1910s

The Japanese community in London at an ordinary time numbers about 200 persons, chiefly clerks and students.

1910 – February – A large party of about 250 performers and artisans—jugglers, acrobats, “lightning artists,” embroiderers, wood-carvers, potters and cloisonné workers—sailed from Japan on Feb. 23 on the Atsuta Maru.

1910 – April – 57 performers and their managers arrive in Britain on the Atsuta Maru including Yoshitaro Kishi and the Aokis, Mr & Mrs Hajime Yamaguchi, Unotaro Ishikawa, Yonekichi Muroya (Matsui Gensui XVI)

1910 – May – Japan-British Exhibition opens at White City.

1910 June – Kumeji Deguchi arrives in London with Nakane Misaburo, Kozo Yoshii, Hamamura Keisaburo, Fujii Hirokichi, Matsui Shigejiro, all under 12 years old. “Circus”

July – Japan British Exhibition – At the Takoya Theatre the Namba troupe, consisting of a score of acrobats, jugglers, wire-rope walkers and dancers, delight the visitors with their wonderful performances. At the Shiba Theatre the Kish troupe, celebrated band of Japanese acrobats and jugglers, thrill the visitor their daring performances.

1910 August – The Fuji Troupe start performing in Britain.

1910 August – Japan effectively annexed Korea with Japan-Korea Treaty

1910 September – Exhibition performer Kumataro Namba assaults Harukichi Kobayashi – Kobayashi had married his sister Tora Namba in London.

1910 October – Japan British Exhibition closes.

1910 November – some of the performers who had arrived in Britain in April 1910 for the Japan British Exhibition – Kumataro Namba and his wife Iku, children Kionosuke and Koichiro Namba, Jukichi Kojima, Senichi Hayashi, Sen Shimizu, Teru, Chika, Riyo, Take Hamada, Keijiro Aoki – left London for New York. All were under the name of Juntaro Komura, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in USA immigration records.

1911 – Anglo-Japanese Alliance renewed, with approval of Dominions

1911 April – The Yamagata Troupe arrive in Britain (or are some of the performers from the Exhibition?)

1911 April – census:

Yoshitaro Kishi, aged 46, Head, married, employer with Jiro Aoki, married, 25, Takitaro Aoki, 19, single, Sampei Aoki, single, 13, Kin Aoki 17, female, married, Tome Aoki, female, single, 10, Kame Aoki, female, single, 10, Tatasugoro Aoki, 17, single, male, Nisaburo Aoki, male, single, 16, Take Takeuchi, single, female, 28, Aiko Narusaka, 16, female single. All Acrobats, boarding in 27 Dudley Gardens, West Ealing. Probably the Aokis.

Kosabro Yamamoto, 44, widower, Koyoshi Yamamoto 21 single, Masataro Nakagawa 52, single, Sentaro Goto, 32, married, Kyosaku Sato, 25 single. All artistes, boarding St Martin’s Lane, London

Mr A Ohno, instructor of Jujitsu, Mrs M Ohno wife, G Ohno daughter aged 4. Probably Akitaro Ohno and Matilda Ohno. 34 Dudley Gardens Ealing.

Suyekichi Eida and Ellen boarding in Barnsley – music hall artist

Harukichi Kobayashi, 34, Tora Kobayashi, 35, Kono Kobayashi 34 sister of Harukichi, Eijiro Kishida 30 boarder, Asahige Takagi 17, Kaechi Hasai 24 Adelaide Road, Shepherd’s Bush, Artistes – own theatrical company at exhibition.

Royal Togo – Carlisle, aged 21, Music Hall Artist

Hirokichi Higuchi aged 40, married, Giro Kinoshita, 33, single, Maki Higuchi, 25, married, George Fykitchie, 15, single, male, Kinga Matsue, 15, male, single, Karnia Higuchi, 2. Music Hall artists. Bishop’s Stortford (Yamagata troupe?)

Thomas Chiyokichi aged 55 and Elizabeth aged 40 -Harrogate. Music Hall artists.

Yasuzo Hamamura, 21 married, O’Nui Soga, 18, married, female, Yosajiro Fujimoto, 16, single, Genjiro Fujii. Paddington. Music Hall Artists. (Riogoku Troupe)

Seishu Watanabe with Tora Watanabe, wife, married for 14 years and Takashi Nakagawa, 19, Schitaro Naito, 18, Kiyozo Kobayashi, 15 in boarding house in North Shields. All music hall artists.

