Arrival and visiting Asakusa
日本着、そして浅草訪問
Isabella arrived at Yokohama, near Tokyo, in
May of 1878.
She travelled northern Japan including Hokkaido and western Japan including Ise mainly by rickshaw, then she left Japan in December. This diary was written as letters to her younger sister.
She described in detail, so we can understand what happened clearly.
She travelled northern Japan including Hokkaido and western Japan including Ise mainly by rickshaw, then she left Japan in December. This diary was written as letters to her younger sister.
She described in detail, so we can understand what happened clearly.
She was 46 when she came to Japan, and
she hired Japanese lad as an interpreter. I admire her courage because she
was the first lady foreigner to visit inland.
This book is stored up in many libraries and Manga version was issued.
She observed various things such as behaviors of Japanese people, plants and stratums meticulously and she elaborated on scenic beauty. I leave those matters to other authors, I would like to focus on the fun of old Japanese which she saw in Japan.
This book is stored up in many libraries and Manga version was issued.
She observed various things such as behaviors of Japanese people, plants and stratums meticulously and she elaborated on scenic beauty. I leave those matters to other authors, I would like to focus on the fun of old Japanese which she saw in Japan.
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| The photo of Isabella in 1896 from the exhibition “Voyage of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan” 、1896年のイザベラバード |
1878年（明治11年）5月に横浜に着き、12月に横浜から離日するまで、主として人力車で北海道や伊勢を旅したイギリス人女性旅行家の旅行記で、妹などへの手紙の形で書かれている。
描写が克明で、その時の様子が良く分かる。来日時、彼女は46歳であったが、若い日本人通訳の伊藤鶴吉とともに外国人女性が訪れたことのない北日本、すなわち未踏（unbeaten）の日本を旅した。まず、その勇気に感心する。
本書は、日本の図書館の蔵書となっており、漫画本も発行されている。日本人の外観や植物や地質など日本の事物に対する詳細な観察が秀逸であり、また、風景の美しさについても詳細に描写されているが、それは、専門家の本に任すとして、彼女が見た日本人の楽しみを追った。
I wrote this article based on “Unbeaten Tracks
In Japan – An Account of Travels in the Interior Including Visits to the
Aborigines of Yezo and the Shrine of Nikko by Isabella L. Bird (1911、a public domain
books/John Murray edition). This book skips some chapters. By the way, I used
photos mainly from her book and a road side exhibition “ The 140th
Memorial of Isabella Bird to Japan, Voyage of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan” which
was held by Research institute for road and street in December of 2018.
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| Road side exhibition、日本橋三越前の地下街での展示会 |
無料のebook「Unbeaten Tracks In Japan 」（1911年、John Murray edition）で記事を作成しているが、これは全文ではなく簡略本である。翻訳本は「日本奥地紀行」のタイトルで各種出版されている。なお、写真は、書籍に記載されているスケッチのほか、2018年12月に日本橋の地下街で行われた『来日140周年記念 イザベラバード「日本奥地紀行」の旅』（日本みち研究所）のものなどを使用した。
Letter 1 May 21
She came to Japan by ship and landed in Yokohama. She saw a lot of workers there and wrote “The first thing that impressed me on landing was that there were no loafers, and that all the small, kindly-looking, shriveled, bandy-legged, round-shouldered, concave-chested, poor-looking beings in the streets had some affairs of their own to mind.” She described bad appearance of Japanese and she continuously wrote that Japanese were ugly. On the other hand, she admired the safety of Japan and said “it is perfectly safe for a lady to travel alone.”
She came to Japan by ship and landed in Yokohama. She saw a lot of workers there and wrote “The first thing that impressed me on landing was that there were no loafers, and that all the small, kindly-looking, shriveled, bandy-legged, round-shouldered, concave-chested, poor-looking beings in the streets had some affairs of their own to mind.” She described bad appearance of Japanese and she continuously wrote that Japanese were ugly. On the other hand, she admired the safety of Japan and said “it is perfectly safe for a lady to travel alone.”
