----------
YOKOSUKA, Kanagawa -- An iron stewing pot thought to have been owned by U.S. Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry in the mid-19th century is on display at an event in this east Japan city.
The pot is being exhibited at the municipal-run Meguru Project 2023, held at Uraga Port, the site of the country's emergence from isolationism thanks to Commodore Perry's fleet of black ships and "gunboat diplomacy."
The iron pot once owned by the American naval officer has a 34- to 43-centimeter-diameter oval opening and is 24 cm deep. Its handle remains attached. The letters "PHILA" apparently for the U.S. city of Philadelphia are inscribed on the bottom.
The artefact has been offered by a local historian, 78-year-old Shinichi Miyai. A relative going five generations back named Seizaemon was a shipping merchant who had transported food and water to the foreign "black ships" anchored off the Uraga coast around the time of Perry's arrival in 1853.
According to Miyai, the pot was given to his ancestor, who had refused to accept money from Commodore Perry's fleet, as something that would hold up. It had been used during long voyages, and has since been passed down generation to generation within Miyai's family. "The pot's been kept by us even through the government's confiscation of metal items during World War II. I hope seeing it allows people to picture the time Perry arrived," he said.
The Meguru Project is being held at the Uraga Dock, one of the first major brick-construction docks in Japan. The pot can be viewed on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 7, 8 and 9. The event also features live jazz, a "samurai show," guided tours, cruises off the Uraga coast and more. Admission is free, with fees for some features.
No comments:
Post a Comment