Japan and Britain After 1859: Creating Cultural Bridges

36 The price of seclusionThe Japanese prepared an exhibition building at Ueno Park in 1877. Apermanent structure allowed the organisers to plan shows every five years andto divide the exhibits into categories such as agriculture, fine arts, horticulture,manufacturing, metallurgy and mining. 15 The snag was that this sort ofconformity eliminated any spontaneity. In the West the imagination of theorganisers was encouraged, and this unexpectedness without doubt wasattractive to visitors.The first Domestic Exhibition for the Encouragement of Industry washeld in Ueno Park, Tokyo, from 21 August to 30 November 1877. It was aproject carried out in spite of the dangerous Satsuma Rebellion, which hadbroken out in far away Kyushu on 27 January and which did not end until24 September 1877. It says much for the courage and determination ofToshimichi Okubo that the project went ahead. The aim was ‘to improve thequality and design of export products and to stimulate industrialisation andthe expansion of domestic markets’. 16From the plan of the opening ceremony at the exhibition centre in UenoPark, Tokyo, it is clear that the proceedings were formal and rather grand. TheEmperor and the imperial family had pride of place; foreign ministers and theirofficials were also present, as were very many government officials. TheEmpress declared the Exhibition open but Okubo made the speech of welcome.In the course of his speech Okubo declared that:the Exhibition would contribute greatly to encourage the art and skill ofagriculture and industry, and especially in enhancing knowledge andthus increasing the wealth of the nation through developing foreigntrade. … When we turn our faces to the exhibits themselves we find thatthere are nearly 4,000 products on display, brought here by nearly20,000 people. Looking at the splendour of the products, and the beautyof the manufacture itself, we should be encouraged and we shouldexpect a bright future and one of affluence. 17Clara Whitney, an observant American, sixteen years old, also went tothe Ueno Exhibition (on 23 August 1877). Her comments give a good ideaof the scope of the show. Clara Whitney wrote:Thursday 23 August 1877We went to the National Exhibition this afternoon and, though not aslarge as we expected, it was still a very fine affair. We went rather late, sothat we had very little time to see all the sights. The Art Gallery wasperfectly fascinating to me and appeared to be most attractive to theJapanese also, for it was full of people, some of whom in their flowingdresses and spread out fans looked like statues themselves. It was withdifficulty that I tore myself away from all the loveliness. We entered theEastern Hall and found ourselves in the midst of cotton, canned fruit