Nippon!
The floating kingdom.
An island empire which for centuries has lived in perfect peace,
undisturbed by intruders from across the sea.
Here in the month of July 1853,
There is nothing to threaten the serene and changeless cycle of our days.
In the middle of the world we float
In the middle of the sea
The realities remain remote
In the middle of the sea
Kings are burning somewhere,
Wheels are turning somewhere,
Trains are being run,
Wars are being won,
Things are being done
Somewhere out there,
not here.
Here we paint screens.
Yes... the arrangement of the screens:
We sit inside the screens
And contemplate the view
That's painted on the screens
More beautiful than true.
Beyond the screens that glide aside
Are further screens that open wide
With scenes of screens like the ones that glide
And no one presses in,
And no one glances out,
And kings are burning somewhere,
Not here!
As the hurricanes have come, they've passed
In the middle of the sea.
The advantages are made to last
In the middle of the sea.
Gods are crumbling somewhere,
Machines are rumbling somewhere,
Ways are being found, watches being wound,
Prophets being crowned
Somewhere out there,
not here
Here we plant rice.
Yes... the arrangement of the rice:
The farmer plants the rice.
The priest exalts the rice.
The Lord collects the rice.
The merchant buys the rice.
The craftsman makes the sword
And sells it to the lord
And buys at twice the former price
What he counts on his lord to protect with his sword:
The rice!
They eat the rice and then
The day begins again,
And gods are crumbling somewhere —
Not here!
The disturbances are worlds away
In the middle of the sea.
And tomorrow will be like today
In the middle of the sea.
Blood is flowing somewhere,
Ideas are growing somewhere,
Trails are being blazed,
Voices being raised,
Women being praised
Somewhere out there,
not here.
Here we trade bows
Yes... The arrangement of the bows:
First for the Emperor, Descendant of the sun goddess, Amaterasu!
All-knowing and all-powerful!
Ruler absolute!
One year old.
Second for the Shogun,
Protector of the kingdom,
Keeper of the peace.
Seldom seen.
Then for the Lords of the South,
Vassals to the Shogun,
Loyal to their master...
Not for long.
And kings are burning somewhere,
Not here!
The advantages go on and on
In the middle of the sea.
As the centuries have come, they've gone
In the middle of the sea. (middle of the sea)
Days arise to be replaced,
Lines are drawn and lines erased.
Life and death are but verses in a poem.
Out there blood flows.
Who knows?
Here we paint screens,
Plant the rice,
Arrange the flowers,
View the moon,
Exchange the gifts,
Plant the rice,
Arrange tomorrow like today
to float,
Slide the screens,
Exchange the poems,
Stir the tea,
Exchange the bows,
Plant the rice,
Arrange tomorrow to be like today,
To float.
The viewing of the moon,
the planting of the rice,
the stirring of the tea,
the painting of the screens
We float.
The viewing of the moon, the stirring of the tea, the planting of the rice, The weaving of the mats, the painting of the screens
The viewing of the moon, The planting of the rice, The catching of the fish The painting of...
We float...
We float.
Even in a land of changeless order,
there are sometimes slight-disturbances.
Nothing of importance,
nothing threatening or distressing.
A piece of gossip from a noodle seller,
or the languorous whisper of a geisha.
"I hear... I heard... The rice merchant is sure..."
Just a rumor, to be noted and dismissed.
Nothing of importance, nothing.
But wait, there is another one!
"Who?... And where?... You say you saw the cage yourself?"
A prisoner in Western dress,
conveyed to Edo in the dead of night.
There to be examined by the mighty Shogun himself,
surrogate to an emperor far too holy to be sullied by mortal eyes.
The Shogun!
Oh dear, no Shogun.
Perhaps his stars today are inauspicious for an audience.
The prisoner's name?
John Manjiro, my lord.
And where does he come from?
The questioner is Lord Abe,
representing the Shogun in his absence.
Nakahama, lord.
A fishing village on the south coast of Shikoku.
And do all the residents of Nakahama wear such foreign dress?
No, my lord.
Then you will explain his appearance.
He is a fisherman, my lord.
Six years ago his boat was driven out to sea by storms.
He was rescued by the captain of a barbarian ship,
who took him to a place called
Massa-chu-setts,
where he went to school.
What does this mean?
The Shogun's mother.
That he has come here from America.
America?
But why has he returned?
Does he not know that he has violated our laws twice —
First when he left Japan, and then when he returned?
Each crime is punishable by death.
Why have you come back?
There were rumors in America, my lord.
Rumors which I thought my countrymen should hear.
What did the rumors say?
That America would send an expedition to Japan.
And are these rumors true?
They are, my lord.
As I made my way back home I stopped in Okinawa.
In the harbor there were four black ships,
Western warships, fitted out with giant cannon,
manned by sailors, armed with weapons such as you have never seen.
Americans, my lord, and their ships are coming here!
It is obvious.
The man is a traitor, sent here by the Westerners to spy on us.
My lord, I'm not! I swear to you!
Even as we speak the ships are on their way. You must prepare yourselves to —
You dare to tell Lord Abe what to do!
My lord,
You dare suggest that we meet face to face with Western dogs!
That we subject ourselves to such humiliation!
If he saw the ships at Okinawa,
they will be here any day.
When the Americans arrive, someone will have to deal with them.
Someone, but who?
Kayama Yesaemon.
A samurai, but one of little consequence.
He and his wife Tamate have been fishing.
This year they cast their nets in streams belonging to the Shogun.
A transgression to be sure, but one well worth the risk,
for they have caught the lucky ayu,
a fish which portends one year of good fortune.
Kayama Yesaemon?
You are wanted by the Shogun's Councilors.
You are to come with us at once.
But why? I-
It is not your business to ask why.
Wait for me, Tamate. Wait at home.
Tell them that we meant no harm. Tell them —
Wait for me at home.
Kayama Yesaemon?
Yes, my lord.
Your rank?
Secretary to the Governor of Uraga.
And if in some way I have offended —
Silence!
Hold your tongue!
Yes, my lord.
From today you have become Prefect of Police for the entire city of Uraga.
I- I have?
My lord, I humbly thank you for this great honor
and will do all in my power to be worthy of your trust!
Yes — you will!
A haiku:
A gift unearned And unexpected Often has a hidden price.
And so, when the Americans arrive,
You will take a boat to their ship
and you will order them to return immediately from whence they came.
Is that understood?
I... my lord... in a boat, my lord... ordering...
You will inform them of the sacred decree.
You will terrify them with the fate that awaits all foreign devils who dare to set foot on our holy soil.
Kayama Yesaemon, may the Gods of our fathers make you equal to this awesome task!
What did the Councilors say?
They have appointed me Prefect of Police of the city of Uraga.
But, this is wonderful, to receive such happy news when we expected —
It is not happy news, Tamate.
There are foreign warships on their way to Japan.
They will first be sighted off Uraga,
and it will be the duty of the Prefect of Police to go out to meet them —
and drive them away.
