Original subtitles

It began on the night of the Oban festival...

here in the small fishing village of Shimoda.

Once each year, we invite the spirits...

of our dead ancestors to join us in a celebration.

It was an old and happy custom.

There was much joy and much sake.

My name is Okichi. This is my story, too.

Black ship meant danger.

Foreigners were threatening our shores.

A messenger was sent to warn the Governor.

Baron Tamura was the Governor of Shimoda...

and my benefactor.

It was he who had paid for my training as a geisha.

The ship lay at anchor all night.

At sunrise, the strangers approached.

He says it is forbidden for you to land.

You are commanded to return to your ship...

weigh anchor, and leave this harbor and all the Japan seas.

Commanded by whom?

The Governor of Shimoda, sir.

Tell him that I am the Consul General to Japan from the United States

Say that I am here in accordance with a treaty entered into...

by their Shogun and Commodore Perry two years ago.

He denies any treaty is in force whereby you have the right to land.

Tell him I am landing.

Tell them it's a salute.

It speaks with a loud voice.

Townsend Harris.

I am Saemon-No-Kami Tamura, Governor of the prefecture of Shimoda.

Are you aware, Your Excellency, of an agreement between our countries...

which states, "A Consul shall reside in Shimoda...

when either country shall so require"?

Not either Both "When both countries shall so require"

If that is how your Japanese text reads

a mistake has been made in translation or a willful change

I will acquaint my superiors at Edo with that opinion

- Meanwhile - Meanwhile, I'll require quarters

for Mr Heusken, my interpreter, three Chinese servants, and myself

It must be understood that I am receiving you

only as a private person

Due note is taken of your refusal

to recognize my status as an American Consul

Follow me

This is a pleasant place to be buried

Well, at least we'll have quiet neighbors

This is the best we have to offer

Two years ago, Commodore Perry was allowed within the sacred walls of Edo

Since then, our land has been torn by earthquakes and typhoons

We have lost homes, crops, loved ones

Some ignorant people believe

those disasters were warnings from the gods

not to change our ancient ways but to remain as before

No one stays as he was, nor any country

This will do

Home, sweet home

There she flies, gentlemen

The first time in this empire

I think, Mr Harris, you'd better raise the doorways or cut off your legs

The Governor says you must take the flag down

Very well

He says it is not to be flown again

Tell him it will fly again

On holidays, ours and theirs

and on certain other occasions

such as the arrival and departure of our ships

A void the Americans, sell them nothing

Baron Tamura had ordered;

"Harris-san must be made to go"

There was no place in Japan for foreigners They were all barbarians

- Mr Harris - Your Excellency

I wish to protest against the way I and my household are being treated

We cannot even buy food in the open market

You are free to buy from anyone who will sell to you

And whoever does will answer to your samurai?

You are in no position to lodge a protest, Mr Harris

You have no standing here

Your Excellency, let's stop this nonsense about my official existence

If your version of the treaty between our countries were correct

it would be an agreement to agree if and when we chose to agree

Would responsible men ever sign such rigmarole?

Whatever its terms

the treaty was made under the threat of Commodore Perry's guns

Such a treaty has no virtue

Have you forgotten why Commodore Perry came?

Because shipwrecked sailors were being beheaded

and because no ship could put in to a Japanese port, even for water

We only wish to be left alone

Your Excellency, your country stands at the crossroads of the world

From both East and West, men are finding an ever-increasing need for those roads

lf, in your desire for isolation

you refuse to make them safe for peaceful traffic

the world will treat Japan as it would treat a band of brigands

infesting a highway

A true Japanese would rather see his country perish in flames

and perish with it than see it corrupted by foreigners

and slowly rot

Your Excellency, there are fanatics in every country

But if the majority of your government were not reasonable men

I should not be here

And in hope that it will meet their eyes

I hereby hand you an official letter

for transmission to His Highness the Shogun

respectfully requesting that my position as Consul shall be confirmed

Tamura was troubled

He had communicated with Edo

In the capital there was much indecision

between those who wanted Japan opened to other countries

and those who were against it

Finally, a message arrived

Until a decision was reached

Tamura was instructed to continue keeping Harris-san in Shimoda

Happy, if possible

- Salt pork again? - It's all Sam has left, sir

Our friend Tamura has seen to that

Pardon me for asking, Mr Harris, but

do you have an enemy in your State Department keeping you here?

