Based on the diaries of Shibusawa Eiichi and Masuda Meiroku, as well as other records.

Commercial Commissioners in the U.S.

September, 1909

• Wednesday, September 1, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Seattle, lodgings at Washington Hotel.
• Thursday, September 2, partially sunny:
  Observed a fire department demonstration.
• Friday, September 3, cloudy, cold:
  Visited a beer factory and other places.
• Saturday, September 4, sunny, hot:
  The entire city greeted us, setting aside the day as "Japan Day" at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition.
• Sunday, September 5, sunny, hot:
  Visited farms and other sites. Boarded the 10:40 P.M. special night train, sleeping en route.
• Monday, September 6, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Tacoma at 7:30 A.M. Visited Mt. Rainier National Park. Slept aboard train.
• Tuesday, September 7, sunny, cold:
  Returned to Tacoma at 2:00 P.M. Visited Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. Stayed at Hotel Tacoma.
• Wednesday, September 8, partially sunny, cold:
  Visited lumber mill and other locations. Departed Tacoma late at night; slept en route.
• Thursday, September 9, sunny:
  Arrived Portland early morning. Toured sights of the city. Stayed at Portland Hotel.
• Friday, September 10, rainy, cold:
  Visited the nearby town of Vancouver. Departed at 4:30 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Saturday, September 11, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Spokane at 4:00 A.M. Visited Spokane Chamber of Commerce and other places. Stayed at Hotel Spokane.
• Sunday, September 12, sunny, cold:
  Toured sights of the city. Attended a play in the evening. Slept on the train.
• Monday, September 13, sunny, cold:
  Visited Potlatch, Idaho. Returned to Spokane at night. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, September 14, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Anaconda at 8:30 A.M. Visited copper mine, and stopped by Butte. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, September 15, sunny, cold:
  On train entire day, heading out of Montana into North Dakota. Slept on the train.
• Thursday, September 16, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Fargo at 7:45 A.M. Visited agricultural experiment station. Arrived Grand Forks at 2:20 P.M. Visited local agricultural school. Slept on the train.
• Friday, September 17, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Hibbing at 6:00 A.M. Visited the Stevenson Iron Mine. Arrived Duluth in the afternoon. Hotel lodgings.
• Saturday, September 18, sunny:
  Visited the city and ports along Lake Superior. Departed at 11:30 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Sunday, September 19, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Minneapolis at 6:00 A.M. Met with U.S. President William Howard Taft, and visited factories. Hotel lodgings
• Monday, September 20, sunny, cold:
  Met with the mayor. Visited the University of Minnesota. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, September 21, lightning storm, cold:
  Arrived St. Paul at 5:30 A.M. Visited the city, and attended the delegation welcoming party. Visited manufacturers and wholesalers. Departed at 11:30 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, September 22, rainy, cold:
  Arrived Madison at 8:30 A.M. Visited the University of Wisconsin. Arrived Milwaukee at 2:00 P.M. Hotel lodgings.
• Thursday, September 23, sunny, cold:
  Visited steel works and other locations. Departed in the evening. Slept on the train.
• Friday, September 24, sunny, cold:
  Arrived Chicago in early morning. Visited banks and the steel works. Lodgings at the Congress Hotel.
• Saturday, September 25, sunny, cold:
  Visited University of Chicago, newspaper company, and other locations. Hotel lodgings.
• Sunday, September 26, sunny, cold:
  Visited Jackson Park. Hotel lodgings.
• Monday, September 27, sunny:
  Attended the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry's welcome party; visited art institute, schools, hospitals, etc.; departed by train at 1:30 A.M. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, September 28, cloudy:
  Arrived South Bend [Indiana] at 6:30 A.M. Visited the University of Notre Dame. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, September 29, cloudy:
  Arrived Grand Rapids at 6:00 A.M. Visited a furniture factory and other sites. Slept on the train.
• Thursday, September 30, sunny:
  Arrived Detroit at 8:00 A.M. Attended Park Davis welcome party and other events. Lodgings at Cadillac Hotel.

