12 Facts About Otokichi

Otokichi, known as Yamamoto Otokichi and later known as John Matthew Ottoson, was a Japanese castaway originally from the area of Onoura near modern-day Mihama, on the west coast of the Chita Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture.

Otokichi then went to Kagoshima, but again was met with cannon fire, and finally decided to abandon his efforts and go back to Canton.

Otokichi apparently worked as a crewman on American ships, and worked at helping Japanese castaways to return to Japan on board Chinese or Dutch ships, the only ones allowed to visit the country.

Otokichi married a Scotswoman in Macao who later died of illness.

Otokichi became a naturalized British subject, taking the name John Matthew Ottoson.

Otokichi is known to have returned to Japan twice, first as a translator on board HMS Mariner, which entered Uraga Port in 1849 to conduct a topographical survey.

The second time, Otokichi went to Japan under his British name "Ottoson", in September 1854.

Otokichi was a member of the British fleet under Admiral James Stirling.

On that occasion, Otokichi met with many Japanese, including Fukuzawa Yukichi.

Otokichi was apparently offered permission to live in Japan, but he chose to return to his family in Shanghai.

Toward the end of his life, Otokichi moved from Shanghai to Singapore, his wife's native island, where he became the first known Japanese resident of Singapore.

Otokichi apparently rented a luxurious colonial house on Orchard Road, which is where he died of tuberculosis at the age of 49, in 1867.