But how — if they are so powerful?
I do not know.
And if they refuse to go...?
It will be great a disgrace,
so great that no one near the Shogun's throne
would dare to deal with these barbarians.
That is the only reason why I have been chosen.
Perhaps the foreigners will not come.
They will come.
And should I fail,
you know what we must do.
The Americans are here!
The eye sees, the thought flies.
The eye tells, the thought denies
I will prepare for your returning.
(Is there no other way?)
The word falls, the heart cries.
The heart knows the word's disguise.
I shall expect you then at evening.
(Is there no other way?)
The bird sings, the wind sighs,
The air stirs, the bird shies.
A storm approaches.
(There must be other ways...)
The leaf shakes, the wings rise.
The song stops, the bird flies.
The storm approaches.
I will have supper waiting.
The song stops, the bird flies.
The mind stirs, the heart replies,
"There is no other way." (I will prepare for your returning."
"There is no other way." (I shall expect you then at evening.)
The word stops, the heart dies.
The wind counts the lost goodbyes.
There is no other way.
I was standing on the beach
Near the cliffs at Oshima.
I was spreading out the nets For the morning sun.
It was early in July And the day was getting hot,
And I stopped to wipe my eyes, And by accident I turned
And looked out to sea...
And there came,
Breaking through the mist,
Roaring through the sea,
Four black dragons,
Spitting fire.
And I ran,
Cursing through the fields,
Calling the alarm,
Shouting to the world,
"Four black dragons! Spitting fire!"
And the earth trembled,
And the sky cracked,
And I thought it was the end of the world.
Pick them up, you clumsy oaf!
No, wait. Come, take these instead! We must hurry!
If we are not out of here before the barbarians come, they will kill us all!
The horse is loaded, father. There is room for nothing else.
What?
And leave my fortune here to be destroyed by foreign dogs!
I'll stay and fight before I —
Quick! Take the reins! No no, get your grandmother!
We have no time to lose! All right then, everybody ready?
A mother does not walk. She rides.
What?!
A mother does not walk. She rides.
But the horse's legs are buckling as it is!
A mother does not —
All right, all right! Here, push those sacks aside.
You see? You will have to walk like the rest of us.
I would rather stay behind and be ravished by the barbarians.
As you wish.
Come on then!
Come!
Confucius tells the story of a merchant who grew tired of caring for his aged mother.
He called his son and told him to prepare a litter,
so that they might carry the feeble old woman out to the countryside to die.
The young boy set to work, and when the man returned,
he found his son had built, not one litter, but two.
"The first one is the one you asked for," explained the boy,
"and the second I shall save and use when you have grown as old as grandmother."
Oh all right,
Come on then!
Come!
I was rifling through the house
of some priests In Uraga.
It was only after dawn,
They were sleeping still.
I had finished with the silks,
I was hunting for the gold,
When I heard them getting up, So I bolted through a door...
Which looked out to sea...
And there came... (And there came...)
Breaking through the mist... (Boiling through the mist...)
Roaring through the sea... (Rising from the sea...)
Four black dragons... (Four volcanoes...)
Spitting fire... (Spitting fire...)
And I ran... (And I ran...)
Cursing down the halls... (Cursing through the fields...)
Shouting to the priest... (Shouting to the world...)
"Notify the gods!"
"Four black dragons,"
"Spitting fire!"
And the feet pattered As the men came down to stare,
And the women started screaming Like the gulls.
Hai! Hai!
And they crowded into temples And they flapped about the square — Hai!
Like the gulls. Hai!
Hai!
Four black dragons, Spitting fire!
Then the hooves clattered And the warriors were there,
Diving quickly through the panic Like the gulls.
Hai! Hai!
And the swords were things of beauty as they glided through the air — Наі!
Like the gulls. Hai! Hai! Hai!
Four black dragons, Spitting fire!
And the sun darkened
And the sea bubbled
And the earth trembled
And the sky cracked
And I thought it was the end Of the world!
If I don't take it, the barbarians will.
What does it matter, anyway?
Whoever these invaders are, they can be no worse than the merchants who have bled us dry,
or the samurai who cut us down if we fail to bow to them in the streets.
And the sun darkened
And the sea bubbled
And the earth trembled
And the sky cracked,
And I thought it was the end Of the world!
And it was.
They come from a land of mystery behind the setting sun.
Barbarians with hooked noses like mountain imps.
Giants with wild, coarse hair and faces grey as the dead.
Americans!
Look how they glare!
Look how they aim their sorcerer's weapons directly at us!
Oh, look! Their leader!
Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry
Surely he is the King of the Demons come to strike us blind and to devour our children!
In this darkest hour, who will save Japan?
Please,
I am here.
Please!
Boat go! No boats here!
But—
Go!
I will not go.
I am the Prefect of Police of the city of Uraga and I say:
You must not stay here.
Our laws forbid it.
You hear!
I say... no boats.
Go! Or BANG!
What is here?
Sir, I have orders.
You must go away.
There is a sacred decree.
No foreigner can come to our land.
What are you?
I am Prefect of Police for the city of Uraga and I demand that you —
You... policeman?
Yes, the Prefect —
You think officers of great Commodore Perry speak to policeman?
But I am the representative of the Shogun.
I have the authority —
Americans speak only to great men.
Send great man. You hear?
Policeman!
Tell him — off!
Go!
But...
Go!
Yes. Excuse me, please.
Goodbye!
Why do they laugh?
I do not laugh.
You have ordered them to go away?
You have terrified them with the sacred decree?
I am ashamed, my lords.
They will not listen to me.
They say they will only speak with a more important personage.
You told them you were Prefect of Police?
Yes, my lord, but they only laughed at me.
They said:
"Americans speak only to great man."
I think they mean —
Us?!
Yes, my lords.
Impossible!
You needn't go yourselves, my lords.
How can barbarians know who is important and who is not?
They would assume that anyone dressed in a Councilor's robes —
He is right.
But who?
My lords, since he has knowledge of their ways, perhaps the shipwrecked fisherman —
if he has not yet been disposed of —
Excellent. Summon him at once.
You have been condemned to death for consorting with foreigners.
Yes, my lord.
You are fortunate.
The Shogunate has given me permission to make use of you.
Release the prisoner.
I am free, my lord?
For the time being.
I will miss you.
The fisherman Manjiro is abruptly promoted and strategies are discussed.
Remember, hold yourself with great dignity, and not a word!
Sit in the bow.
Please!
What?
I must speak with your officers.
Why?
I have returned to present to them a very important dignitary.
So if you will call them.
Busy.
But I see them standing over there. Please —
Idiot!
How dare you plead with petty officers in my presence.
You! Here! Come here!
Don't worry. I know how to handle Americans.
Man, if you hear me. Come, I say.
Tell these persons who I am.
Oh, yes, my Lord.
This is the great Councilor, Lord Manjiro,
second in power only to the Shogun himself.
