A steamy photograph taken in 1864 shows a group of Japanese samurai standing in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt. The samurai in this intriguing image probably didn’t know they were the protagonist of an iconic photograph. The combination of traditional Japanese attire, ancient Egyptian monument and European camera seemed rather confusing, but in fact, it would symbolize an important transitional period in history. As unexpected as this combination may be, the 159-year-old photograph highlights a pivotal moment in the history of Japan and the globalizing world.
The photo was taken during a mission also called the “Ikeda Mission”, one of the important milestones in Japanese history. By order of the Tokugawa shogunate, the military dictatorship that ruled feudal Japan, local governor Ikeda Nagaoki was sent to Paris in 1864 to settle a heated dispute over the port of Yokohama. There was a delegation of 36 people with 27-year-old Nagoki.
What was the reason for the Ikeda Quest?
The second half of the 19th century was a period of existential difficulty for Japan. European colonists had taken control of large lands of Asia as well as Africa and the Americas. To keep them out, Japan had followed a strict policy of isolation, called sakoku, which had been trying to protect the island from foreigners since the 17th century. As part of this policy, Christianity was strictly prohibited and only trade with the Chinese and Dutch was allowed.
The proud island of Japan managed to remain relatively untouched by the relentless force of colonialism, but it was becoming increasingly clear that change was inevitable.
In 1853, US Admiral Matthew Perry arrived on the shores of Yokohama with a fleet of American warships and demanded that Japan open its ports to international trade. This request was reluctantly accepted, and the coastal settlement of Yokohama quickly became a center of foreign trade.
Japan was understandably uncomfortable with the growing influence of foreigners on their home country, and anti-foreign sentiments flared. In 1863, Emperor Kōmei, as part of an effort to regain control, ordered Ikeda to go to France and demand that Yokohama end its open port status. On a French warship, Ikeda and her crew sailed and made stops in Shanghai, India and Cairo.
During their break in Egypt, they took time to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza. This was at the foot of the Sphinx, where the delegation had photographer Antonio Beato photographed.
At the end of the journey, Ikeda met with the French. However, their request to close the port of Yokohama was denied outright and the mission ended in complete failure.
Japan was eventually forced to give up its aspirations and completely accept open trade. In 1868, the Japanese initiated the Meiji Restoration. Following the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the island opened its doors fully to Westernization, fueling rapid modernization, industrialization, and urbanization. In the midst of intense social change, Japan still has not lost its identity. Still paying attention to its traditions and culture, the country eventually became an imperial powerhouse that began to rival the West.
Maybe they didn’t pay attention to it at the time, but when the Ikeda Mission paused at the foot of the Sphinx in 1864 and took this shot, they didn’t realize that behind them was the pre-modern world of the world and a modern future ahead of them. And they didn’t know that this transition was about to happen for their own country as well. In short, they stood on the abyss of Japan’s contemporary history. This is exactly why this photo has become a true symbol.
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