Japan Society of Fairfield County
Kick off for restoration of Whitfield home
In February 2005 Daniel Green hosted an event
at Arcan Ridge, the
former home of Helen Keller for the Japan Society of Fairfield
County. This event was to highlight Manjiro, who
played a crucial role in establishing US-Japan relations.
Manjiro was a 14 year old Japanese fisherman,
who along with 4
shipmates, was stranded on a desert island in the Pacific ocean in
1841. Captain Whitfield and his whaling ship John Howland
rescued the fishermen. The adults of the party were dropped off
on the Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii, because Japan was closed and even
its own citizens who had left could not safely return.
Manjiro, known as John Mung aboard ship, agreed with Captain Whitfield
to be adopted as he was too young to fend for himself. Manjiro
also recognized that he would have a unique opportunity to learn about
American culture.
Manjiro apprenticed on the John Howland until it returned to
its home port, Fairhaven, Massachusetts. There, he stayed with
the captain's family and was enrolled in the local school. He
eventually took advanced studies in mathematics and navigation.
In 1847, he joined the crew of the whale ship Franklin and
spent some time in San Francisco during the gold rush. 
He and his original
fisherman companions were returned to
Japan. The local lord was fascinated by Manjiro's
stories of America so Manjiro and his companions were spared death but
kept under house arrest. Stories of Manjiro's compassionate
treatment at the hands of the Americans reached the imperial court and
were instrumental in the decision to open Japan when Commodore Perry
arrived in Tokyo Bay in 1853. Manjiro was elevated to the rank of
a samurai and given the family name Nakahama. He wrote and
translated several books about America, navigation, and the English
language after returning to Japan. The friendship between the
Nakahama and Whitfield families has continued through 4
generations. Japan places great importance on Manjiro as
evidenced by the 1987 signatures of Crown Prince Akihito and Princess
Michiko in the Fairhaven
guest book shown to the right:
Go to
Kickoff page of Manjiro Historic Friendship Society
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