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Ranald MacDonald memorials in Japan?

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Kouhai
2 Nov 2016
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Has anyone been to see the memorials to Ranald MacDonald (no, not the fast food guy) in Japan? I did some internet searching and apparently there's one in Nagasaki and one on Rishiri island. Not sure of anywhere else in Japan. I found photos of the one in Nagasaki but not much on Rishiri.

For those who don't know, this fellow (Ranald MacDonald - Wikipedia ) was a half-Scot half-Chinook who traveled to Japan in the 1840s and was one of the first people to teach the English language there. As someone who's part Native American (from tribes not that far away from the Chinook actually) I thought it was a really interesting story and I was curious to see the memorials when I go to Japan.

For anyone who's been, do you have any opinions on either of the memorials?
 
That's interesting, according to what I read in English his first landing place was Rishiri island (利尻島). Japanese wikipedia says he landed there on July 1 1848 (利尻島 - Wikipedia ). I heard they have a monument there...

Anyway yeah none of my Japanese mates have heard of him either. I think in general knowledge in Japan about Native Americans isn't that big. Kind of a pity I think. Trying to remedy that as I best I can with my mates :)
 
Ah alright. Well either way that clown's a creep, he's not the guy I'm talking about ;)
 

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according to what I read in English his first landing place was Rishiri island (利尻島).
According to the Japanese Wikipedia page, he landed Yagishiri Island first, stayed two nights and then left there since he mistook it for an uninhabited island (最初、焼尻島に上陸、二夜を明かしたが、無人島だと思いこみ、再度船をこいで7月1日(グレゴリオ暦)、利尻島に上陸。). However, the site I linked above says that he stayed around 4 days there (1848年(嘉永元年)に捕鯨船に乗り日本海に入りボートで焼尻島に上陸、4日ほどいた後、利尻島に向かう。). I don't know which is correct.

I heard they have a monument there
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Ah ok that could explain it if he moved from one to the other. I've a book on him somewhere so I'll have to go back and see. Thanks for the google map references!
 
Has anyone been to see the memorials to Ranald MacDonald (no, not the fast food guy) in Japan? I did some internet searching and apparently there's one in Nagasaki and one on Rishiri island. Not sure of anywhere else in Japan. I found photos of the one in Nagasaki but not much on Rishiri.

For those who don't know, this fellow (Ranald MacDonald - Wikipedia ) was a half-Scot half-Chinook who traveled to Japan in the 1840s and was one of the first people to teach the English language there. As someone who's part Native American (from tribes not that far away from the Chinook actually) I thought it was a really interesting story and I was curious to see the memorials when I go to Japan.

For anyone who's been, do you have any opinions on either of the memorials?
I'm hoping to visit his memorial in Nagasaki. Do you know where it's located?
 
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