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October, 1909

• Friday, October 1, cloudy:
  Visited a park and a seismometer factory. Attended Detroit Chamber of Commerce banquet and other events. Slept on the train.
• Saturday, October 2, sunny:
  Arrived Cleveland at 9:00 A.M. Visited the grave of former Secretary of State John Hay. Stayed at Hollenden Hotel.
• Sunday, October 3, sunny:
  Rested. Stayed at the hotel.
• Monday, October 4, sunny:
  Attended the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce dinner party. Attended by Mr. John D. Rockefeller. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, October 5, sunny:
  Arrived Dunkirk at 7:00 A.M. Visited railway company, toured grape fields and winery. Arrived Buffalo at 3:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, October 6, sunny:
  Visited Niagara Falls. Slept on the train
• Thursday, October 7, sunny:
  Arrived Rochester at 6:30 A.M. Visited Eastman Kodak Company. Slept on the train.
• Friday, October 8, sunny:
  Arrived Ithaca [New York] at 7:30 A.M. Visited Cornell University. Slept on the train.
• Saturday, October 9, cloudy:
  Arrived Syracuse at 3:15 A.M. Reception at 8:30. Visited power plant and other sites. Slept on the train.
• Sunday, October 10, sunny:
  Rested. Visited the city of Manlius in the afternoon. Slept on the train.
• Monday, October 11, sunny:
  Arrived Schenectady at 4:00 A.M. Visited General Electric Company. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, October 12, sunny:
  Arrived New York Grand Central Station at 6:30 A.M. Stayed at Astor Hotel.
• Wednesday, October 13, sunny:
  Welcome party given by raw silk importers' association. Visited the grave of General Ulysses S. Grant. Lodgings at Astor Hotel.
• Thursday, October 14, sunny:
  Attended Chamber of Commerce reception and other events. Hotel lodgings.
• Friday, October 15, sunny, windy:
  Visited the harbor. Hotel lodgings.
• Saturday, October 16, sunny:
  Attended New York Peace Association welcoming party. Visited the Hippodrome Theater. Hotel lodgings.
• Sunday, October 17, sunny:
  Took part in the Tokyo Commercial College reunion. Hotel lodgings.
• Monday, October 18, sunny:
  No events scheduled. Hotel lodgings.
• Tuesday, October 19, sunny:
  Visited silk weaving factory. Had dinner at the Nippon Club. Hotel lodgings.
• Wednesday, October 20, sunny:
  Lunch at the Lawyer's Club. Visited the grave of Townsend Harris. Hotel lodgings.
• Thursday, October 21, sunny:
  Attended the Jacob Schiff welcome party. Slept on the train.
• Friday, October 22, sunny:
  Arrived New Haven at 4:00 A.M. Visited factories and Yale University. Arrived Providence at 1:50 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Saturday, October 23, cloudy:
  Arrived Boston at 8:00 A.M. Visited the Waltham Clock Company and Harvard University. Hotel lodgings.
• Sunday, October 24, rainy:
  Day trip to Newport, visited the grave of Commodore Matthew C. Perry. Hotel lodgings.
• Monday, October 25, cloudy:
  Visited various factories. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, October 26, sunny:
  Arrived Wooster at 8:00 A.M. Visited the sewage purification plant. Arrived Springfield 2:00 P.M. Received official telegram informing us about the assassination of Ito Hirobumi. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, October 27, sunny:
  Arrived Newark at 9:00 A.M. Met with Thomas Edison. Attended welcome party. Arrived Reading [Pennsylvania] at 9:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Thursday, October 28, cloudy:
  Arrived South Mount at 8:00 A.M. Attended welcome party. Returned to Reading at 10:00 A.M. and attended their great welcome party. Arrived Philadelphia at 6:30 P.M. Stayed at Bellevue Stratford Hotel.
• Friday, October 29, sunny:
  Visited the Mint Bureau, University of Pennsylvania, Gerard College, and other sites. Hotel lodgings.
• Saturday, October 30, sunny:
  Attended the mayor's reception and visited the Navy arms factory. Attended the Manufacturers' Club welcoming party. Stayed at the hotel.
• Sunday, October 31, sunny:
  Slept on the train.

