Sesquicentennial of Japanese Embassy to the United States

The purpose of the 1860 Japanese diplomatic mission was to ratify the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, which had been signed several years earlier.

A plaque marking the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Japanese ship Kanrin Maru was dedicated March 17, 2010 at Pier 9 on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Among the items displayed were gifts from the Japanese diplomatic mission and sketches of San Francisco drawn by one of the samurai of the delegation.

[5] Five “Akebono” cherry trees were planted at Elliott Bay Park to commemorate the anniversary of the first official visit of Japanese diplomats in 1860.

[8] In partnership with the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University, the Museum presented a lecture by Prof. Naoyuki Agawa, who discussed the significance of the 150th anniversary of the diplomatic mission.

The meeting brings together leading American and Japanese policymakers and experts to discuss the military, economic, political, and strategic elements of the alliance.

[11] Featured speakers include: The Japan Society of Northern California and others sponsored the "Kanrin Maru Symposium: The Future of the US-Japan Relationship," in May 2010.