President's Daily Report
Participating in the Memorial Service at the Site of Joseph Hardy Neesima’s Departure for Overseas
Joseph Hardy Neesima, the founder of Doshisha, defied the government ban on overseas travel in 1864 and set sail from Hakodate bound for the United States.
A monument commemorating this historic event, the “Joseph Hardy Neesima Overseas Departure Site Monument,” has been erected in Hakodate.
Every year on June 14, a ceremony is held at the monument in Hakodate, and I attended this year.
The Director of Administration of the Board of Trustees of the Doshisha served as master of ceremonies, and I delivered an address as President.
The Deputy Director of the Hakodate City Tourism Bureau also attended and offered remarks.
Alumni not only from Hokkaido but also from neighboring prefectures participated, and together we reflected on the day Joseph Hardy Neesima set sail for overseas.
In addition, on the day before the ceremony, I visited the Hakodate Orthodox Church (a designated Important Cultural Property), the Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall (a designated Important Cultural Property), and Mount Hakodate.
The Hakodate City tourist map lists the “Joseph Hardy Neesima Overseas Departure Site Monument” alongside these other sites, which reaffirmed the connection between Doshisha and Hakodate.