Do barbarians not bow to their superiors?
That is better.
Now, who is your leader?
Matthew Calbraith Perry, sir. Commodore. U.S. Navy.
Tell him: come here.
Tell him?!
He has to confer with me.
Impossible, sorry. You confer us. We confer Commodore Perry.
I confer only with this Payry.
But, my lord —
Very well. For the sake of courtesy, I will make a great concession.
He confers with you —
You confer with him —
He confers with me.
Ask them why they are here.
Why are you here?
We bring greetings and friendly letter from our great President Milllard Fillmore.
Tell them: Give me the letter and return to America.
Give the letter to my lord Manjiro, and return to America.
Impossible. Letter only given to Emperor.
Emperor!?
Or, if against religion, to Shogun.
Shogun!?
In six days time, you prepare big ceremony.
Commodore Perry bring letter. Shogun receive it. Much talk and gifts.
Six days time. Big ceremony.
There.
But that is impossible!
There is a decree, sacred for centuries...
You do not land here. No barbarian sets foot on shore here.
You go and tell that to your Perry. Go, I say.
Go tell your Perry:
All landing — forbidden. Go!
On the double.
How'm I doing?
They seem to be impressed.
Americans are easy. They shout and you shout louder.
You want to hear great Commodore Perry's reply to you?
I will listen.
Commodore Perry say:
Much honored by visit of Japanese Lord.
Sends warm greetings.
I accept his greetings.
Commodore Perry say: Not to worry.
All Japanese customs will be respected in all possible ways.
Didn't I tell you?
Commodore Perry also say:
If big arrangement not made to greet him on land,
he turn all cannon on Uraga
and blast it off face of earth!!
Enough of these "negotiations."
It is at last our privilege to encounter Tokugawa Ieyoshi,
twelfth direct descendant of the great Tokugawa Ieyasu:
unifier of our country, ruling Lord of all Japan.
The Shogun and his wife,
his physician,
his priests,
his soothsayer,
his sumo wrestlers,
his companion,
and his mother.
The Shogun!
My lord...
Noble lord...
It's the Day of the Rat, my lord.
There are four days remaining, And I see you're entertaining,
But we should have a chat, my lord.
To begin, if I may, my lord,
I've no wish to remind you But you'll notice just behind you
There are ships in the bay. They've been sitting there all day
With a letter to convey And they haven't gone away
And there's every indication That they're planning to stay, my lord...
My lord...
Have some tea, my lord, Some chrysanthemum tea.
It's an herb that's superb For disturbances at sea.
Is the Shogun feeling better? Good! Now what about this letter?
Is it wise to delay, my lord?
With the days disappearing, Might we benefit from hearing
What the soothsayers say, my lord?...
My lord...
venerable lord...
Wood star...
Water star...
All celestial omens are —
Excellent.
Deer bones...
Turtle shells...
Each configuration spells —
Victory.
A spider on the wall!
Signifies success:
Whose success I cannot guess...
Unless...
It's the Day of the Ox, my lord.
With but three days remaining And today already waning,
I've a few further shocks, my lord.
To begin, let me say, At the risk of repetition,
There are ships in the bay. And they didn't ask permission,
But they sit there all day In contemptuous array
With a letter to convey And they haven't gone away
And there's every indication That they still plan to stay,
And you look a little gray, my lord...
My lord...
Have some tea, my lord, Some chrysanthemum tea,
While we plan, if we can, What our answer ought to be.
If the tea the Shogun drank will Serve to keep the Shogun tranquil,
I suggest, if I may, my lord,
We consult the Confucians — They have mystical solutions.
There are none wise as they, my lord...
Over there, my lord...
Night waters do not break the moon.
That merely is illusion.
The moon is sacred.
No foreign ships can break our laws.
That also is illusion.
Our laws are sacred.
It follows there can be no ships.
They must be an illusion.
Japan is sacred.
It's the Day of the Tiger, my lord.
Only two days remaining, And I'm tired of explaining
There are ships in the bay With a letter to convey,
They're on permanent display,
And we must take some position Or the Southern Coalition
Will be soon holding sway, my lord...
And we'll all have to pay, my lord...
Have you something to say, my lord?
Have some tea, my lord, Some chrysanthemum tea.
It's a tangled situation, As your father would agree.
And it mightn't be so tangled If you hadn't had him strangled —
But I fear that I stray, my lord.
I've a nagging suspicion That, in view of your condition,
What we should do is pray, my lord...
What we should do is pray, my lord.
Blow, wind.
Great wind.
Great Kamikaze,
Winds of the gods.
Blow, wind!
Smite them down!
Make the invaders dance and drown!
Blow, wind!
Build the waves!
Hurl the infection out of the ocean
Blow, wind!
It's the Day of the Rabbit, my lord.
There's but one day remaining, And beside the fact it's raining.
There are ships in the bay Which are sitting there today
Just exactly where they sat On the Day of the Rat —
Oh, and speaking of that, my lord . . .
My lord ? —
The blossom falls on the mountain.
The mountain falls on the blossom.
All things fall.
Sometimes...
As I started to say: From that first disturbing day,
When I gave consideration To this letter they convey.
I decided if there weren't Any Shogun to receive it,
It would act as a deterrent Since they'd have no place to leave it,
And they might go away, my lord...
Do you see what I say, my lord?
My lord?
In the tea, my lord, The chrysanthemum tea —
An informal variation On the normal recipe.
Though I know my plan had merit, It was slow in execution.
If there's one thing you inherit, It's your father's constitution,
And you're taking so long, my lord...
Do you think I was wrong, my lord?...
No, you must let me speak:
When the Shogun is weak,
Then the tea must be strong, my lord...
My Lord? —
The blossom falls on the mountain.
The mountain falls on the blossom.
All things —
Fall.
The Americans have not left!
No, my lord.
But they have agreed to leave?
No, my lord.
Then they have agreed to not leave?
No, my lord... Yes, my lord...
My lord, forgive me,
but arrangements must be made for the Americans to land
and deliver a letter from their President.
Land!?
You told them they could come ashore?!
Kill them!!
Please, my lord,
if you will permit me to explain...
I have a plan!
Explain.
No power on earth can prevent the Americans from landing.
But, if they were to come ashore at -— Kanagawa.
Kanagawa?
The sacred decree is most specific.
It forbids any foreigners to set foot on our soil.
That is why I suggest Kanagawa, my lord.
The cove there is quite small.
It occurred to me that we could cover all the sand with mats —
tatami mats,
and build a special treaty house, to receive the letter
with courtesy, and many heartfelt promises of a reply.
What does he mean?
And then?
And then...
Then...
then...
When the Westerners are satisfied and have departed,
we destroy the house and burn the mats...
and my lord...
neither the decree nor our honor will have been betrayed.
The Americans will have come and gone,
without setting foot on our sacred soil.
Brilliant!
Magnificent!
Kayama Yesaemon, you will make all necessary arrangements to reccive them...
as the new Governor of the City of Uraga.