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November, 1909

• Monday, November 1, sunny:
  Arrived Washington D.C. at 9:20 A.M. Met with Secretary of State Knox and others. Lodgings at Willard Hotel.
• Tuesday, November 2, sunny:
  Attended the Metropolitan Club dinner party and other events. Hotel lodgings.
• Wednesday, November 3, sunny:
  Attended the party for the Emperor’s Birthday, hosted by the Japanese Embassy. Mr. Knox also attended. Departed at midnight. Slept on the train.
• Thursday, November 4, sunny:
  Arrived Baltimore at 3:00 A.M. Attended welcoming party at Belvedere Hotel and other events. Slept on the train.
• Friday, November 5, cloudy:
  Arrived Pittsburg at 8:50 A.M. Visited the Homestead Steel Works and other sites. Lodgings at Schenley Hotel.
• Saturday, November 6, cloudy:
  Visited glass factory, Heinz food factory et al. Departed at midnight. Slept on the train.
• Sunday, November 7, sunny:
  Arrived Cincinnati at 7:00 A.M. Lodgings at Sinton Hotel.
• Monday, November 8, rainy:
  Attended Cincinnati U.S.A. Regional Chamber of Commerce reception. Departed in the evening. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, November 9, sunny:
  Arrived Indianapolis at 6:00 A.M. Attended welcome party and other events. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, November 10, sunny:
  Arrived St. Louis at 7:30 A.M. Attended various welcome parties. Hotel lodgings.
• Thursday, November 11, sunny:
  Visited factories, and attended a theater. Departed at night. Slept on the train.
• Friday, November 12, rainy:
  Arrived Kansas City at 7:30 A.M. Attended various welcome parties. Slept on the train.
• Saturday, November 13:
  Arrived Omaha at 7:50 A.M. Attended reception and visited factories. Took part in the commercial club dinner party. Hotel lodgings.
• Sunday, November 14, snowy:
  Arrived Denver at 7:30 A.M. Welcomed by local Japanese residents. Hotel lodgings.
• Monday, November 15, snowy:
  Visited schools and other sites. Attended a welcome dinner party. Departed past midnight. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, November 16, sunny:
  Rode over Rocky Mountains on train. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, November 17, sunny:
  Arrived Salt Lake City at 8:00 P.M. Departed for Nevada through Ogden. Slept on the train.
• Thursday, November 18, sunny:
  Arrived Sacramento at 11:00 A.M. Met with Japanese countrymen. Arrived San Jose at noon. Arrived and rested at Delmont at 5:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Friday, November 19, sunny:
  Arrived Santa Barbara at 7:30 A.M. Arrived Los Angeles at noon. Caught a cold. Hotel lodgings.
• Saturday, November 20, sunny:
  Day off due to cold. Hotel lodgings.
• Sunday, November 21, sunny:
  Day off. Returned to train at 9:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Monday, November 22, sunny:
  Arrived San Diego at 7:00 A.M. Attended Chamber of Commerce welcome party and other activities. Slept on the train.
• Tuesday, November 23, sunny:
  Arrived Riverside at 8:00 A.M. Arrived Redlands at 11:40 A.M. Departed at 2:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Wednesday, November 24, sunny:
  Arrived Williams at 9:00 A.M. Arrived the Grand Canyon at noon. Departed at 9:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Thursday, November 25, rainy:
  Arrived Barstow at 1:00 A.M. Met with local Japanese residents. Arrived Bakersfield at 4:00 P.M. Slept on the train.
• Friday, November 26, sunny:
  Arrived Oakland at 6:00 A.M. Visited the University of California, Berkeley and other sites. Attended reception. Stayed at Fairmont Hotel.
• Saturday, November 27:
  Sightseeing in city and other activities. Visited Golden Gate Bridge. Hotel lodgings.
• Sunday, November 28:
  Attended welcome reception. Hotel lodgings.
• Monday, November 29:
  Visited companies and factories. Hotel lodgings.
• Tuesday, November 30:
  Departed for Japan on board the Chiyo Maru.