By outlawing them, the highly trained samurai made sure that they were the pre-eminent military power. Closed off from the outside world, Japan remained a rigidly self-contained society for many years. Such isolation allowed the ruling class to maintain its firm grip on the country. Tadashi might never have seen a non-Japanese person until July 8th, 1853. On that day, an American fleet of two steam-powered frigates and two sailing ships under the command of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry made their way into the Edo Harbor. We will follow Tadashi as he watches the beginning of the end of his world.
“Die every morning in your mind, and then you will not fear death.”
While Tadashi may not give much thought to the outside world, the outside world is certainly thinking about Japan. In the United States, President Millard Fillmore is eager to develop American economic and military assets in the Far East. While trade with China is brisk, Japan remains closed off to U.S. ships. In an effort to open Japan, he dispatched Perry to deliver a letter requesting trade and diplomatic relations. Sending the letter with a fleet of four warships was an additional silent, but no less clear, message to the Japanese Emperor. The letter, in part, states “These are the only objects for which I have sent Commodore Perry, with a powerful squadron, to pay a visit to your imperial majesty’s renowned city of Yedo: friendship, commerce, a supply of coal and provisions, and protection for our shipwrecked people.” [Italics added].
Word of Perry’s arrival spreads quickly throughout Edo. Edo is a bustling metropolis of over one million people, living in numerous neighborhoods separated from one another by walls and gates for security and governmental control. Tadashi could see the ships from his great villa located on Kanda Hill in the inland part of the city, known as the Yama-no-te (mountain’s fingers). Kanda Hill had been leveled to provide landfill for the reclaimed lands on the bay, known as the Shitamachi (downtown) area. Many powerful samurai family had then built their estates on the flattened hill, located near the Shogun’s palace. Even before a runner arrived to relay the news about the American arrival, Tadashi realized that this was an unusual event. He barks orders to his servants, commanding them to mobilize his retinue of guards. One servant goes with him to assist him in donning his armor, as this is clearly a time to put on a fearsome show. With his servant’s aid he dons the armor, starting from the bottom and working up, setting the kabuto with its fearsome looking menpo on his head as the final step.
Outside in the courtyard of his estate, his efficient retinue of lower ranking samurai is already formed up, and a groom leads Tadashi’s horse. Tadashi mounts his steed, struggling a bit in his armor, as in truth he seldom has cause to ride in armor. Perhaps one or two of his retinue who come from the provinces might chuckle inwardly at the city-dweller’s lack of equestrian skills; but they would never crack a smile or chuckle, causing immense embarrassment for their commander. With Tadashi mounted, the column quickly gets underway, departing through the front gates of the estate.
Traveling through the length of such a cramped, busy metropolis is no easy feat, any more than traveling by foot the length of Broadway in New York is today. Tadashi’s samurai escort brusquely move aside the citizenry as the entourage travels the through fancy shopping districts, then the great fish market located in a great square next to the Nihonbashi Bridge, which is the official “center” of the great road system of the country. The fish market is jammed with people: fish mongers, porters, cooks, and housewives purchasing the fresh catch from the rich fisheries of Edo Bay. Again, Tadashi’s bodyguard clears a path. In this part of town, perhaps the faces are not quite as friendly as those are among the wealthy in the shopping district. In truth, over the years many in the lower classes have become unhappy with their military rulers. Without wars to fight, many in the samurai class had little to occupy themselves with, other than maintaining their social and economic position through taxation. Naturally, this does not always endear them to the masses. “Shukke, samurai: inu, chikusho!” meaning “Priests and warriors: dogs and animals!” is the quietly murmured sentiment of many.
Amongst the throng in the fish market is a tough looking group of men sporting garish tattoos. These men are members of the local fire department. In a city built largely of wood and rice paper, the risk of fire is an ever-present specter. The fire department is 24,000 strong, split amongst stations at districts around the city. For the most part, hikeshi (firemen) are recruited from the lowest classes due to the dangerous nature of the work. The Edo firemen are intensely loyal to one another. These men are also prone to brawling with rival departments. They affect the hiromono (tattoos) that are based on art prints (ukiyo-e) that illustrate popular stories amongst the common people. These vibrant tattoos became popular amongst many in the building trades as well as the machi yakko (young toughs) who formed street gangs. These gangs see themselves as the protectors of the downtrodden, and revel in brawling and other activities that flout the social order. They are famous for their street battles with the predatory samurai who cause mayhem amongst the common people. The machi yakko form organized crime syndicates modeled after family clans who are often the de facto rulers of their neighborhoods. In such areas even the most powerful samurai normally tread with care.
Tadashi’s group next passes through a large area of the city divided up into smaller districts populated by different tradesmen: weavers, potters, metal workers, etc. In these many districts, entered through gates set in alleyways off the main streets, families involved in the various commercial trades live and work. These busy inhabitants of Edo’s East Side are the Edokko, “children of Edo”. To be a trueEdokko, one has to be born in the city and have the Edo character: hard working, generous, sophisticated in manners, and enormously proud of being a citizen of the greatest city on earth. In short, an attitude that today’s New Yorker would recognize instantly.