My lord...
how can I prove worthy of so great an honor.
And yet, dare I ask...?
Another favor?
The fisherman Manjiro has been most helpful to me, my lord.
If it were possible to revoke his death sentence and attach him to my service...
He is yours.
If the Councilors can no longer pretend that the Americans are not coming,
they have not yet given up the hope of pretending the Americans were never here.
Lord Governor of Uraga, you have saved my life.
And why not, when you saved mine.
The mats were your idea, my friend.
You, a samurai, calling me, a fisherman — friend!
This is not Japan. This is America.
America?
It is not the Americans who are barbarians.
It is us!
If you could have seen what I have seen in America...
But what I feel in my heart is enough to have me boiled in oil.
I think you are going to be far too useful for me to boil.
Now, I must return to Uraga.
My wife has had no word from me for many days,
and will be worried.
Come with me.
It is a long journey and we can keep each other company.
I will make a poem
Rain glistening
On the silver birch,
Like my lady's tears.
Your turn.
Rain gathering,
Winding into streams,
Like the roads to Boston.
Your turn.
Haze hovering,
Like the whisper of the silk
As my lady kneels
Your turn.
Haze glittering,
Like an echo of the lamps
In the streets of Boston.
Your turn.
Moon,
I love her like the moon,
Making jewels of the grass
Where my lady walks,
My lady wife.
Moon,
I love her like the moon,
Washing yesterday away,
As my lady does —
America.
Your turn.
Wind murmuring.
Is she murmuring for me
Through her field of dreams?
Your turn.
Wind muttering.
Is she quarreling with me?
Does she want me home?
Your turn.
I am no nightingale,
But she hears the song
I can sing to her.
My lady wife.
I am no nightingale,
But my song of her
Could outsing the sea —
America.
Dawn flickering,
Tracing shadows of the pines
On my lady sleeping.
Your turn.
Dawn brightening
As she opens up her eyes,
But it's I who come awake.
Your turn.
You go.
Your turn.
Leaves,
I love her like the leaves,
Changing green to pink to gold,
And the change is everything.
Sun,
I see her like the sun
In the center of the pool,
Sending ripples to the shore,
Till my journey's end.
Your turn.
Rain.
Haze.
Moon.
Wind.
Nightingale.
Dawn.
Leaves.
Sun.
End.
Wait here.
Tamate, I have the most extraordinary things to tell you!
I have been to Edo and appeared before the Councilors.
You won't believe what happened. I was...
Tamate...
Tamate. What is it?
Kayama!
A moment.
My friend...
Ah, my friend, just wait...
These Americans may be tough and impolite,
but they're the most amazing people you have ever seen.
Girls, don't dawdle.
You will see...
Their coming here is the best thing that ever happened to Japan...
Hurry up, girls.
For heaven's sakes.
The Americans will have already landed.
I own a small commercial venture
With a modest clientele
In Kanagawa.
I think I - see one - over there - behind the trees
It's been my family's for centuries
And doing very well...
For Kanagawa.
I hear they're covered - all with hair - like a disease - except their knees.
The arrival of these giants
Out of the blue,
Bringing panic to my clients,
Alters my view.
With so many of them fleeing,
Conferring, decreeing,
I find myself agreeing With the ancient haiku:
The nest-building bird,
Seeing the tree without twigs,
Looks for new forests.
Exactly.
Yo-ho! Americans!
Welcome to Kanagawa.
No... Welcome to Kanagawa...
Oh... Welcome to Kanagawa...
So... With all my flowers disappearing in alarm,
I've been reduced to commandeering from the farm.
But with appropriate veneering,
Even green wood has its charm.
Yo-ho!
That you'll have to bend for,
can you see why?
Yo-ho!
That you need a friend for,
still, you might try.
Yo-ho!
That you do through the kimono,
not very much.
Yo-ho!
That you use glue, then you...
No, no, no, no
those you don't touch!
Welcome to Kanagawa!
Music and food for twenty yen.
Music and food...
and maybe then...
Welcome!
Welcome to Kanagawa!
Low...
Welcome to Kanagawa!
So... Now we must neither be too wary nor too bold,
As there's no telling with barbarians, I'm told,
Because not only are they hairy,
But extremely uncontrolled.
Yo-ho!
That you musn't wash for,
Not till you're done.
That you use a squash for,
or pumpkins are fun.
That you do slowly and gently,
don't take a chance.
That they don't know about, evidently,
get an advance.
Welcome to Kanangawa!
Music and food and company.
Music and food...
and for a fee...
Welcome.
Back to the farm!
Tomorrow.
When a country is in trouble,
Choices are few.
And apart from charging double,
What can you do?
With my clients off defending,
And strangers descending
I find myself depending on the ancient haiku:
The bird from the sea,
Not knowing pine from bamboo,
Roosts on anything
Exactly.
Welcome to Kanagawa!
Flow!
Welcome to Kanagawa!
Glow!
Welcome to Kanagawa!
Grow!
Welcome to Kanagawa!
Go!
Welcome to Kanagawa! Yo-ho!
Yo-ho!
Carbines, revolvers, Harvey pistols,
and assorted cartridges and shots.
15 Hall rifles,
3 Maynards muskets,
and two dozen calvary swords and bayonets.
To smooth the way for the American landing at Kanagawa,
Commodore Perry has insisted on delivering to the councilors several presents,
as a demonstration of his friendship and goodwill,
and to show us what we stand to gain from trading with his countrymen.
One barrel whiskey,
one basket champagne,
one cask cherry cordial,
a bathtub,
and a parlor stove.
Not to be outdone, the counselors have arranged their gifts for the westerners.
Each one carefully selected to reflect some aspect of our craftsmanship and culture.
One collection lithographs,
Steamships, elephants, and the city of New Orleans.
Two batteries,
two bags Irish potatoes,
three boxes books, containing among other volumes:
Audubon's Birds of America,
Audubon's Quadrupeds,
Bancroft's History of the United States
Downing's Connecticut Country Houses
Owen's Geology of Minnesota,
Roget's Thesaurus,
and The Complete List of United States Post Offices.
That is all?
For now!
The rest will be delivered this afternoon,
along with 600 yards of telegraph cable,
the fire engine, and
the working locomotive.
Your generosity is overwhelming.
Yes.
Our offerings are small.
We hope they will give you pleasure.
The Americans insisted
that their mission was a peaceful one.
But because we did not know if we could trust them,
we chose a samurai
whose task it was to muster our defenses.
And that samurai...
was me.
I ordered canvas screens to be stretched across the cliffs at Kanagawa.
Behind the screens, I was able to conceal:
five thousand armored swordsmen...
carrying enormous bows...
all of them...
on horseback!
A most impressive force...
and with the canvas masking them,
our enemy might think that twice,
three times that many warriors were assembled.
At least that's what we thought.
But when the Americans saw our screens
they called out from the ships.
"Pull down those drapes."
