Hildreth's "Japan as It Was and Is": A Handbook of Old Japan, Volume 2 (of 2)

In Short

This historical compilation presents Western eyewitness encounters with Tokugawa Japan across three centuries, drawing from Dutch records, scientific accounts, and naval logs. The text moves from strictly regulated mercantile missions under a closed-door policy to the diplomatic intrusions of the nineteenth century. By detailing daily social interactions, legal procedures, architecture, and domestic customs, the volume preserves a precise record of an isolated civilization. Its enduring value rests on its objective aggregation of primary sources, offering an unvarnished window into a self-sufficient society before rapid modernization altered its internal structure and traditional ways of life.

The Story

The narrative follows the gradual unfolding of Western contact with Japan during its long period of national isolation, opening with detailed observations of internal transport networks, civic organization, and road life. European representatives, primarily attached to the Dutch factory at Nagasaki, make required annual pilgrimages to the imperial capital. These journeys showcase the vast population moving along the main highways, including religious pilgrims, monastic orders, princely retinues, and local merchants, revealing a highly organized society functioning under rigorous legal controls.

As the travelers move from Nagasaki through commercial hubs such as Ōsaka and Miyako toward Yedo, the focus shifts to urban geography and administration. The text documents the physical infrastructure of these cities, noting navigable canal systems, massive castle complexes, wide avenues, and densely packed commercial districts. Audiences with shogunal officials and the Tokugawa ruler highlight the restrictive protocols imposed on foreigners, who undergo bizarre behavioral examinations and complex gift-giving ceremonies in exchange for limited trading privileges.

Alongside these political interactions, the account records daily Japanese life, detailing interior domestic design, dietary habits, theatrical performances, and religious customs. Simple furnishings, paper windows, rush mats, and timber housing contrast with the intricate, multi-layered social obligations governing mourning, succession, and civic duty. Penal procedures and martial enforcement remain strictly defined, as illustrated by the rigid binding methods used on foreign captives and the absolute prohibition against preaching Christianity or entering non-designated ports.

The final phase documents the breakdown of this isolation as Western naval power forces diplomatic openings. Russian encounters and American expeditions under Commodore Perry disrupt long-standing policies, introducing modern machinery, telegraph lines, and formal treaty negotiations. Despite local resistance and official delays, the foreign presence expands from tightly monitored coastal enclaves into broader trade agreements, culminating in the establishment of permanent foreign representation and the irrevocable end of old Japan's seclusion.

How It Unfolds

The road to the capital Travelers set out from Nagasaki, observing thousands of merchants, princely retinues, naked devotees, and religious beggars along the main highways. The party moves under constant surveillance, stopping at regulated inns where strict etiquette governs every interaction.

Observations in the great cities Arriving in Ōsaka and Miyako, the travelers document vast canal networks, well-stocked merchant shops, and disciplined fire brigades. Local authorities maintain order through rigorous policing, while citizens show little surprise at the small foreign delegations passing through their streets.

Audience at the shogunal court The delegation reaches Yedo and enters the imperial palace for formal audiences with the ruler and his councillors. High officials demand demonstrations of Western behavior, music, and social customs, rewarding the visitors with formal robes and official dismissals.

Domestic life and social laws The narrative examines daily living conditions, describing paper-walled houses, floor mats, simple wooden furniture, and strict mourning rituals. Rigid legal structures dictate public conduct, inheritance procedures, and the treatment of detained foreigners.

The arrival of foreign pressure Russian captives and American naval expeditions challenge the long-standing ban on foreign trade and religious proselytizing. Western technology, including locomotives and telegraph lines, is demonstrated before Japanese commissioners, forcing the opening of treaty ports.

The People

The Dutch Director and his suite Desire to maintain exclusive commercial privileges at Nagasaki. They face strict surveillance, demeaning court audiences, and humiliating display requirements imposed by shogunal officials. They successfully retain their trade standing by submitting to these rigid regulations.

The Tokugawa Shōgun and court officials Seek to preserve total political control and cultural isolation across the empire. They are constrained by traditional anti-foreign laws and growing Western military power. They eventually cede limited port access while attempting to delay broad commercial integration.

European travelers and observers Strive to document Japanese geography, trade goods, natural history, and societal structures. They face linguistic barriers, restricted movement, and physical fatigue during long overland journeys. They return home with comprehensive journals that form the basis of Western knowledge about the country.

Commodore Perry and American envoys Aim to establish formal diplomatic relations, secure coal supplies, and protect shipwrecked sailors. They encounter official stalling tactics and complex local protocol. They force treaty concessions through persistent naval presence and demonstrations of industrial technology.

In Its Own Voice

“The throng of people along this chief and middle street, which is about one hundred and twenty-five feet broad, is incredible.”

This observation captures the sheer density and kinetic energy of Ōsaka's commercial center during an imperial procession.

“The houses have neither the elegant appearance nor the convenience and comfort of ours in Europe.”

A European traveler notes the stark visual and structural differences of Japanese domestic architecture, emphasizing its functional simplicity over Western ornamentation.

“From the repeated solicitations which you have hitherto made to us, you evidently imagine that the customs of our country resemble those of your own...”

A Japanese official firmly rejects Russian commercial requests, highlighting the fundamental divide between Western trading ambitions and Tokugawa isolationist doctrine.

What It's Really About

The central argument examines how a major civilization maintains internal stability and social order without foreign interference. Through precise administrative documentation, the narrative shows a society relying on strict legal codes, hereditary duties, and spatial control to prevent domestic turmoil and foreign encroachment.

Underneath the travel logs lies a study of cultural insulation versus forced global integration. The text contrasts the internal self-sufficiency of Tokugawa Japan with the expanding commercial and technological ambitions of Western empires. It questions whether isolated traditional structures can withstand external industrial power without forfeiting their cultural cohesion.

Why Read It Today

This text appeals directly to readers interested in historical travel, East Asian diplomacy, and primary-source cultural studies. Reading it feels like sifting through an archive of eyewitness dispatches, rich in observational detail and unvarnished narrative clarity.

The primary difficulty lies in its structural format; as a curated historical handbook, it presents dense inventories, period spellings, and archaic terms without standard narrative plotting. Readers must navigate detailed listings of court presents, technical architectural dimensions, and long-form diplomatic notices.

What remains after reading is an authentic impression of a vanished world. The vivid images of crowded highways, minimalist paper-walled interiors, and tense diplomatic exchanges offer a clear view of old Japan precisely at the moment its boundaries began to open to the wider world.