic mission from Japan to the United States and Americans and Japanese men were integrated on both ships. The delegation of 77 samurai ambassadors and their entourage were on the American ship, USS Powhatan, commanded by Captain George Pearson. The Powhatan was a sidewinder steam-powered ship that Commodore Perry had used as one of his flagships during negotiations with the Japanese in 1853-54. American Admiral Josiah Tattnall, Jr. was aboard the Powhatan and had overall command of all Americans on both ships. 

While enroute to San Francisco, the official delegation aboard the Powhatan conducted a friendly visit with King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma of the Kingdom of Hawaii. When the delegation arrived in San Francisco on March 29th, they were welcomed by ships of the United States, France, and Britain and all flew the Himomaru (Japanese flag) as a welcome gesture. The artillery fort on Alcatraz Island also flew the Himomaru and fired an honorary gun salute. 

Sailing with the Powhatan and acting as an escort was the smaller but more modern Japanese screw-driven steam-powered ship, Kanrin Maru, under the command of Captain Katsu Kaishu. Personnel on the Kanrin Maru had a Japanese crew of 96 sailors, Japanese reformer Fukuzawa Yukichi, and an experienced navigator, Manjiro Nakahama. All Japanese on both ships came under the overall command of Admiral Kimura Yoshitake aboard the Kanrin Maru.

The Kanrin Maru also had an American naval officer, Lieutenant John Mercer Brooke, and 11 experienced American sailors to assist the Japanese with operation and navigation of the ship. Brooke and Manjiro became close friends during the stormy 32-day trip to San Francisco, and this friendship was important for the success of the mission. 

The Kanrin Maru arrived in San Francisco on March 17th before the Powhatan. The ship returned to Japan with its full personnel component after some repairs for damage from a storm during transit. The Japanese were surprised when the American Navy refused payment for the repair work, which reflected friendly relation between the two countries. 

After a month of touring the city of San Francisco, the delegation on the American ship, Powhatan, traveled south to the Isthmus of Panama. There the delegation disembarked to travel across the isthmus by train to Aspinwall (now Colon, Panama). In the Atlantic Ocean they traveled on the USS Roanoke, under command of Captain William McCluney, to Washington, DC. The delegation arrived on May 14, 1860, and must have been exhausted after their four-month trip from Japan. On May 18th the Daily National Intelligencer reported some details of the unique group and their activities.

“The Embassy has eighty tons of baggage, a large amount of treasure, and fifteen large boxes of presents for the President of the United States, among which are several very handsome rifles, manufactured in Yeddo, and are an ingenious improvement upon the Sharpe rifle. They also bring with them about eighty thousand dollars in cash, with which to make purchases in this country. This money was brought from Japan in silver, and changed in San Francisco to American gold. 

The personnel of the Embassy, servants and all, numbers seventy-one, of whom twenty are officials; one having taken ill at Aspinwall and sent home.” 

The Japanese travelers received superb attention and accommodations. A whole floor had been renovated for them, and they had their own entrance on 14th Street. They also were provided with their own kitchen and private dining facilities. They were happy to have “the use of their own kitchen which enabled them to survive some of the local culinary heresies, such as drowning rice in butter and sugar as well as the local’s predisposition towards meat and fat.” 

According to the historic record of the Willard, the Japanese delegation seemed to enjoy their visit to the United States despite the fact that they “were mobbed and gawked at.” Historian, George Feifer, also records that the Japanese unfortunately, did receive some racial slurs. The visitors were entertained and there were many opportunities for interaction between the two cultures that were equally curious about each other, especially concerning their dress and customs.

The most important and solemn interaction was between the delegation and the President of the United States, James Buchanan, at the White House. Official and unofficial people were at the White House when the delegation arrived. The Daily National Intelligencer reported that the introductions were made with formality after much bowing and some initial hesitation by the Japanese. The visitors were “magnificently dressed” and appeared to be “middle aged men.” 　The chief ambassador then read a speech that he held in his hand in Japanese that was translated to Dutch and then English as the official address to the President.

“His Majesty, the Tycoon, has commanded us that we express to his Majesty the President of the United States, in his name, as follows: 

Desiring to establish on a firm and lasting foundation the relations of peace and commerce so happily existing between two countries that lately the plenipotentiaries of both countries have negotiated and concluded a treaty, he has now ordered us to exchange the ratification of the treaty in your principal city of Washington. Henceforth he hopes that the friendly relations be held more and more lasting, and he is very happy to have your friendly feeling: and pleased that you have brought us to the United States, and will send us to Japan in your men of war.”

A 1924 book by Helen Nicolay gives an interesting translation from the diary of a member of the Japan delegation after attending a ball at a private residence of the US Secretary of State, Lewis Cass.

“Immediately after we were seated the music commenced, and an officer in uniform with one arm around a lady’s waist and the other hand holding one of hers, started moving around the floor on his toes, many others following his example. Upon enquiring we were told this was a ‘dance.’ 

As I watched the various movements of the dancers, I could not help smiling at the way the very large skirts, called crinoline, which the ladies wore, increased in volume until they became of enormous proportions when the dancers attained their top speed. 

This continued until midnight. As for us we had never seen or imagined anything like it before. It was of course with no small wonder that we had witnessed this extraordinary sight of men and bare-shouldered women hopping around the floor arm and arm, and our wonder of the strange performance became so great that we began to doubt whether we were on another planet. I need not say that we did not remain until midnight.”

In the mid-1960s, the Willard Hotel was in disrepair and there were plans for demolition. Fortunately, a group of courageous entrepreneurs decided to restore the historic structure to its original beauty. The hotel reopened in 1986 and regained its prominence as a landmark structure in Washington, DC, and regained its unofficial title as Residence of the Presidents. The history of the accommodation of the Japanese delegation was not forgotten, and several items in the Hotel Museum relate to the Japanese visit. There also is mention of Commodore Matthew C. Perry in the Museum, but the large suite that once was named in his honor has now been renamed the Helen Hayes Suite.

Also of Japanese interest is a beautifully framed kimono displayed on the first floor in a hallway between the main desk and the coffee shop. On an adjoining wall is a large mural painting depicting a Japanese scene in the Spring. Unfortunately, there is no information about either item, but a plaque near the kimono does mention the visit of the Japanese delegation in 1860. Visitors to Washington, DC, who have interest in Japan/American history will find it worthwhile to visit the historic Willard Hotel to view the displays and imagine the experience of the first Japanese to visit the United States over 165 years ago.