Finally, the entourage arrives at the docks where other samurai had arrived, forming an impressive array. In the Bay, the American warships rest at anchor - two of them belching black smoke - all of them bristling with batteries of cannon. Over the course of the afternoon representatives from the city government and the Shogun Ieyoshi Kayama meet with officers from the flotilla. It is a difficult negotiation. Perry insists upon meeting with someone of high rank, and speaks to the Japanese through his officers. On the shore, word spreads that he wishes an audience with the Emperor. Tadashi can not believe that a mere foreigner would have the audacity to meet with the Son of Heaven. Still, the immense power and technology these barbarians possess is obvious for all to see. Tadashi waits on the shore with his fellow samurai, outwardly calm and impassive; but inside, he is in turmoil, wondering what this amazing turn of events might portend…
If only we might fall
Like cherry blossoms in the spring
So pure and radiant
(Haiku composed by a kamikaze pilot during World War II)
After delivering his message Commodore Perry departed for China. He returned in February of 1854 with a fleet of eight ships to receive the reply. The Japanese government chose to agree to a limited open door policy with the Americans, allowing limited trade and re-coaling rights for American ships. With ever-increasing contact with outsiders, the Japanese became aware of both their relative technological backwardness and the weakness of their nation under the Shogunate compared to the barbaric west. Disenchantment with the Shogunate, combined with the impassioned nationalism of the influential scholar Motoori Norinaga and the rising Fukko Shinto religious sect led to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Under Emperor Meiji, Japan undertook a furious drive towards modernization in order to take its proper place as a world power. The samurai class was stripped of much of its privilege and power was centralized in the hands of a small oligarchy that directed nationalization under the banner of the revered Emperor.
Ironically, the Meiji government harnessed the martial ideology of the samurai as it set out on its quest to make Japan a world power. Japan fought China in 1894 for control of the Korean peninsula, defeating the Chinese and establishing its control over both Korea and Taiwan and forcing China to open three ports for Japanese trade. In 1904 Japan attacked and defeated Russia over the rights to construct a Trans-Siberian railway. In 1910 Japan formally annexed Korea. Emperor Meiji died in 1912, but Japan continued on its course of Imperialism. During World War I Japan participated as a part of the Allied forces; but increasing conflicts with the west over control of South-east Asia led to conflict. Japan took control of Manchuria in 1931 then attacked China in 1937, seizing control of Beijing and Nanking. Japan then turned its efforts towards challenging the United States for control of the Pacific. On December 7th, 1941 Japanese forces launched an attack on Pearl Harbor in an effort to cripple the United States Navy, bringing the United States into World War II.
Unfortunately, modern nationalist sentiment, xenophobia, and military power combined with the unforgiving code of bushido created a military machine capable of great acts of atrocity such as the “Rape of Nanking” where the Japanese Army executed nearly 400,000 Chinese civilians. Although the Japan enjoyed early victories, in the end the United States, the “sleeping giant” that Admiral Yamamoto had warned his countrymen not to awaken, overpowered the Japanese Imperial Forces. Near the end, hundreds of Japanese men became suicide pilots, flying airplanes laden with explosives. Some were literally flying bombs that were released by glider and were then powered by a rocket into American ships. The Americans called them baka (idiot) planes. To the Japanese these pilots were like the “divine winds” that arose to destroy invading Mongol fleets during the 13th century: the Kamikaze.
So ends the story of a suit of armor in the collections of Cranbrook Institute of Science. A story that begins long before it was made, and ends long after. If you would like to know more details of the events that take place in this story of the armor, please refer to the many fine sources used to write this article that are noted below. This author would like to particularly thank Anthony J. Bryant, author of numerous articles and books on the subject of Japanese armor and the samurai warriors, for his personal correspondence during the writing of this article. His work is highly recommended!
1994 Bryant, Anthony J., Samurai 1550-1600, Osprey Publishing, Oxford England.
Part of the excellent Osprey Military book series, this volume is a good overview of Japanese armor of the Age of Battles. One of several books in the Osprey line by this author. Mr. Bryant also maintains an excellent website,www.sengokudaimyo.com, with detailed information on Japanese armor, as well as other aspects of Japanese culture of the Edo period and earlier.
1973 Ratti, Oscar & Westbrook, Adele, Secrets of the Samurai, Charles Tuttle Co., Inc., North Clarendon, Vermont.
An in-depth book on the samurai that covers the social organization of the time, the samurai’s physical and mental training, and their arms and equipment. Despite some minor flaws (including listing karate as a martial art of the samurai), an interesting and informative book.
1992 Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure, Kodansha International, Tokyo, Japan.
This translation is available from amazon.com and should be able to be found at Barnes & Noble or other major book sellers. Translated by William Scott Wilson.
A website devoted to the Japanese art of tatooing, including a great deal of background history of the art and its place in the culture of the Edo period.
President Fillmore’s Letter to the Emperor of Japan is archived here in its entirety, along with a short commentary.
This website includes an overview history of the country of Japan, with a chart of the different periods and the major events of each.
A short history of the Meiji Restoration with hyperlinks to related topics, including a short biography of Motoori Norinaga.
Visit this website to take a virtual tour of 19th century Edo (Tokyo), Japan. A wonderful sight with engaging graphics from traditional Japanese prints. Well worth exploring.
A website devoted to Japanese swords. Swords are bought and sold at this site; but there are many wonderful articles on swords located here as well.