"What kind of army hides behind a parlor curtain!"
And then...
they roared with laughter.
Most discouraging.
I mean,
what are you going to do with people like that?
The Americans insisted that their mission was a peaceful one...
From the personal journal of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry
July 14, 1853.
As I supervise the final preparations
for this afternoon's historic landing at Kanagawa,
I am moved to hope
the Japanese will voluntarily accept the reasonable
and pacific overtures embodied in our friendly letter.
Should I hope in vain, however,
should these backward,
semibarbarous people be reluctant to forsake
their policy of isolation,
then I stand prepared to introduce them
into the community of civilized nations
by whatever means are necessary.
It is my understanding that this preposterous empire
has been closed to foreigners for over 250 years,
and I for one feel that that has been more than long enough!
They are late. It is an insult.
Where is the warrior?
Here, my lord!
He understands the signal?
Yes, my lord.
If the Westerners should draw their weapons,
I will knock twice and he will
come up through the floor and cut them down.
Pity the Americans if they draw their guns.
They come!
Hurry!
No one knows what was said
behind the shutters of the Treaty House.
The Shogun's Councilors kept their story secret,
and though the Westerners have their own official version...
I would not believe a word of it.
What a shame that there is no authentic Japanese account
of what took place on that historic day.
Pardon me. I was there.
You were where?
At the Treaty House.
At the Treaty House?
There was a tree...
Which was where?
Very near.
Over here?
Maybe over there,
But there were trees then, everywhere.
May I show you?
There were trees then, everywhere...
But you were there.
And I was there!
Let me show you.
If you please.
I was younger then...
I was good at climbing trees...
I was younger then...
I saw everything.
I was hidden all the time...
It was easier to climb...
I was younger then.
I saw everything!
Where they came and where they went —
I was part of the event.
I was someone in a tree.
I was younger then!
Tell him what I see!
I am in a tree.
I am ten.
I am in a tree.
I was younger then.
In between the eaves I can see —
Tell me what I see —
I was only ten.
I see men
and matting.
Some are old,
some chatting.
If it happened, I was there!
I saw everything!
I was someone in a tree.
Tell him what I see.
Some of them have gold on their coats.
One of them has gold.
He was younger then.
Someone crawls around, passing notes —
Someone very old —
He was only ten —
And there's someone in a tree —
— or the day is incomplete.
Without someone in a tree,
Nothing happened here.
I am hiding in a tree.
I'm a fragment of the day.
If I weren't, who's to say
Things would happen here the way
That they happened here?
I was there then.
I am here still. (It's the pebble, not the stream.)
It's the ripple, not the sea,
Not the building but the beam,
Not the garden but the stone,
Not the Treaty House,
Someone in a tree.
Pardon me, I am here.
If you please, I am also here —
They kept drinking cups of tea.
They kept sitting on the floor.
They drank many cups of tea.
No, we told him that before.
If you please, I am here.
You are where?
In the Treaty House.
In the Treaty House?
Or very near.
Can you hear?
I'm below.
So I notice.
Underneath the floor,
And so I can't see anything —
I can hear them,
But I can't see anything.
But you can hear?
But I can hear.
Shall I listen?
If you please.
I can hear them now...
I shall try to shift my knees...
I can hear them now...
I hear everything!
I'm the part that's underneath,
With my sword inside my sheath.
I can hear them now...
One is over me.
If they knock, then I appear!
I'm a part of what I hear!
I'm the fragment underneath!
I can hear them now!
Tell us what you hear!
First I hear a creak and a thump.
Now I hear a clink...
Then they talk a bit...
Many times they shout when they speak.
Other times they think.
Or they argue it...
I hear floorboards groaning...
Angry growls...
Much droning...
Since I hear them,
they are there!
As they argue it,
I'm the listener underneath.
Someone reads a list from a box...
Someone talks of laws...
Then they fan a bit...
Someone bangs a fist...
Someone knocks...
Now there was a pause.
Then they argue it:
"But we want..."
"No, you can't and we won't..."
"But we need it and we want...."
"Will you grant...? If you don't..."
"We concede it... "
I can hear them.
I'm a fragment of the day.
If I weren't, who's to say
things would happen here the way
That they're happening?
It's the fragment, not the day.
It's the pebble, not the stream.
It's the ripple, not the sea
that is happening.
Not the building but the beam,
Not the garden but the stone,
Only cups of tea
And history
And someone in a tree!
Whatever happened behind the shutters of the Treaty House,
Kayama Yesaemon's plan was a success.
The letter was delivered.
The Americans were satisfied.
And they left.
Quickly there, nothing must remain!
We tore down the house.
We rolled up the mats,
taking great care that the contaminated side
should not touch the ground.
Once again,
all was as it had been.
The barbarian threat had forever been removed.
HA!
His holiness the Emperor speaks.
The Americans did not come.
Had the Americans come,
the honor of Japan
and the sanctity of its ancestral soil
would have been defiled.
But the Americans did not come.
Therefore...
the Emperor formally acknowledges
Lord Abe Masahiro
as the thirteenth Tokugawa Shogun
of the Empire of Japan.
The Emperor formally acknowledges
Kayama Yesaemon
as Governor of the city of Uraga.
The Emperor formally rescinds the sentence of death
imposed upon the fisherman Manjiro —
And elevates him to the rank of samurai.
The Emperor congratulates the saviors of Japan —
And respectfully suggests
that his monthly allowance of incense
is inadequate.
The Emperor respectfully suggests
that his monthly allowance of ink
is inadequate.
The Emperor respectfully suggests
that his monthly allowance of yarn
is inadequate.
As the Emperor knows,
there are many even more
important claims on our resources.
But the Shogunate will certainly consider
any reasonable requests.
A haiku:
The hand which feeds it grudgingly
Is the first hand
Which the dog will bite.
If it ever gets the chance.
The Emperor smiles on his loyal subjects
and permits them to depart —
secure in the knowledge that the
barbarian threat has forever been removed.
Goodbye Americans.
Come back in two hundred and fifty years!
Please hello, America back,
Commodore Perry send hello!
Also comes memorial plaque
President Fillmore wish bestow.
Emperor read our letter? If no,
Commodore Perry very sad.
Emperor like our letter? If so,
Commodore Perry very merry,
President Fillmore still more glad.
Last time we visit, too short.
This time we visit for slow.
Last time we come,
come with warships,
Now with more ships —
Say hello!
This time request use of port,
Port for commercial intention,
Harbor with ample dimension.
But you can't —
Only one little port for a freighter.
But you can't —
Just for fun. Be a sport.
Maybe later —
But we bring many recent invention:
Kerosene and cement and a grain elevator,
a machine you can rent called a "train" —
— Maybe later —
Also cannon to shoot
big loud salute, like so:
Say hello!
Treaty meet approval? If no,
Commodore Perry very fierce.
Disregard confusion below.
President Fillmore now name Pierce.
Good! At last agreement is made,
Letter will let us come again.
