[HCG21-P05] Appreciations of Japanese landscapes by the western visitors arrived (1549-1858)
Keywords:appreciation of landscape, 1549-1858, western visitor
Appreciations of Japanese landscapes by the western visitors arrived (1549-1858)
Introduction
This report listed and summarized the descriptions of Western visitors about "Fukei" of Japan since the first arrival on Tanegashima Island in 1549 (Table 1). We could define 'Fukei' as similar to the concept as the appreciation of landscape or the impression of scenery. Japanese appreciation of scenery had been affected by Chinese culture since ancient times. For example, the idea of "Eight Scenery", which evolved in the 10th century in old China, was introduced in the 14th century to Japan, has affected more than five centuries of the appreciation of Japanese landscape (Aoki, et al. 2003). Because Japan was closed to western foreigners until the end of the Edo era, i.e., the 19th century, those effects continued until the opening of the country. And the educated Japanese used the Chinese method for the sophisticated way of landscape observation as Chinese poetry. After the opening of the country, Japanese began to accept Western culture and its way of landscape appreciation. The educated Japanese began to understand the natural phenomena by the natural sciences developed in western countries. Although the western countries had experienced the period of Landscape Painting from the 16th to the 19th centuries and they sometimes described Japanese landscape to belong the similar kind of beauty, most Japanese never understand their appreciation. So by studying the descriptions of Western visitors to Japan, we find how they understood and appreciated Japanese landscapes and what the landscape beauty of Japan was existed in those times.
Summary of the focal objects appreciated were listed in table 2.
(1) Until open the country, 1853
The first period began with the arrival of the first Portuguese, Mendes Pinto, to Tanegashima Island in 1549 and ended at the time of opening the country by negotiation with Perry in 1853. During the period, Portuguese and Spaniards visited and mostly engaged in missionary work and obtained many believers in western Japan. Although the domestic warfare sometimes threatened not only Japanese lives but also Westerners' lives, they, established many churches as the result of their activities. But the Japanese government since the 17th century excluded them, because the government feared the country's stability. In that period, westerners were not yet accustomed to the plant taxonomy or landscape paintings. They never describe the natural landscape or vegetation in Japan, the outstanding features of Japanese landscape. During the closed country, i.e. the Edo era, the Dutch including German or Sweden visitors traveled from Nagasaki to Edo. Some of them knew plant taxonomy and found the features of Japanese landscape to be endowed with a diversity of plants. In this period, Russia also investigated Japanese landscape from the coasts and found pleasant impressions. Unfortunately, the Japanese government sometimes met them and arrested some Russians as prisoners unfortunately. They also reported the landscape beauty of Japan.
(2) Until diplomat residence, 1858
U. S. A. and Russia visited to negotiate the opening the country of Japan in 1853. Some members of the troop could understand Japanese and some had known plant taxonomy. They could describe the landscape and vegetation more precisely. Moreover the troops came accompanied with landscape painters, so they could report in detail the vegetation of Japan. Some enjoyed familiar vegetation at Hokkaido Island and some admired the beauty of topographic features of Japanese landscapes. Vysheslavtsov appreciated rice terraces at mountainside.
Acknowledgements
We express our gratitude's to Prof. Jay Appleton of Hull University for his kind explanation of the importance of "Experience of Landscape", and Prof. Takasuke Watanabe of Tokyokogyo University for his instruction of the description of western travelers. We thank Mr. Motoh Shoda and many other translators for their detailed information of travelers and hard efforts of their works.
Introduction
This report listed and summarized the descriptions of Western visitors about "Fukei" of Japan since the first arrival on Tanegashima Island in 1549 (Table 1). We could define 'Fukei' as similar to the concept as the appreciation of landscape or the impression of scenery. Japanese appreciation of scenery had been affected by Chinese culture since ancient times. For example, the idea of "Eight Scenery", which evolved in the 10th century in old China, was introduced in the 14th century to Japan, has affected more than five centuries of the appreciation of Japanese landscape (Aoki, et al. 2003). Because Japan was closed to western foreigners until the end of the Edo era, i.e., the 19th century, those effects continued until the opening of the country. And the educated Japanese used the Chinese method for the sophisticated way of landscape observation as Chinese poetry. After the opening of the country, Japanese began to accept Western culture and its way of landscape appreciation. The educated Japanese began to understand the natural phenomena by the natural sciences developed in western countries. Although the western countries had experienced the period of Landscape Painting from the 16th to the 19th centuries and they sometimes described Japanese landscape to belong the similar kind of beauty, most Japanese never understand their appreciation. So by studying the descriptions of Western visitors to Japan, we find how they understood and appreciated Japanese landscapes and what the landscape beauty of Japan was existed in those times.
Summary of the focal objects appreciated were listed in table 2.
(1) Until open the country, 1853
The first period began with the arrival of the first Portuguese, Mendes Pinto, to Tanegashima Island in 1549 and ended at the time of opening the country by negotiation with Perry in 1853. During the period, Portuguese and Spaniards visited and mostly engaged in missionary work and obtained many believers in western Japan. Although the domestic warfare sometimes threatened not only Japanese lives but also Westerners' lives, they, established many churches as the result of their activities. But the Japanese government since the 17th century excluded them, because the government feared the country's stability. In that period, westerners were not yet accustomed to the plant taxonomy or landscape paintings. They never describe the natural landscape or vegetation in Japan, the outstanding features of Japanese landscape. During the closed country, i.e. the Edo era, the Dutch including German or Sweden visitors traveled from Nagasaki to Edo. Some of them knew plant taxonomy and found the features of Japanese landscape to be endowed with a diversity of plants. In this period, Russia also investigated Japanese landscape from the coasts and found pleasant impressions. Unfortunately, the Japanese government sometimes met them and arrested some Russians as prisoners unfortunately. They also reported the landscape beauty of Japan.
(2) Until diplomat residence, 1858
U. S. A. and Russia visited to negotiate the opening the country of Japan in 1853. Some members of the troop could understand Japanese and some had known plant taxonomy. They could describe the landscape and vegetation more precisely. Moreover the troops came accompanied with landscape painters, so they could report in detail the vegetation of Japan. Some enjoyed familiar vegetation at Hokkaido Island and some admired the beauty of topographic features of Japanese landscapes. Vysheslavtsov appreciated rice terraces at mountainside.
Acknowledgements
We express our gratitude's to Prof. Jay Appleton of Hull University for his kind explanation of the importance of "Experience of Landscape", and Prof. Takasuke Watanabe of Tokyokogyo University for his instruction of the description of western travelers. We thank Mr. Motoh Shoda and many other translators for their detailed information of travelers and hard efforts of their works.