Oyatoi Gaikokujin（お雇い外国人）and Koto-Ku

Have you ever heard the words of Oyatoi Gaikokujin?
It is translated into English, “Hired Foreigners” mostly hired by Meiji Government. After 260 year of Edo period, Meiji Government has been established after the Meiji Restoration, the government has decided to make use of Foreigners to modernize Japan during 1868 -1898. 6177 from UK, 2764 from US, 913 from Germany, 619 from France, and 45 from Italy. (These numbers are slightly different upon the sources.) They were welcome as the teachers, engineers/technicians, for the purpose of teach and transfer their skills to young talented Japanese. Here are some of well-known “Hired Foreigners”;
His name was James Curtis Hepburn, American, Princeton graduate, and medical doctor of Pennsylvania Univ., who has developed the techniques of Japanese translation “Hepburn Romanization, (Hebon-siki Ro-maJI)” as well as established Meiji-Gakuin University, where developed many talented people.

Earnest Francisco Fenollosa, American Art historian, philosopher, Harvard grads, has given enormous contribution to Japanese arts, as well as the establishment of Tokyo University of Arts.

The third person is Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, one of most famous introducers of Japan, from Irish-Greek family, taught at Tokyo University and Waseda University, later, wrote and published many books featuring Japan and Japanese history, as represented by “Kaidan”, Georges Ferdinand Bigot, French painter, cartoonist, came to Japan, 1882, in parallel to teach at Military Academy, published large volume of cartoons and sketches of Japan and Japanese people’ life.

Thus, Oyatoi Gaikokujin have assisted Meiji government in building the new Japan to be competitive to western foreign countries.

 

Now, let’s move to the main topic, Koto-ku and Hired Foreigners. Josiah Conder, (1852-1910) English Architect, who became the professor of Tokyo University at age 24, later designed Rokumeikan, Mitsubishi Red-Brick buildings in Marunouchi. At the same time, he has trained up quite a large number of architects, such as famous Kingo Tatsuno, designer of Tokyo Station.

1891, Fukagawa-Shinbokuen (Fukagawa Residence of Iwasaki family), has opened by Iwasaki family, for the purpose of guest house for foreign VIPS, as well as employees’ treats/comfort, and Josiah has been asked to design the Western building, the Annex of Fukagawa Residence.

Photo 1.

　

Photo 2.

Photo 3.

To our regret, this building has burned down at the great Kanto Earthquake 1923. This was the one of records related to Koto-Ku as well as the Hired Foreigners. Please imagine the building with Cast iron terrace, Islamic style dome, and Dutch style gable decorations. And if you have time, why not do your fact-findings about “Hired Foreigners” in your area!

 

Acknowledgements

Photo 1: Original building designed by J. Conder. Under the permission from National Diet Library, Source: Journal of architecture and building science (Z16-80) Vol.403 (1920)

Photo 2: Iwasaki family Fukagawa Residence. Reprinted from https://haikaichang.com/spot-kiyosumigarden01_0044#toc1　Under the permission from Seika Do Art Museum.

Photo 3; Journal of architecture and building science (Z16-80) Vol.402 (May 25, 1920) Referred from WP Common.

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Y.T