Embassies sent abroad at the end of the Edo period

A general term for the envoys sent overseas by the Edo Shogunate from the time of the country's opening to the outside world at the end of the Edo period until just before the Meiji Restoration. In 1613 (Keicho 18), Date Masamune sent his vassal Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga as the chief envoy to Mexico, Spain, and Rome. Due to Japan's policy of national isolation, no envoys were sent overseas until the country opened up to the outside world. However, with the country opening up to the outside world, the Edo Shogunate sent envoys six times for diplomatic negotiations in the ten years leading up to its collapse. These envoys fulfilled their original purpose, as well as playing an important role in the acceptance of Western culture.

Listed by year, (1) the Man'en Mission to the United States in 1860 (Man'en 1). The mission was led by Foreign Magistrate Niimi Buzennokami Masaoki to exchange documents of ratification for the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan. The Kanrin Maru, captained by Katsu Rintaro (Kaishu), accompanied the mission on the way there. (2) the European Mission from 1862 to 1863 (Bunkyu 2 to 3). The mission led by Finance Magistrate Takeuchi Shimotsukenokami Yasunori visited six countries, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Prussia, Russia, and Portugal, to negotiate the opening of the cities of Edo and Osaka and the postponement of the opening of the ports of Hyogo and Niigata. (3) The mission to France in 1863-64 (Bunkyu 3-Genji 1). The party led by the magistrate of foreign affairs, Ikeda Chikugo-no-kami Naganobu, went to France to negotiate the closure of the port of Yokohama, and intended to continue on to European and American countries, but returned to Japan without completing their mission. (4) In 1865-66 (Keio 1-2), the mission, led by the magistrate of foreign affairs, Shibata Hyuga-no-kami Takenaka, went to both England and France to hire engineers for the Yokosuka Ironworks and purchase equipment. (5) In 1867-68 (Keio 3-Meiji 1), Tokugawa Minbu Taifu Akitake (younger brother of Yoshinobu, later lord of Mito Domain) and his party traveled to Paris to represent Japan at the World's Fair, visited treaty countries, and returned to Japan. In addition, in 1867, Kanjo Ginmiyaku Ono Tomogoro and his party traveled to America to negotiate the purchase of warships, making a total of six trips.

[Eiichi Kato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末開国当時から明治維新直前までに江戸幕府が海外に派遣した使節の総称。1613年（慶長18）に伊達政宗(だてまさむね)が家臣支倉六右衛門常長(はせくらろくえもんつねなが)を正使としてメキシコ、スペイン、ローマに派遣して以来、日本は鎖国政策により、開国まで海外に使節を派遣することはなかったが、開国により江戸幕府は外交交渉のためその倒壊までの10年足らずの期間に前後6回の使節派遣を行った。これらの遣使は、その本来の目的と同時に、西欧文化の受容の面でも見過ごせない役割を果たしている。

　年次を追って列記すると、（1）1860年（万延1）の万延(まんえん)遣米使節。日米修好通商条約批准書交換のため、外国奉行(ぶぎょう)新見豊前守(しんみぶぜんのかみ)正興(まさおき)を正使とする一行。この遣使には勝麟太郎(かつりんたろう)（海舟）を艦長とする咸臨(かんりん)丸が往路随行した。（2）1862～63年（文久2～3）の遣欧使節。勘定(かんじょう)奉行竹内下野守(しもつけのかみ)保徳(やすのり)使節一行が、江戸・大坂両市の開市と兵庫・新潟二港の開港延期交渉のため、フランス、イギリス、オランダ、プロイセン、ロシア、ポルトガル六か国を歴訪して談判した。（3）1863～64年（文久3～元治1）の遣仏使節。外国奉行池田筑後守(ちくごのかみ)長発(ながのぶ)一行が横浜鎖港談判のためフランスに赴き、さらに欧米各国に赴くつもりのところ、その任を果たさず帰国。（4）1865～66年（慶応1～2）、外国奉行柴田日向守(しばたひゅうがのかみ)剛中(たけなか)を特命理事官として、イギリス、フランス両国に、横須賀(よこすか)製鉄所技師雇い入れ、用具購入のため赴いたもの。（5）1867～68年（慶応3～明治1）、徳川民部大輔昭武(みんぶたいふあきたけ)（慶喜(よしのぶ)弟、のち水戸藩主）一行が万国博覧会に日本代表として参加のためパリに赴き、条約国を歴訪して帰国。このほか、1867年、勘定吟味役(ぎんみやく)小野友五郎(ともごろう)一行が軍艦購入交渉のためアメリカに赴いたことを加えると、6回になる。

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