Magazines

1908 · 178293 — 東京. Tokyo.: 東陽堂. Tōyōdō. Meiji 41 1908. Four double page colour plates a double page and a full page illustration in green ink black and white photographic illustrations. 25.5 x 18.5cm illustrations 23pp text: 50 13 36pp captions and text in Japanese and English. Original colour illustrated wrappers. Text evenly browned upper wrapper and first leaves a little insect damaged but still a very attractive souvenir issue. This fascinating magazine special issue was published to commemorate the Atlantic Fleet's the Great White Fleet visit to Japan in October 1908. The issue was published in November 1908 and reports all the activities of welcoming the fleet in Yokohama. Fuzoku Gaho was the first illustrated magazine which covered Japanese culture and was published between between 1889 and 1916. This special issue shows the enthusiasm Japanese government and the public displayed to the visiting US naval officers and sailors. <br> <br>The US Atlantic Fleet which consisted with 16 war ships went around the world between 1908 and 1909. As the ships were painted in white the fleet was also known as the Great White Fleet. In Japan they were called white ships 白船 in contrast to the black ships of Matthew Perry. This US naval exercise was to show off the American naval power to the world particularly in the Pacific after the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese government decided to invite the fleet to Japan and welcome the ships with heightened enthusiasm. The contemporary social atmosphere and details of numerous events are covered extensively in this issue. Text is both in Japanese and English. The issue includes some pages of cartoon illustrations of American sailors on shore leave in Yokohama. With a title of "Jackass in Yokohama" and "U.S Jackies on the Spree" the sailors' experiences in Yokohama are illustrated with humour. . 東陽堂. [Tōyōdō]. unknown