Historical Walking Tour: The Namamugi Incident

Historical Walking Tour: The Namamugi Incident

YCAPS Walking Tour
Sunday, February 22nd, 2026, 10:15 to approx 13:30 JST

The Namamugi incident occurred on 14 September 1862 during the final period of the Tokugawa Shogunate rule. A British merchant, named Charles Lennox Richardson, was killed by the armed retinue of Shimazu Hisamitsu, the father of the daimyo of Satsuma Domain, on a road in Namamugi near Kawasaki. Richardson and his companions were traveling towards Edo from the port of Yokohama when they encountered the Satsuma domain procession traveling in the opposite direction. The merchant failed to yield the road or observe proper respect for the family of the daimyo, which caused the Satsuma samurai to attack and kill him, severely wounding two of his companions. Richardson's killing sparked outrage among Europeans for violating their extraterritoriality in Japan and a political crisis for the Tokugawa Shogunate. Japanese, particularly Satsuma officials, argued that Richardson had disrespected Shimazu and was justifiably killed under the Kiri-sute gomen rule. British demands for compensation and failure by the Satsuma domain to respond later resulted in the Bombardment of Kagoshima (or Anglo-Satsuma War) in August 1863. This was one of several incidents that directly led to what would later become the Meiji restoration.

We will begin by walking to the Namamugi Incident Museum, where the volunteer staff will give a presentation about the incident, its importance in Japanese history, and how the community continues to honor its history. The museum also has an impressive collection of letters, photos, wood block prints, news clippings, and other artifacts related to the incident for us to browse. Then, we will walk to the small Namamugi Incident Memorial shrine, followed by a stroll up the modern Tokaido towards the location where the Incident occurred. Lastly, we will return to the station area for lunch at Super Papa’s for a moderated discussion on the incident.

The total walking distance is roughly 2.2 km. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, up a set of stairs. If that would be difficult for you and you need accommodations, please let us know at the time of registration.

Meeting Location: NamamugiStation (Keikyuu Line), outside the ticket gates
Google Maps: here

Cost: Free, however participants will be expected to pay for their own lunch

TourLeaders: Jenna & Coulter Lindeke Heavenrich

Registration is required. To register, complete this registration form. *Space will be limited to 20 participants, so please RSVP early.