Quite to the contrary Getting this post was a great honor

And sitting before you, Henry, eating this sowbelly and hardtack

is an envoy extraordinaire from President Pierce

Well, we haven't entirely wasted our time, sir

We fixed up this house

learned something about their agriculture, the winds, the weather

But I didn't come here to be a carpenter

nor to gain information for the Agriculture Department

My instructions from President Pierce were, quote:

- "To treat with the Emperor of" - Pardon me, Mr Harris

- The Shogun, not the Emperor - All right

"To treat with the Shogun of Japan

on the subject of their entry into the free community of nations"

Well, treat with him?

I haven't been able to get anyplace near him

And Tamura is stalling He hasn't sent my credentials to Edo

- And he has no intention of doing so - But this is a difficult post, sir

- One has to be patient - Patience won't bring Commodore Perry

nor a battleship to back us up We've been patient for five months

We're so far off the beaten path, we can't get a message to or from Washington

I'm beginning to wonder if they care

Sam, get me my coat

Mr Harris, I wouldn't do anything hasty

I have eaten all the salt pork that I intend to

Our first callers

What is it, Henry?

From the Governor An invitation to dine

Mr Envoy, tomorrow night, no salt pork

They want to show you a geisha game

All right

I am grateful to Your Excellency for a most delightful party

Given, I take it, to celebrate your recognition

of the first American Consul

There has been no word from Edo about your status, Mr Harris

Then why am I so honored?

I have sympathy for a man alone in a strange country

Alone, yes But I have with me the spirit of many million Americans

Your Excellency, if word does not come soon

I might be tempted to go to Edo to get it

You'd never get past the barrier

Outside the gate of the Forbidden City are the skulls of many uninvited guests

I've crossed some thousands of miles of sea and storms to get this far

Do you think a few skulls will deter me from going 100 miles more?

Ask her what she's doing here at this hour

- Well? - Our friend Tamura sent her

She is here to make our existence less troublesome

Thank her, and send her home

Wait She can be useful

The Governor wants to know about us, and we want to know about Japan

The room in the back, she can use that Tell her she can stay

And then tell her to lift her head

I waited for his footsteps

the door to open upon the huge man

My heart was beating with terror, but all was silent

It was a house of many mysteries

I hurried to Baron Tamura

I told him about the seeds, the shells

The machine that made the winds blow could cause typhoons

I begged him to let me go back to the geisha house

But the Baron grew angry He said I was a stupid girl

There was no machine that could cause typhoons

It was Harris-san who was dangerous

The barbarians were planning to invade us

It was my duty to go back I was a geisha

I knew men

I was to please Harris-san in every way

and watch his every move

Was she born in Shimoda?

No, she's from a village on the road to Edo

Another country girl sold into a geisha house

Sold?

She was 14, a poor family

Later she would be able to help them

when some man paid her "pillow money," as they call it

Any sisters?

Her sisters were all returned to the gods

She was lucky to be born in a year when the rice crop was good

You know, Henry, I've seen some pretty attractive dancing girls from Siam

singsong girls from China

but I think I prefer the geisha of Japan

I agree with you, sir

I'll get drunk

She wants to know if she can do some small feats of magic

for the Honorable Consul

Please let her go ahead

Very good

Now let me show you one

This is a dollar

No, dollar

They can't say "L's," sir

Sure they can An American dollar

I'm afraid we're gonna have to do some work on her English, Henry

Now watch closely, nothing up my sleeves

You like that? It's yours

What?

She's asking if the eagle on the dollar is one of our gods

Well, not exactly, but very powerful

Negotiable, too

She'd like you to do it again, sir

Well, my first success in Japan

Now watch closely

No, here

Malice against the foreigners was growing

They were plagued constantly

Henry, will you take Okichi into the house?

My hat

Let him have it, Henry It didn't fit you anyway

- It was a happy accident - How's that?