First result of mutual trade:
Commodore getting letter letting,
Councilor getting fancy pen!
Goodbye.
Please goodbye.
Hello!
Goodbye.
Hello, please!
Goodbye.
Please
Hello, I come with letters from Her Majesty Victoria
Who, learning how you're trading now,
sang "Hallelujah, Gloria!"
And sent me to convey to you her positive euphoria
As well as little gifts from Britain's various emporia.
The man has come with letters from Her Majesty Victoria
As well as little gifts from Britain's various emporia.
Tea.
For drink.
I see.
I thank you —
I think
Her letters do contain a few
proposals to your Emperor
Which if, of course, he won't endorse,
will put her in a temper or,
More happily, should he agree,
will serve to keep her placid, or
At least till I am followed by
a permanent ambassador.
A treaty port and, from the Court, a permanent ambassador.
A treaty port and, from the Court,
a permanent ambassador and more...
Her Majesty considers the
arrangements to be tentative
Until we ship a proper
diplomatic representative.
We don't foresee that you will be
the least bit argumentative,
So please ignore the man-of-war
we brought as a preventative.
Yes, please ignore the man-of-war
That's anchored rather near to shore.
It's nothing but a metaphor
That acts as a preventative.
All clear?
Just so.
Sign here.
Hello, hello, objection, resent!
President Pierce say "moment's pause."
British get ambassador sent,
President Pierce get extra clause.
Wait, please hello!
Don't forget the Dutch!
Like to keep in touch!
Thank you very much!
Tell them to go,
Button up the lips.
What do little Nips
Want with battleships?
Hold everything!
We gonna bring
Chocolate!
Wouldn't you like to lease
a beautiful little piece of
chocolate?
Listen, that's not to mention, wonderful...
pay attention!
Windmills
and tulips,
and wouldn't you like a wooden shoe?
There — can you read?
Good! We will need
Two ports,
one of them not too rocky —
How about Nagasaki?—
Two ports,
One of them for the cocoa —
What do you call it?
Yokohama! Ya!
And Nagasaki! Ya!
Sign here!
Wait please, objection again! (Great Britain wishes her position clear and indisputable:)
Dutch getting too many seaports. (We're not amused at being used and therefore stand immutable.)
President now wanting three ports — (And though you Japs are foxy chaps and damnably inscrutable—)
Please hello Comes the monkey wrench!
Smell that awful stench:
Probably the French.
— Also insist giving free ports — (— Reviewing it from where we sit, the facts are irrefutable —)
Please hello...
Ach, nein, of course,
My mistake, the Czar.
Smell the caviar —
Leave the door ajar.
— Also want annual Reports — (— And thus, in short, a single port is patently unsuitable!)
Please hello,
Is bringing Czar's request,
Braving snow
With letter to protest:
Since we know
You trading with the West,
You might at least
(Don't touch the coat!)
Start looking East
— or closer West —
— well, farther North —
Are we the fourth?
I feel depressed
(Don't touch the coat!).
Coming next
Is extraterritoriality.
Noting text
Say "Extraterritoriality."
You perplexed
By "Extraterritoriality"?
Just noting clause
(Don't touch the coat!)
Which say your laws do not apply
(Don't touch the coat!)
When we drop by —
Not getting shot,
No matter what:
A minor scrape,
A major rape,
And we escape
(Don't touch the cape!)
That's what is extraterritoriality.
Fair is fair —
You wish perhaps to vote?
What we care
You liking what we wrote?
Sitting there
Is finest fleet afloat.
Observing boat?
Don't touch the coat.
Just sign the note.
[British, Dutch, American Admiral cacophony]
Hello! Please Hello!
Hello! Hello! Hello!
I bring word,
I bring word
From Napoleon the Third.
He had heard what have occurred
Here from the little bird!
Undeterred,
we conferred,
Though we felt that we'd been slurred,
And the verdict was he spurred
Me here to bring the word!
Would you like to know the word
From Napoleon the Third?
It's
detente!
Oui detente!
That's the only thing we want!
Just detente!
Augh, detente!
No agreement could be more fair!
Signing pact,
passing act,
There's no time to make the warfare
When you're always busy making
with the mutual detente!
A detente, a detente
That's the only thing we wish!
Same as them, except additional
the rights to fish!
You'll be paid, you'll be paid,
And we'll have the big parade
If we somehow can persuade
you to except our aid.
It is not to be afraid...
As we merely wish to trade...
Ah, detente!
Oui, detente!
That's the only thing we want!
Leave the grain,
leave the train,
Put champagne among your imports!
Tell each man that Japan
Can't be bothered giving him ports
While she's in a tizzy, dizzy
with the mutual detente!
It is late,
and I fear —
Well, you see,
there's a famine...
Could you wait
for a year?
We'll agree to examine it —
[all singing in cacophony]
Don't touch the coat!
Ah, detentes! Ah detentes!
That's what everybody wants!
You should want a detente —
Makes a nation like a brother!
We'll be here every year
To protect you from each other
And to see you aren't signing
foreign treaties and detentes!
Please hello!
We must go,
But our intercourse will grow
Through detente, as detente
Brings complete cooperation.
By the way, may we say
We adore your little nation,
And with heavy cannon wish you
an un-ending please hello!!!
Shielded from the voices even of his own subjects
The Emperor at Kyoto lives in ignorance of
what occurs beyond his palace walls.
Normally, he would not know about these
new barbarian invaders.
He would not know about
Lord Abe's inability to drive them out.
Normally, he would not know,
and yet he has been told.
By whom?
And for what reason?
No doubt
the presence of these two Lords of the South
will provide us with a clue.
With the Emperor's permission.
Brought here to amuse his holiness,
the southern provinces' most celebrated storyteller —
The Emperor grants his permission.
How thoughtful of these lords to offer
a diversion to their Emperor in this time of crisis.
But listen carefully,
for the tale which they have chosen
may well reveal another,
more sinister motive,
for their visit.
The Tale of the Courageous King.
Across the straights of Tsushima lies
the isolated kingdom of Korea —
a land of peace and harmony.
One day,
a royal hunting party set out
from Seoul in search of
tigers near the river bank.
While his hunters beat the bush,
the young Korean King retired to a sunny glade,
and sipped green tea
prepared by his companion:
his Lord High Protector.
Around his head buzzed sleepy bees —
and past him darted
brilliant butterflies.
Languidly, he raised a single finger —
and one of the graceful creatures fluttered down upon it.
"Observe!"
his Lord Protector smiled —
"how even creatures of the field obey your royal summons!"
Then,
suddenly the butterfly was gone —
For like the King,
it heard the beaters drawing closer through the bush.
Deep in the forest,
the underbrush began to dip and wave —
snapping twigs —
and tearing leaves —
all heralded the beast's approach!
The Lord Protector drew his sword to meet the tiger's rush —
the bamboo trees were thrust aside
and there appeared —
no tiger —
but a man!
Then two men, three, then more than one could count.