Masao Lukushima (a baby) boarding in Clacton on Sea with Susan Lukushima b 1898 in France (later recorded as Susan F Watanabe, step daughter to Seishu)

Eisaburo Hirukawa age 36, and his wife Catherine, 29, Seijiro Matsugawa 47 and his wife Nobu, 36 and NT Kioto, single, 25 in Everton, Lancashire. Professional Variety. Esa Trio

Matsui Gensui is staying at the house of a draper’s assistant in Chester Le Street, aged 43, single, born in Tokyo.

Nellie Osato and May Torra in Wood Green with daughter Alice and her husband and family. No record for Condo Thomas Torra or Coma

Yasso Kitchie living at 42 Farringdon Street Walsall, aged 55, working as a paperhanger, with Emma, working as a charwoman, aged 59

Gintarō Mizuhara (41, music hall artiste juggler) and Isabella living at 74 Pennard Road, Shepherds Bush, London with servant and niece

Sada Vernon Ogino (Little Allright) 27, Fusa Ogino his wife 20, Suye Ogino, sister, Kume Kichi Sawahata 15, Masoo Aifima 12, Komakichi Sekiguchi 25 married, Sarah Sekiguchi wife, 20, Rosie Tykichi 18, Sidney Tykichi 15. Southampton. Banzai Family

Kiyoshi Takase staying at the Mortlake Hotel in London, aged 21, artist, single

1911 October from Yokohama to London – Master N Yokota, Master R Ozawa, Master K Kosano, Master S Suzuki, Miss F Nishimura, Master S Nishimura, (all under 12 years of age) Miss K Nishimura, Mr S Nishimura, Mr I Nishimura, Mrs H Yokota. Yokota troupe

1912 March – Kishi Yoshitaro and Tamaki Jirosuke leave Antwerp for New York with 17 other performers.

1912 August – Hirano Maru arrives in London with – T Kojima 32, Kazo Takeno 28, Master T Yoshida 8, Master K Suzuki 6, Master M Matsuda 5. Performers from Kobe. With the Okabes? T Okade Merchant 51 from Moji.

1913 April – Chokichi Ohama (b 1879) arrives from Yokohama on Hitachi Maru – Mrs Toku Ohama, Shiro Watahiki, J. Nakashima, Ichitaro Nishizawa, Junkichi Ide, and 4 children under 12: S Kobayashi, K Kyose, T Kayama, Kimbei Shimanuki – join Mizunos

1913 November – Yasujiro Hamamura aged 21 from Kobe arrived in London from Yokohama with Rokusuke Yasuda 22, Harukichi Mayebayashi 11, Toyotaro Kashikura 8, Toyokichi Kashikura 10, Sentaro Imai 10, Kintaro Yamashita 12, Usaburo Yamashita 8. All acrobats

1913 The Hamamura Family start performing in Britain

1913 478 Japanese nationals resident in Britain

1913 September – Mizuno Troupe perform at Leamington Spa

1914 American film The Love of Tokiwa released.

1914 June – Otake dies aged 59, according to her death certificate, of cardiac failure and rheumatoid arthritis, at her home in Merton Road, Wimbledon.

1914 June – Shoichi Matsuura, Miya Sekiguchi, Aya Funakawa, Mr & Mrs Hajime Yamaguchi returned to Britain, (having been at the Japan-British Exhibition in 1910) from Latin American tour, before which they had been resident in Germany, along with Suyekichi Eida from Brazil and Gono Udagawa from Germany.

1914 June – Mr Y Sawata, Mr M Uyeno, Master T Ideya, Mr K Yokoyama, Master M Yoshida, Master M Yamano – acrobats arrive on Mishima maru

1914 July – K Sekiguchi (32), M Sekiguchi (8), S. Ono (8) – Artists arrive on Atsuta maru – Royal Tokiwa

1914 July – beginning of WWI.

1914-5 – Japan enters WWI as ally of Britain. Captures German occupied Tsingtao.

