Japan

Kendrick was not able to sell all his pelts in Macao, so he came up with the idea of attempting Japan. No foreign ships were allowed near the coasts but he decided to pretend a squall had forced him to take cover and under that story he managed to enter Kashinoura harbour.

Unfortunately, unlike the Chinese, the natives of Japan had no interest in sea otter furs. Indeed, his arrival had caused such a stir that, a "delegation of samurai" (Scofield 218) was sent. Kendrick never met him for he had given up and left despite a brewing storm.

Though the trip proved a failure, it was the first time an American had ever reached Japan and the first time the Japanese had seen the likes of Washington's guns. The visit was not very pleasant on either side. The Japanese had a distrust of foreigners, and Kendrick simply wanted to trade and fix the Lady; but no serious altercations ensued.

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Photo by Alexa Chipman of the San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden

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