Journal Kept on the Court Trip to Jedo in the Year 1844, by P.A. Bik, Chief Factor of the Dutch Trade in Japan

Summary

Departure 26 February 1844. In the early morning of this day I left Decima in the company of assistant Charles Julien Textor; we were accompanied to the inn on the Toge mountain, a distance of a mile from Nagasaki, by the Dutchmen staying behind, various interpreters and other Japanese that live on Decima to deal with us. Having rested here for a moment we bade farewell to them and once more I entrusted our affairs on Decima to the eldest assistant, Mr A.I.J. Wolff. We then continued on our way on foot to Jagami, a village in the region of Fiesen where we had lunch. On the border of this land there stood five soldiers of the lord expecting us, they went to the front of our train to keep in check the people that were gathered in great numbers here and there, which sometimes also required the use of violence. On the abovementioned border we had a delightful view of the bay of Sumabara, and the road here was endlessly broader and better-maintained than the ones around Nagasaki. Our train was also preceded by four young boys armed with brooms and rakes, to clean up the filth from the road here and there. Upon entering Jagami the road was filled with people, we had difficulty pushing through. No Dutchmen had been seen here since 1838.

We continued on our way in the afternoon through mountainous, fertile landscape and arrived at 7 o’clock at our inn for the night in Isahay, a very populous city. Although it was already dark and we entered by lantern light, the curious crowds were still very numerous.

The 1st day, covered 7 Japanese miles. The Japanese miles count ca. 28 to 29 to a degree and a distance of one mile therefore takes nearly an hour to cover.

27 February, at 7 o’clock we left our inn, the first thing that struck me was a newlybuilt bridge, no more than five years old, across a very broad river. This was made entirely out of stone, resting on two great arches and was equipped with very elegant stone parapets. Its entire colossal body had pleasing architecture. Some steps later we passed the Segenszi temple which is nicely situated on the river-bank.