Born into a fishing family in Nakanohama village in Tosa (Tosashimizu, Kōchi).
Caught in a storm while fishing, he drifted to the uninhabited island of Torishima; about five months later an American whaler rescued him.
Taken to America by Captain Whitfield, he studied English, mathematics and navigation at school.
Around this time he sailed the world's oceans aboard a whaler.
Having saved money for the trip, he landed in the Ryūkyūs and returned to Japan, where he was questioned in Satsuma and Nagasaki.
Returning to Tosa, he was granted samurai status; his accounts of America reportedly influenced men such as Sakamoto Ryōma.
When Perry arrived, the shogunate called him to Edo and made him a retainer.
He sailed to America aboard the Kanrin Maru as interpreter.
Under the Meiji government he became a professor at the Kaisei school, forerunner of the University of Tokyo.
On a tour to Europe he stopped in America and was reunited with his benefactor Captain Whitfield.
He died in Tokyo.
Matthew C. PerrySakamoto Ryōma
Iwase TadanariAbe MasahiroKatsu KaishūŌmura MasujirōKusumoto IneKawai TsugunosukeOguri TadamasaYamauchi Yōdō (Toyoshige)
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.