Japanese Interpretations
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The comic portrayals of Westerners illustrated Japanese fear and curiosity of foreigners.
Dutch Family
Jo Girin [1800]
Peabody Essex Museum
Dutch Dinner Party
Kawahara Keiga [n.d.]
Peabody Essex Museum
Dutch "Surgery"
Unknown artist [n.d.]
Kobe City Museum
Translator Samuel W. Williams
Commander Henry A. Adams
Captain Joel Abbot
Commodore Matthew Perry and Five Officers (Three above)
Hibata Osuke [1854]
Sanada Treasure Museum
Perry Prostrating before an Official
Unknown artist [1854]
Ryosenji Treasure Museum
Pictorial Depiction of American People and Steamship
Unknown artist [1854]
Ryosenji Treasure Museum
Assembled Pictures of Commodore Perry's Visit
Unknown artist [n.d.]
Shiryo Hensanjo, University of Tokyo
Perry's Troops in Yokohama (Kanagawa)
Unknown artist [1854]
Shiryo Hensanjo, University of Tokyo
One of Perry's "Black Ships"
Unknown artist [n.d.]
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum
Japanese Chart on Western Dress Sense
Unknown artist [n.d.]
Heibonsha Press
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The Matthew Perry Expedition acted as the catalyst for breaking Japan's barrier of isolation, which propelled boiling politics in Japan to erupt in the Meiji Restoration. Though Japan adopted Western ideas of bureaucracy, military, and trade, and became a world power, many citizens grew wary of the US due to the experience with Perry, and future relationships between Japan and the US became tinged with this experience.
Samarth Venkatesh
Alex Dimov
Senior Group Website
Word Count: 1200
Process Paper Word Count: 499