Nakahama Manjirō

Common card · No. 364002

Nakahama Manjirō (中濱 万次郎; January 27, 1827 – November 12, 1898), also known as John Manjirō (or John Mung), was a Japanese samurai and translator who was one of the first Japanese people to visit the United States and an important translator during the opening of Japan. He was a fisherman before his journey to the United States, where he studied English and navigation and became a sailor and gold miner. After returning to Japan, he was elevated to the status of a samurai and was made a hatamoto. He served his country as an interpreter and translator and was instrumental in negotiating the Convention of Kanagawa. He also taught as a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University.

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