If your foot hadn't slipped, you might have harmed the little fellow

Please

Thank you

- Good? - Yes, indeed

Well, you're in good hands now

- Also "yes, indeed"? - Yes, indeed

The women of the village had turned against me

To them, I had become the concubine of Harris-san

I was not fit to bathe with them

"In simple language, Mr Secretary, I am up against a stone wall"

"So far, we have been unable to make contact with the Shogun"

"It seems that they are undecided and are playing fast and loose"

I am not giving up by any means

But I feel that it might be some time

"before I can report real progress I will keep you informed"

Just sign it "respectfully yours"

It's wonderful, the things she can do with flowers

Mr Harris

Mr Harris

Bring the flag, Henry

An honor, Your Excellency

Mr Harris, you must take down that flag

The flag is a signal to that ship that there's a consul here ready to serve it

Must I repeat? There is no consul here

Shimoda is closed and guarded The ship shall not land

If you wish to serve it, take down that flag

The cannons are loaded, Mr Harris

Ahoy, messenger! Welcome!

Harris! Harris, American Consul!

Stand away, sir Stand away We have cholera aboard

Why aren't you flying the yellow flag?

It went overboard with a mutineer

- Have you a doctor here? - No No doctor

God help us We're three dead and five sick

and it's nine days to Hong Kong

Set sail, weigh anchor

Have you a gun, sir? Shoot them! They must not reach shore!

Keep back! Keep back, men Damn you, keep back!

Ashore there, don't touch those men!

Don't touch them!

They carry sickness!

Stay away from those sailors

Don't go near them They have a bad disease

Don't go near those men

Can't you understand?

Cholera

It swept the village like wildfire

Almost everyone was stricken The sick were everywhere

Harris-san did everything he could

but he fought the sickness in his way

My people fought with their old ways

Prayers, chants, and paper images of the red demon of sickness

The dead were sealed in barrels, taken to the sacred grounds to be burned

Harris-san worked day and night

but the new way was as weak as the old

The demon of death went from door to door

Mr Harris Mr Harris

Very sorry, Harris-san

What do you think, sir?

We don't know much about cholera, Henry

We do know that only fire and frost will kill it

And only God can bring a frost

Make him understand, Henry, fire is the only thing that'll save them

Get him out of here!

Have you not brought enough sorrow on my people?

Must you burn their houses?

We've given them money to build new houses

You must be mad

It's the only way to stop cholera By fire Sanitation

He says we are their prisoners

If we resist them, they will kill us

We are to be sent home on the first boat

I think we can go to bed now, Sam

She's sleeping It's not cholera, thank God

Put it away, Henry

I thought that perhaps some of those hotheads out there

We're 5,000 miles away from home If they wanna cut our throats

there's nothing we can do about it

- Shall we have a drink, Henry? - Yes

If they had given us another week, we might have licked this thing

Now they'll go on chopping up effigies and dying like flies

Well, Henry

we were sent out here to establish diplomatic relations with Japan

So far, we have let in a cholera ship, started an epidemic

burned down half the town, and been taken into custody

A wonderful record Let's drink to it

The fires had burned away the cholera

The time of dying had passed

The village returned to its quiet ways

Once again, the fishing boats put out to sea

I, too, was recovering

Okichi, let me have that

You'd better take it easy for a while, until you get your strength back

Thank you, Henry

I didn't realize we had brought so much junk

Harris-san take books?

I'm leaving, Okichi

- Going Edo? - Going home

The first sensible thing since I've hit Japan

Go soon?

Very soon, according to Tamura He's putting us on the first ship

Of course, you can never tell when that first ship will

I'm not leaving because I want to, Okichi

America, so far away

Not so far away that I'll forget you

Every time I see a woman with ornaments in her hair

I'll think of Okichi and her yellow combs

Every time I hear the rustle of silk, I'll think of a little

Harris-san! Harris-san!

People here They come honor you

They are thanking you for saving their lives

Okichi

- Mr Harris? - Yes?

The Governor is here

- The Governor? - Yes, sir

Show His Excellency in

Mr Harris

I am in your debt

- My debt? - The sickness is gone

You did good

I acted wrongly toward you

Well, that's in the past It's best forgotten

I cannot forget

Forty generations of my ancestors cry that my debt must be paid

You wished to go to Edo

The visit has been arranged

My men will escort your procession

I'm afraid the Shogun will be a little disappointed

when the two of us ride into Edo

Now let me read you the account of a real procession:

"Our cavalcade was of many hundreds

winding along the road like a huge silken dragon"

And we will be two men and a horse, if we can get a horse

"A list of the gifts the same lord took to Edo

Lacquer boxes for ivory and enamelware, inlaid swords and shields"

I wonder if His Highness could use a good jack-knife

"Delicacies of food that might have been spun from air"

I suppose we can spare a keg of sowbelly and a tin of hardtack, Henry Go on

"Paintings by the great artists Kano and Sesshu"

That's not a bad likeness to President Pierce at a dollar and a half

"Porcelain jars of the finest of sake"

There we can match them Good old sour-mash tanglefoot

I guess that's everything

It had better be

Well, let's start "winding like a silken dragon"

Where is Okichi?