1914 August – The Futami Troupe start performing in Britain

1914 August – British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act – a British woman marrying an alien would also become an alien and automatically lose her British nationality. Every person entering Britain had to show proof of identity. Aliens over 16 had to register with the police. Home Secretary able to deport aliens if deemed conducive to the public good.

1914 September – Wakichi Senoo, Kingoro Nakata, S Furuichi, Kokichi Shimizu Circus – 11 and 12 years old

1914 September – 18 groups of Japanese performers were identified as in Europe – 87 people in total, over 100 when taking account of stage hands, directors, costumers etc: Yokota group 12 people, Hamamura group 7 people, Yamagata group 5 people, Futami group 7 people, Mitsuda group 2 people, Yamamoto (Marihi) 1 person, Arayama 1 person, Tenka group 4 people , Ando group 6 people, Okabe group 7 people, Ryogoku group 7 people, Aoki group 7 people, Hinode group 3 people, Yamamoto Koyoshi group 2 women , Hanako group (actresses) 3 people, Soga group 2 people, Koten 2 group 7 people, Fukushima group 4 – Osaka Jiji Shinpo

1914 December – Kamakura troupe perform at the Grand Theatre, Birmingham

1915 September – Mitsubishi Goshi opens an office in London

1915 The Esa Trio start performing in Britain

1915 The Mikado Troupe start performing in Britain

1915 – Japan’s 21 Demands. Would have prohibited European powers from extending influence in China any further.

1915 – Japanese resident in Britain apply to Japanese consulate for passports, including Suwa Asazo, Ohsuga, Yoshii Terujiro.

1916 Japanese Club in Britain starts publishing a directory of Japanese living in Britain. Nichiei Shinshi, monthly newspaper, starts publication.

1916 January – The Tokiwa Troupe start performing in Britain

1917 Ikuine Junkichi converts part of his boarding house in Fitzroy Square London into a refreshment rooms.

1917 The Akebono Troupe start performing in Britain

1917 Tokiwa Japanese restaurant opened in Soho

1918 Ikuine Junkichi opens a Japanese restaurant on Finsbury Pavement EC2

1918 April – The Soga Trio start performing in Britain

1918 April – The Okayama Troupe start performing in Britain

1918 June – There are still 18 troupes and around 90 Japanese performers in Europe – Yokota-gumi (12 members), Hamamura Group (7 people), Yamagata group (5 people), Futami group (7 people), Mitsuda group (3 people), Yamamoto (1 person), Arayama (1 person), Tenka group (4 people), Ando group (4 people), Okabe group (7 people), Ryogoku group (7 people), Ao-gumi 7 people), Hinode group (3 people), Koyoshi Yamamoto troupe (2 people), Hanako Theater company (3 people), Soga group (2 people), Oyahito group (7 people), Fukushima group (4 people) Osaka Asahi Shimbun

1918 July – The Deguchi Troupe start performing in Britain

1918 December – The Kobes start performing in Britain

1919 – Japan proposes racial equality clause in negotiations to form League of Nations. Britain cannot assent because of support for White Australia. Proposal rejected.

1919 August – The Royal Nikko Family start performing in Britain

1919 October – Mr S Kikuda, 42, artist [Suketaro], Mrs S Kikuda 26 [Koto Hamamura] 2 daughters 10 and 8, [Masuko and Hamako] Mrs M Hamamura [Nui Soga] wife, 26, master Hamamura 8 [Tamotsu], Miss N Sakamaki 9, Miss M Iwanami 10 [Mitsuko]

1919 December – Aliens Restriction Act extended the powers of the wartime Act of 1914 which obliged foreign nationals to register with the police, enabled their deportation, and restricted where they could live. The primary aim of the 1914 Act was to target ‘enemy aliens’ resident in Britain during the First World War. The 1919 Act continued these restrictions into peace-time and extended them. It restricted the employment rights of aliens resident in Britain, barring them from certain jobs (in the civil service, for example), and had a particular impact on foreign seamen working on British ships. It also targeted criminals, paupers and ‘undesirables’, and made it illegal for aliens to promote industrial action. A motivation for the extension of the restrictions was the end to the wartime labour shortages and consequent desire to safeguard jobs for indigenous white Britons.

1919 971 Japanese nationals resident in Britain

1919 Mitsubishi Lawn Tennis Club started in Hampstead