This is the story of four shipwrecked sailors from the Wakamiya-Maru who unwittingly circled the globe during Japan's era of national isolation. Behind their extraordinary tale lay an impasse between Russia, which sought trade with Japan, and the shogun, who wished only to maintain Japan's isolation. This paper will retrace the footsteps of the Wakamiya-Maru castaways and introduce the activities of the Ishinomaki Wakamiya-Maru Castaway Society, established in 2001 to commemorate their journey.
Selected Papers No.12