BOOKS

An Extraordinary Voyage . . . In 1791, Japan had been a closed nation for more than 150 years. Under the shogun's policy of "sakoku"--or self-isolation--foreigners venturing to the forbidden coast risked having their ships seized and men imprisoned for an indefinite period. Japanese people who communicated or traded with foreigners could be banished or executed. In defiance of the shogun's law, American explorer John Kendrick and Captain William Douglass and their crews embarked on a daring journey to the Kii Peninsula. Based on a recently discovered 225 year-old ship's log, America's First Visit to Japan tells the story of their voyage and the first contact between Japanese and Americans. The landmark event turned into a ten-day visit that foreshadows the opening of Japan by Commodore Matthew Perry six decades later, and moreover, reveals a micro-history of friendship blossoming against a backdrop of fear and uncertainty. The book contains a fascinating narrative, maps, pages from the recently discovered document, and a letter left behind by Kendrick. For readers of maritime history, as well as those who might be familiar with Kendrick's story, this book reveals the lost details of an extraordinary voyage. ISBN 978-0-692-6-9901-0  48 Pages  Frostfish Press 2016