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Stall and guys in Yokohama port drawn by Isabella、
横浜の船着き場に出ていた屋台のスケッチ
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上陸時の第一印象として、日本の男たちの姿は、小さくて猫背で蟹股で貧相だ、と書いている。彼女は、その後も、日本人を醜い（ugly）人として見ている。一方で、日本の旅は女性一人で旅をしても安全であったと述べている。
Letter 4 Yedo, June 7
She spelled “Yedo” instead of “Edo”; she stayed at UK legation in Edo(old name of Tokyo). She wrote about her obstacles during her adventurous travel. One was Japanese food, she wrote “the fishy and vegetable known as “Japanese food” can only be swallowed and digested by a few, and that after long practice.” It tasted so bad for her, but it is very popular among foreigners nowadays. Another obstacle was a flea which bothered her sleep.
She spelled “Yedo” instead of “Edo”; she stayed at UK legation in Edo(old name of Tokyo). She wrote about her obstacles during her adventurous travel. One was Japanese food, she wrote “the fishy and vegetable known as “Japanese food” can only be swallowed and digested by a few, and that after long practice.” It tasted so bad for her, but it is very popular among foreigners nowadays. Another obstacle was a flea which bothered her sleep.
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Cuisines
served at inns in the Edo period @ Kusatsu
Inn Community Square
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日本の地方（外国人未踏の地）の旅の障害として、食事と寝床の蚤（fleas）を上げている。日本の食事は、慣れないと飲み込めない「日本食」だった。今とは大違いだ。
Letter 5 Yedo June 9
She went out to Asakusa in Edo and surprised “Asakusa, which keeps fair and festival the whole year round.” It has been a lovely district until now. She added “there are always numerous places of amusement, innocent and vicious, and the vicinity of this temple is full restaurants, tea-houses, minor theatres, and the resorts of dancing and singing girls.” She finally mentioned “ No English fair in the palmiest days of fairs ever presented such an array of attractions.”
She went out to Asakusa in Edo and surprised “Asakusa, which keeps fair and festival the whole year round.” It has been a lovely district until now. She added “there are always numerous places of amusement, innocent and vicious, and the vicinity of this temple is full restaurants, tea-houses, minor theatres, and the resorts of dancing and singing girls.” She finally mentioned “ No English fair in the palmiest days of fairs ever presented such an array of attractions.”
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Asakusa
more than 100 years ago、http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/764233/10
東京名所写真帖、国立国会図書館デジタルコレクションから
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Asakusa in May, 2019、今の浅草仲見世通り
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In Asakusa, people especially guys spent times
with girls. There were archery game shops where girls invited guys. She described “girls, --- ask you to try your
skill or luck at a target hanging. --- Nearly all the archers were grown-up
men, and many of them spend hours at a time in this childish sport.” She
understood well, I guess men had same nature even in England.
楊弓場では、少女が男たちに声を掛け、男たちは何時間も遊んでいた。
Girl at an archery game shop、矢場の女
https://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1307086
There were
many tea houses where girls invited customers. She wrote “graceful girls,
invite you to drink and rest”.
出店では、茶をたてて、少女たちが客を誘っていた。
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Tea house near Asakusa、dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/762246/90
亀戸の臥竜梅(旅の家つと)、国立国会図書館デジタルコレクションから
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There were
restaurants where Geisha girls were, professional story-tellers and monkey
performers. She was in Asakusa only one day, so I think it provided a lot of
fun to the ordinary people.
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Monkey performer
of Osaruland in Nikko、日光さる軍団
https://www.osaruland.jp/
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| Geisha @ Kanazawa Kaikaro teahouse 懐華楼 |
芸者を置く店もあるし、プロの噺家もいるし、猿の見世物もある。イザベラが一目見てこうだから、浅草は本当に娯楽の中心地で、みんなに楽しみを供給していた。
Reference: Isabella L. Bird, Manga version in Japanese （マンガ版）
https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%81%B5%E3%81%97%E3%81%8E%E3%81%AE%E5%9B%BD%E3%81%AE%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89-1%E5%B7%BB-%E3%83%93%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E3%82%B3%E3%83%9F%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9-%E4%BD%90%E3%80%85-%E5%A4%A7%E6%B2%B3/dp/4047305138
Next
post (From Edo/Tokyo to Nikko):
Travel of Isabella L. Bird in 1878, part 2 イザベラバードが見た明治初期の日本（2）
Travel of Isabella L. Bird in 1878, part 2 イザベラバードが見た明治初期の日本（2）
There are 12 articles about Isabella's travel in Japan. Pls enjoy her exciting journey.
part 12 までありますが、彼女のエキサイティングな旅をお楽しみください。
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