The First Gift From the US to Japan
Konnichiwa, Philadelphia. Did you know that the very first gift the US presented to Japan was also the very first train ride in the Far East? In the middle of the nineteenth century, two of the leading manufacturers of steam locomotives in the US were located in Philadelphia, on Spring Garden Street on either side of the Sixteenth Street. The properties of Richard Norris and Company and the Baldwin Locomotive Works extended several blocks south.


During the decade of 1840, Richard Norris and Company built quarter-scale operating models of its locomotives for presentation to Tsar Nicholas of Russia, the Archduke of Austria, and Louis Phillipe, King of France. Louis Phillipe's locomotive is still exhibited at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers in Paris.

In 1853, Richard Norris and Company built a fourth quarter-scale model of a current locomotive for presentation by the President of the United States the the Emperor of Japan. The locomotive and its tender and a passenger car made by another firm arrived in Japan with Perry's squadron of black ships in early 1854. The Japanese experienced the first train ride in the Far East on a small circular track built near Yokohama for the presentation. Commodore Perry described the event:

"This being over, we now proceeded to examine the present sent by the President to the Emperor, and particularly to witness the operations of the magnetic telegraph and the movements of the locomotive engine around its circumscribed track, preparatory to these and other articles being formally presented and received. The Japanese being equally formal in the presentation and receiving of presents, the ceremony was yet to come off.

"Steam had been raised in the little furnace, the car attached, and the secretary of one of the commissioners, not a little alarmed, was placed upon the roof of the car whilst Mr. Danby sat upon the tender feeding the fire with one hand and managing the engine with the other. The beautiful little machine whirled round the circle filling the air with its shrill steam whistle, to the astonishment and delight of the immense crowd collected. After this the telegraph was for the last time put in operation, and the commissioners having also seen the numerous agricultural implements and their carious uses being briefly explained to the, the prince of Mimasaka was deputed on the part of the commissioners to go through the form of accepting the President's gifts. Captain Adams received the same authority from me to present them, which was done by a half dozen formal bows on both sides."
Subsequently the Japanese housed the locomotive in the Naval Academy in Tokyo. In 1868, a fire destroyed the school and this first gift of the United States.

Interested in learning more about Philadelphia's unique relationship with Japan? Phila-Nipponica: An Historic Guide to Philadelphia & Japan, a bi-lingual collection of articles on the Japan-Philly connection published by the JASGP, is available for purchase in our online store!
 
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