The explorer of Japan's last great frontier

Atsuko Matsumoto / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

During his six trips to explore the then little-known land to the north of Honshu, Takeshiro Matsuura walked at least 60 kilometers a day, recording 9,800 locations and becoming the first Japanese person to document the inner reaches of what we now call Hokkaido. Yet, he chose to spend his twilight years in a tiny, one-tatami-mat room.

Although described by scholar Yoshida Shoin as "an eccentric and extremely individualistic personality," Matsuura (1818-1888), the father of the name Hokkaido, didn't achieve quite the same level of historical recognition as others who, like him, helped to map Japan.

The One-mat Study of Takeshiro Matsuura, 19th Century Explorer, currently on show at INAX Gallery in Kyobashi, Tokyo, uses his journals and maps--as well as a replica of his tiny study--as a way of getting to know the man and his passion.

"Matsuura proved that the land widely believed at that time to be uncivilized bush in fact wasn't at all. There were rivers and mountains, and all those places had names," said INAX Gallery curator Teru Kakehi.

Matsuura, originally from Mie Prefecture, visited Hokkaido six times between 1845 and 1858. The northern land's geographical outline was already surveyed by Mamiya Rinzo and Ino Tadataka, whose names are regulars in history textbooks in this country.

As the maps on display clearly show, Matsuura meticulously filled in the white space on the existing map. With only a notepad to record what he saw, Matsuura worked sans assistant, travelling only with a group of local Ainu people. Over 150 of his journals were later published.

Following his fifth trip to Hokkaido, Matsuura suggested to the Meiji government that it change the northern island's name from Ezochi to Hokkaido, which mixed Japanese and Ainu to create the meaning "northern Ainu land." In 1869, the Meiji government adopted his proposal and changed the name.

After trying to appeal to the Meiji government for more respect for the Ainu people, Matsuura found himself in deep disagreement with the government that resulted in his resignation from a high-ranking government position.

It is believed that his pseudonym, "Bakakusai," which can be translated as "ludicrous," was born of his mortification after learning that his passion alone would not lead to change.

"He wanted as many people as possible to know about the Ainu people and how unfairly they were treated," Kakehi added.

The current show is relatively small, but an extremely rare chance to see Matsuura's works, and many visitors to the exhibition are learning about the man for the first time, according to the curator.

Visitors can take off their shoes and sit in the tatami room replica. It took eight years for Matsuura's original study to be completed. It was built using 91 pieces of wood collected from the places he travelled in his life.

"He also kept many books and items he cherished in the room. So, physically it was really tiny, but in his imagination, it was spacious enough to house his entire life. Being surrounded by these various pieces of wood, he must have felt he could fly to anywhere he wished," Kakehi said.

One can only imagine how Matsuura would have felt as he sat in this room, looking back over his life: the excitement of exploration and his failure to improve the plight of the Ainu people.

Perhaps if you sit in this tiny room and look around, you can get a glimpse into this great explorer's mind.

"The One-mat Study of Takeshiro Matsuura, 19th Century Explorer," in Japanese, until Feb. 19, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at INAX Gallery in Kyobashi, Tokyo. Closed on Sundays and national holidays. Admission is free. For details, visit www.inax.co.jp/culture.