Landmarks & Legacies - Japan

The Society’s holdings comprise over 2,500 items specifically relating to the historical geography of Japan, dating from the 17th century to the present day. Highlights include a porcelain dish from the late Edo Period (c.1830-1843) with a press-moulded relief map of Japan, a coloured Japanese road map by Suigashi dating from 1804 and over 100 stunning, coloured prints of Japanese life during the early twentieth century.

In the footsteps: Isabella Bird | In the footsteps: Herbert Ponting | In the footsteps: Philipp Franz von Siebold

In the footsteps of: Isabella Bird

Isabella Bird, one of the most famous and celebrated Victorian travel writers, was born in 1831. She faced poor health throughout her childhood and was encouraged by her father and doctor to travel overseas to improve her health. She travelled widely and in 1878 she embarked on a journey to Japan. Her travels took her from Tokyo to Nikko and northwards towards Aomori on horseback. From there, she ventured “off the beaten track” to Hokkaido, where she hired a helper and spent time living among the Ainu people, learning about their culture and beliefs.

In the footsteps of: Herbert Ponting

Born in England in 1870, Herbert Ponting emigrated to California in his twenties and explored various pursuits before settling on his true passion - photography. Ponting visited Japan numerous times in his early career. He immersed himself in the beauty of the country, he scaled Mount Fuji and wandered amongst Kyoto’s ancient temples and scenic landscapes. He described the city as ‘one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities’ and was captivated by the ‘seas of cherry-blossoms’ and ‘gorgeously coloured maple-trees’.
Soon after his return from Japan, Ponting was recruited as the first ever professional photographer to embark on an Antarctic expedition, joining Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova expedition (1910-1913), during which he held lectures on Japan for his crewmates.

In the footsteps of: Philipp Franz von Siebold

Siebold, a physician, botanist and traveller, was born into a family of physicians in Germany. In 1822, he joined the Dutch East Indies army and was posted to Dejima, a Dutch trading post in Japan. Siebold’s curiosity extended far beyond medicine and he became fascinated by Japanese flora and fauna. He amassed an impressive collection of specimens and built a small botanical garden behind his home which contained over 1,000 Japanese plants.  Siebold engaged in scientific and cultural exchange with Japanese scientists, treated Japanese patients and is credited with the introduction of vaccination and pathological anatomy in Japan.