Translation: Thomas Glover and the Satsuma Exchange Students

From: Illustrated Browser: Bakumatsu and Meiji Restoration. By: Takano, Kiyoshi. Kabushiki Compay, Satsuma Branch, Printed in Japan 2005.

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Thomas Glover and the Satsuma Exchange Students

After the Satsuma England War of 1863, which ended in a draw, deep bonds of friendship sprang up between Satsuma Domain and England. One of the ways their relationship grew was through the Satsuma exchange students, many of whom would take on important roles in maintaining the country after the Meiji Restoration.

The Fruits of an Illegal Journey

Tokugawa policy forbade overseas travel for the Japanese populace, but in March of 1865, seventeen Satsuma samurai secretly departed Japan from Hashimaura (an island in Satsuma) and studied abroad in England. Thomas Glover, a British merchant living in Nagasaki, interceded on Satsuma’s behalf and made arrangements.

In July of 1863, during the Satsuma-England War, Godai Tomoatsu and Terashima Chuzaburo voluntarily became prisoners of England. They were released but remained hidden in Nagasaki, where they met Thomas Glover. It was here, through Glover’s exhortations, that the epoch-making idea of sending samurai to study abroad was born.

Twelve students of the prestigious Satsuma “Kaiseijo” school were chosen, along with another five high-ranking samurai, for a total of seventeen. On January 20, 1865, they left Kagoshima City proper (under the pretext of a business trip to Koshikijima Island) and headed for Hashimaura in Kukino. To avoid recognition from the Tokugawa government, they changed their names. In the open seas of Hashima, they boarded a merchant vessel owned by Glover and headed for Hong Kong, on route to London. They were introduced to British Consul Gower, who, thanks to Glover’s arrangements, welcomed them to his side.

These are some of the accomplishments of the Satsuma exchange students:

•Machida Hisanari During his sojourn in England, Machida attended several exhibitions and gained valuable experience. He later served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and founded a historical museum.
•Asakusa Moriaki Asakusa studied mining and restored the abandoned Ikuno Mine in Tajima.
•Sameshima Hisanobu From England, Sameshima crossed the ocean to America, where he studied international relations. After the Meiji restoration, he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Envoi and was the vice ambassador to Spain, Portugal, and other countries.
•Yoshida Kiyonari Yoshida studied economics in America, and upon his return home, he took on the heavy responsibility of obtaining foreign loans for the Ministry of Finance.
•Mori Arinori Mori studied in America and became the first Japanese Ambassador-in-Residence for the United States. He also served in the Ministry of Education.

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Other Exhange Students from Influential Domains

Behind the Surface of Joi

Despite the ban on foreign travel, Glover’s intercessions made it possible for seventeen Satsuma samurai to travel to England. But Satsuma was not the first domain to send out exchange students. Beating them to the punch was none other than the domain responsible for spear-heading the Sonno Joi (“Revere the Emperor!” “Expel the Barbarians!”) Movement: Choshu.

On May 5, 1863, in accordance to the principal of Joi (“Expel the Barbarians!”), Choshu bombarded foreign ships with cannon fire in the Shimonoseki Straights. That day, they were victorious. The next day, however, the tides turned…

But by this time, due to intercessions from the Jardin-Mattheson Company, Choshu had already sent out five students to study abroad in England, including Inoue Kaori and future Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi. (This battle in Shimonoseki would prompt Ito and Inoue to return from England, in order to help Choshu negotiate the terms of surrender.)

Although Choshu was carrying out “Joi” on the surface, they also had the foresight to send exchange students to England right behind the Shogun’s back!

The Number of Exchange Students, by Domain
Satsuma: 26
Choshu: 11
Fukuoka: 7
Sendai and Kaga: 3 each
Aizu, Sakura, and Fukui: 2 each
Tokushima, Higo, Saga, and Kurume: 1 each