People of Shimoda do this for you

so you enter Edo proudly

The people of Shimoda forgot nothing for the journey

When Harris-san started

he rode as a great man and a great leader

Your escort, Mr Harris, as I promised

We shall meet in Edo

Near Edo, we made our final camp

Your Excellency

I greet you on behalf of our Shogun

Welcome to Edo

Are these the protectors of your city?

Yes Against evil spirits

I trust they will let me pass

They will let your body pass but not your soul, if it is evil

Tomorrow, at the Hour of the Dragon

I will escort you into the Shogun's presence

And now, to your quarters

Bless my soul!

Steady, Henry Maybe it's all a mirage

The calendar of your visit, Mr Harris

First day, assembly of nobles and guests in the Great Hall

Presentation to the Shogun

and expression of gratitude by visitor from far-away land

On the second day at the Hour of the Rooster, a banquet in your honor

Return to house for repose

The Shogun wishes all a pleasant dream

Third day, Hour of the Tiger

to an exhibition of archery with Lord Hotta

Okichi, what is this?

Your furo Hot bath

They will help you from your clothes

Here Wait a minute You mean, they're going to take my clothes off?

Is ancient custom

The next day, Harris-san was shown to the Great Hall

For centuries, only Japanese eyes had seen the Shogun's house

Your Excellency

I owe you my thanks

You owe me nothing, Mr Harris

My obligation is at an end

Now we stand equal

May it please Your Highness

I'm directed to express the wish

of the President of the United States of America

for your health and your happiness

Your Highness, Counselors

it is in the very nature of creation that man shall have a neighbor

though he builds his home in the desert or in the mountains

or in the midst of the sea

Yet somewhere, however distant

dwells that next man who is his neighbor and might be his friend

As it is with men, so with nations

Across 5,000 miles of ocean

the United States of America, your neighbor

stretches out its hand to Japan

It is not a hand clenched in a fist of anger

It holds no knife to threaten

It wears no glove of dissimulation

It is the open hand of my countrymen, demanding nothing

asking no special favors

seeking only the common good

But in pursuit of that common good

we ask that you pull down the barriers which for centuries

have separated Japan from the rest of the world

We ask that you take your rightful position among the community of nations

with all its glory and with all its responsibilities

To be good neighbors to not only ourselves

but to every nation of goodwill

To take what the world has to offer, and to offer that which you have

To learn from others and to teach them

If this seems good to you, to do these things

then I am empowered by my government

through the instrument of this new treaty

to pledge to you our friendship in peace

our help in trouble, and our strength in danger

How long do you think it will take them to make up their minds, Okichi?

Three days, maybe four

Treaty big fence

Some horses no likie jump

"Likie"? Like

You've been listening to Sam's Pidgin English again

Like Thank you

Lord Hotta tells me that

I'm to be questioned before the Council takes its final vote

What will they ask me, Okichi?

Maybe strange questions

But say truth

Just tell them the truth, eh?

Is always best

Same thing in America

In America, geisha girl pretty?

There are no geisha girls in America, Okichi

- No geisha? - No geisha Just girls

When wife in street

she walk behind husband?

- Yes? - Rarely

- Where walk? - By his side

By his side?

Or a little in front

Husband permit this?

Sometimes he can't help himself

In Japan, different husbands

No, in America, different wives

The banquet was held on the second evening

Behind the faces of the nobles were strong and dangerous feelings

Some agreed with Harris-san, some did not

And some hated him

as they had always hated those who intruded upon the soil of Japan

They have seen your warships Are your fishing boats as large?

No

Is war more important to you than fishing?

No

Mr Harris

we have had no wars for the last 200 years in my country

How many have you had in the West?

Too many

Yet some were fought for liberty

You speak of liberty Yet do not ships of your country go to Africa

get black men, and bring them back as slaves?

Yes, I am sorry to say that is true

But there are men in my country who would die to end that evil

It cannot long endure

No nation understands another

It is best for Japan to remain apart

Only by understanding can the world hope to progress

He asks, "What is progress?"