Bearded men with pale, white skin
waving swords and spears.
"We are emissaries from the King of crowns,"
"come to open up Korea,"
"Come to civilize the savages!"
When he heard that,
the Lord Protector cast
aside his sword and fled.
The King was left alone.
What will become of him,
abandoned by his treacherous protector?
Surely the savages from across the sea
will cut him down!
Look!
How superbly he stands his ground!
Look!
How his sword leaps from its scabbard!
One frenchman —
gored in the stomach!
Another!
See how the head flies from the body!
And another!
Another!
Now hear the shouts,
hear the roars of defiance
as the King's faithful beaters
rush to his side.
All join in the fray
as the screams of the dying frenchman
echo —
and re-echo
down the forest ravine.
Oh yes,
here was a great victory —
for in an hour
not a single barbarian was left
alive,
as once again
the butterflies returned to float and shimmer
over the wild flowers,
dyed crimson
by the blood
of foreigners.
And then,
just as the young King sheathed his sword,
into the glade strode a magnificent tiger.
"Your Majesty,"
the tiger said,
"you are the king of your domain"
"and I the king of mine,"
"But from the forest"
"I have watched you fight these Western beasts,"
"and surely you, and you alone,"
"deserve to wear the royal crown."
So saying, he kow-towed
and led the hunters in a shout:
"All Hail the King,"
"All Hail our Courageous King!"
An intriguing performance,
but one wonders what message
the Lords of the South intended to convey?
For, unlike the Korean king,
the Emperor can not take up arms
and drive the Westerners away.
That is the Shogun's duty.
Unless, of course, the Shogun,
failing in his duty,
were forced to step aside.
Two men,
whose fortunes have been altered by the Westerners' arrival.
Manjiro,
the commoner made samurai.
And Kayama Yesaemon,
the minor samurai made governor.
A letter from Kayama Yesaemon to the Shogun:
My Lord Abe,
It is my privilege to inform you
of the current state of our relationship
with foreigners here in Uraga.
As you have doubtless learned from servants
far more worthy than myself,
there are now over
two hundred Westerners among us.
Five times as many as a year ago
when they first came.
It's called a bowler hat.
I have no wife.
The swallow flying through the sky
is not as swift as I am
flying through my life.
You pour the milk before the tea.
The Dutch ambassador is no fool.
I must remember that.
Three years ago we set aside
one district of the town for Westerners,
and yet we are still unable
to provide them with residences
which they consider suitable.
For this I humbly ask your indulgence.
I wear a bowler hat.
They send me wine.
The house is far too grand.
I've bought a new umbrella stand.
Today I visited the church beside the shrine.
I'm learning English from a book.
Most exciting.
It's called a bowler hat.
Of all the Westerners with whom I have to deal,
the merchants are most worrisome.
They import goods we do not need,
and export those we cannot do without.
Last month
they bought and shipped to Shanghai so much flour
that the price here almost tripled.
The noodlemakers were affected most severely
and threatened to set fire to the Western warehouses.
I found it necessary to restrain them.
It's called a pocket watch.
I have a wife.
No eagle flies against the sky
as eagerly as I have
flown against my life.
One smokes American cigars.
The Dutch ambassador was most rude.
I will remember that.
Although the Westerners have been in residence
for upwards of six years now,
our samurai still mistake
their foreign manners for disrespect.
To avoid unpleasant incidents,
I have required all samurai
to remove their swords
before entering the city.
I wind my pocket watch.
We serve white wine.
The house is far too small.
I killed a spider on the wall.
One of the servants thought it was a lucky sign.
I read Spinoza every day.
Formidable.
Where is my bowler hat?
I will not bother you with details
of the rowdy sailors and adventurers
who plague our port.
As you know,
provisions of the treaties which you signed eight years ago
make it impossible for me to deal with them.
Fortunately, the behavior of the foreign consuls
and ambassadors themselves
has been above reproach.
They have built themselves a club,
complete with bar and billiard room.
And only gentlemen may enter.
It's called a monocle.
I've left my wife.
No bird exploring in the sky
explores as well as I
the corners of my life,
One must keep moving with the times.
The Dutch ambassador is a fool.
He wears a bowler hat.
My lord, here in Uraga
we have reached an understanding with the Westerners.
Of course I wish them gone,
but I shall try to turn their presence
into an advantage rather than a burden.
Last week I joined them in a fox hunt.
They call them spectacles.
I drink much wine.
I take imported pills.
I have a house up in the hills
I've hired British architects to redesign.
One must accommodate the times
as one lives them.
One must remember that.
Your humble servant,
Kayama Yesaemon.
It's called a cutaway . . .
Ten years ago,
Mr. Jonathan Goble visited Japan
as a marine aboard one of Perry's ships.
Now he has returned
to bring us an American invention
which he claims will revolutionize
all forms of city transport in Japan.
Mr. Goble —
It's my own original design, you understand?
I had one made up special
when my wife took sick and couldn't get around.
Last month, I had it tested in Chicago.
A beauty, ain't she?
Interesting.
How does it work?
Climb in. Have a seat, my friend.
I'll demonstrate.
Chop-chop.
As you can see, the ride is smooth and comfortable.
Just put your feet up and enjoy the breeze.
Stogie?
No, thank you.
She really moves, don't she?
Turns in very little space,
great advantage in the
crowded streets of Yakahama.
The motor is self-contained,
requires very little maintenance...
and can be easily replaced.
A remarkable invention.
How did you hit upon it?
Modeled it on our Western baby carriage...
although in the United States,
they are pushed instead of pulled.
Extraordinary.
I don't suppose you'd need
a local merchant's help?
I might.
Before I can begin to turn 'em out,
there are three things that I'm gonna need:
— Working capital.
working capital to
purchase raw materials...
That could be easily arranged.
— A manufacturing permit issued by the government.
A simple matter of distributing the proper pliancy...
— And a supply of laborers
who'll work efficiently
and do what they're told.
Don't be concerned.
That is never a problem here.
Well, my friend,
You got yourself a partner!
We gonna get ourselves a factory,
maybe two!
We gonna turn these beauties out dirt cheap
and sell them all across Japan!
Why, before you know it,
Why, before you know it...
Before you know it,
every city in our country
will be overrun by rickshaws...
invented,
manufactured,
marketed by Westerners,
but...
pulled
by Japanese.
Father...
Manjiro has not yet finished with the exercises.
Leave the table there.
The ancient art of kenjutsu,
still practiced by the faithful samurai
who have not yet had their heads turned
by the wonders of the West.
Oooh, hello, look at this.
Here now,
that's a lovely piece of work, aye?
D'ya suppose she's one of those geisha girls?
Well, we'll soon find out.
Give us a leg up.
Oooh, hello, look at this.
Here now,
that's a lovely piece of work, aye?
D'ya suppose she's one of those geisha girls?
Well, we'll soon find out.
Give us a leg up.
C'mon...
C'mon man...
Heave-ho.
Don't be afraid.
We don't mean you any harm.
Harry's my name and these two are my mates.
What pretty flowers.
D'ya suppose that I could have one?
That's lovely, thank you.
Here, and one for his mates?
There's a nice lady.
Much obliged.
Pretty lady in the pretty garden,
can't you stay?
Pretty lady, we got leave
and we got paid today.
Pretty lady with the flower,
Give a lonely sailor half an hour.
Pretty lady,
can you understand a word I say?
Don't go away...
Pretty lady, you're the cleanest thing I seen all year
I sailed the world for you...
Pretty lady, you're enough to make me glad I'm here. (Pretty lady, could I hear you laugh,) (Pretty lady, I'm a million miles from Stepney Green.)
Pretty lady, how about it?
Don't you know how long I been without it?
Tell you tales of adventuring,
strange and fantastical.
Pretty lady, I ain't never been away from home.
Now, listen,
pretty lady, beg your pardon,
Won't you walk me through your pretty garden?
Pretty lady, look I'm on my knees,
Pretty please.
What do we do now?
I think we're supposed to offer money.
Is this enough?
No?
Come on, let's cough it up.
How's this?
This enough?
It's all we've got.
Please?
Pretty lady in the pretty garden, won't you stay?
Pretty lady, we got leave and we got paid today.
Pretty lady with the flower...
Give a lonely sailor half an hour.
Pretty lady in the pretty garden, won't you stay?
I sailed the world for you....
Don't go away...
Father!
What is this?
Pardon me, sir. Harry's my name.
I'm afraid there's been a mistake...
The Tokaido,
the royal road from Edo to Kyoto.
Kayama Yesaemon reports to Lord Abe
on the murder of the English sailors.
You are sure the indemnity was properly delivered?
My lord,
I gave it to the English Ambassador myself.
And he was satisfied?
With the money,
yes my lord.
But he insisted
that he receive the Emperor's apology to
Queen Victoria in three days' time.
He shall.
We will have the Emperor seal the letter of apology tonight,
then send it back to Edo by our fastest runners.
What about the samurai who cut the sailors down?
They have been reprimanded, my lord.
But it seemed unwise to punish them.
Certain lords,
the Lords of the South,
are treating them as heroes,
calling them the true defenders of Japan.
There is a phrase, my lord.
A slogan that they have adopted.
"Restore the Emperor"
"and Expel the Barbarians."
Any fool can argue that the Westerners should be expelled.
Expelling them is something else again.
What do these Lords propose?
That we attack the British cannons with our swords?
That we sink the Russian steamships with our pikes?
There is only one way.
We must appease the Westerners
until we have learned the
secrets of their power and success.
Then, when we have become their equals.
Then, perhaps, then....
if we are sure that the time is right —
You there,
close up these palanquins before we are
soaked through to the skin.
What is it?
What is going on?
These were no ordinary bandits.
They were assassins.
Look at the crests beneath their cloaks...
and you will see who sent them.
The Lords of the South!
"Restore the Emperor — "
"Expel the Barbarians."
Manjiro!
You — one of them?
You, who were the first to
welcome the Americans.
What was I then?
An ignorant country boy,
less than an animal.
What am I now?
Will you draw your sword as a fellow samurai...
or shall I cut you down
like the Western dog you have become?
I should have known!
Conspirator —
murderer —
fisherman!
We are greatly pleased, Manjiro.
The Emperor will not forget his debt to you.
With the Shogun dead,
Japan will be Japan again.
We will kill the Western merchants.
We will burn their embassies!
In the name of the Emperor
we will drive them back into the sea!
In the name of the...
In the name of the Emperor —
enough!
The day when others speak for me is past.
From now on,
my word shall be law.
And mine alone.
I am the Emperor Meiji.
Rise and listen!
Rise.
No more will we draw sword,
one Japanese against another.
Those who have committed murder in
my name have been misguided.
In the future they will be restrained —
along with those who have encouraged them.
Rise!
From this day forth,
all samurai will put aside their swords
and cease to wear their crested robes.
They will take up useful trades.
Rise!
Yes.
In the name of progress
we will turn our backs on ancient ways.
We will cast aside our feudal forms,
eliminate all obstacles
which hinder our development.
We will organize an army
and a navy,
equipped with the most modern weapons.
And when the time is right,
we will send forth expeditions
to visit with our less enlightened neighbors.
We will open up Formosa,
Korea,
Manchuria
and China.
We will do for the rest of Asia
what America has done for us!
Streams are flowing.
See what's coming
Next!
We will build railroads,
foundries,
telegraphs
and steamships.
Winds are blowing.
See what's coming,
See what's going
Next!
Factories will spring up all across our land.
Roads are turning,
Journey with them.
A little learning —
Next!
Foreign architects will reconstruct our cities.
Waters churning,
Lightning flashes.
Kings are burning.
Sift the ashes...
Next!
The day will come when the Western powers
will acknowledge us as their undisputed equals.
Tower tumbles. Tower rises —
Next
And all of this will be achieved —
sooner than you think!
Tower crumbles,
Man revises.
Motor rumbles,
Civilizes.
More surprises
Next!
Learn the lesson
from the master.
Add the sugar,
Spread the plaster.
Do it nicer,
do it faster...
Next!
The practical bird,
Having no tree of its own,
Borrows another's.
Streams are roaring,
Overspilling —
Next!
Old is boring.
New is thrilling.
Keep exploring —
Next!
First the thunder —
Just a murmur —
A little blunder —
Next!
Then the wonder —
See how pretty!
(Going under — What a pity!)
Next!
Streams are flying.
Use the motion —
Next!
Streams are drying —
Mix a potion.
Streams are dying —
Try the ocean.
Brilliant notion —
Next!
Never mind a small disaster.
Who's the stronger, who's the faster?
Let the pupil show the master —
Next!
There are 223 Japan Air Lines ticket offices in
153 cities throughout the world.
Next!
There are eight Toyota dealerships
in the city of Detroit,
and Seiko watch is the third best selling watch in Switzerland.
Next!
57 percent of the bicentennial souvenirs
sold in Washington DC in 1975
were made in Japan!
Next!
This year Japan will export
16 million kilograms monosodium glutamate
and 400,000 tons polyvinyl fluoride resin.
Next!
According to the Ministry of Health,
by 1978 some of the beaches on the inner sea
will be reopened for public bathing!
Next!
1975 Weather Bureau statistics report
162 days in which
the air quality in Tokyo was acceptable!
Next!
Never mind a small disaster!
Who's the stronger, who's the faster?
Let the pupil show the master
Next!
Nippon.
The Floating Kingdom.
There was a time
when foreigners were not welcome here.
But that was long ago.
A hundred and twenty years.
Welcome to Japan.
Next! Next!
Brilliant notions,
Still improving —
Next! Next!
Make the motions,
Keep it moving —
Next! Next!
Next!
Subtitles created by Moxie Lieberman, 2024 (v1)