Tell them it can mean many things

Among them

not having to kill girl babies in time of famine

The calendar of his visit continued to unroll

Today archers rode as they had for 1,000 years

Do you have archers in America?

Yes, of sorts In the Far West

Our countries must have many things in common

Yes I have decided to support you, Mr Harris

I am delighted to hear that from the great Lord Hotta

A reed must bow with the wind

I hope others of the Shogunate are of the same mind

Unfortunately, we are divided

But if Lord Shijo, who has much influence

joins with me, the vote will be favorable

Have you reason to believe that he might?

Oh, yes He is a man of great wisdom

Lord Shijo has been assassinated

Poor man

He was the one who asked, "What is progress?"

I could have said, "Not being murdered because you disagreed with people"

Mr Harris

Your Excellency

Mr Harris, as the person who brought you here

I have come to beg you to leave Edo at once

and return to Shimoda

Why?

For our sake and your own

Your treaty will never be signed

Violence, and only violence can come of it

Lord Shijo is dead

He was a good old man

It was a bad deed to kill him

Family is being set against family

and friend against friend

Do you want to tear us to pieces?

I told you long ago that there are men here

who will fight for our old ways to the death

Do they still include Your Excellency?

Mr Harris, you do not understand

In Japan we do not belong to ourselves but to our families

We owe them unquestioning obedience

Go, Mr Harris Go before that obedience is turned against you

Now the time had come

They had to decide

Those who wanted to vote for the treaty opened their fans

The vote moved around the table

and Lord Hotta counted more open fans than closed ones

The death of Lord Shijo had decided against the opposition

not for it

Harris-san had won

You are welcome?

Right You are doing fine, Okichi

Sir, to you My most hearty congratulations

Thank you, Henry And to you

without whom success would have been impossible

Mine was a very small part

That made the difference between being deaf and dumb

and hearing and speaking

And now to Okichi

whose gentle glow has been the lantern that I've followed

Thank you, Harris-san

May it always guide me

To Okichi

While we were celebrating

the clan of Baron Tamura was planning a tragic deed

Though his heart was divided

Tamura accepted the ceremonial sword

and bowed to his fate

Before he told me his wish

Baron Tamura made me swear

I would obey him in all things

Then he told me his wish

Death for Harris-san

I was his to command

I had no choice

Beautiful, Okichi Beautiful

Very late, Harris-san Best you go sleep now

Okichi

After the treaty is signed, I must go back to America, and you know that

Yes, Harris-san

But only for a short time

I'm coming back to you, Okichi

And that's the last time we'll ever be separated

Yes, Harris-san

There's so much of Japan that I haven't seen

Cities and temples

You must show them to me

And they say the mountains are magnificent in the winter

Snow very deep

And they say there are hot springs, and you bathe in the snow

Yes, Harris-san

Then when I come back, we must go to the mountains

Yes, the mountains

We'll find a lake and build a house over the lake

And no neighbors I'm tired of neighbors

Tired of people and politics

A house with a slanting roof, alone

Would you be happy, Okichi, in a house like that?

Would you?

It is written:

"Fortunate is the woman who rises in morning

to cook her husband's rice"

Fortunate is the man

Best you go sleep now I puts light out

All right You "puts light out"

- Good night, Okichi - Good night, Harris-san

Take back your life

Take back my life What does he mean?

What does he mean, Okichi?

He came to kill you

What stopped him? You?

But once drawn, that sword must taste of blood

He has gone to kill himself

Tamura had failed

When he came face to face with Harris-san

he had not the will to kill him

Dishonor to himself, to his ancestors

To a samurai, this meant but one thing;

Death

Life with you

would have been all happiness, Harris-san

but happiness bought by my broken vow

and the death of my Lord Tamura

I have failed my people I have to go

It is the way of my ancestors

their beliefs

And if I am to live at all

I must live by those beliefs

Okichi?

Okichi?

Where is Okichi?

Where is she?

She's gone, sir

Gone? Where?

She left these for you

A comb is the symbol of parting

A mirror, her soul

She has left it with you, sir

- We've got to find her - No, Mr Harris

You will never find her

She had her reasons

But these symbols mean that she has gone forever

As he went to sign the treaty

the streets were filled with those who wished to honor him

So he passed into our history

and from my sight

but never from my heart