Comments on: The Incredible Tale of the Elephant Who Had an Audience with the Japanese Emperor https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/ Exploring Japan's History, Culture, and Hidden Stories Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 By: Diane Tincher https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-30243 Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:54:00 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-30243 In reply to Alfred.

Imagine that! Refusing an elephant! Maybe the shogun had heard how much work it was to take care of one.

There was an elephant brought as a gift to Ashikaga Yoshimochi in 1408, but we don’t know if he actually saw it. He regifted it to the King of Joseon, who pitied it (not knowing how to care for an elephant) and it was shipped back home, and, one hopes, lived happily ever after.

Another elephant was sent as a gift from the Spanish Governor-general of the Philippines to encourage Hideyoshi to resume trade with the Spanish, as you can read here: https://www.morethantokyo.com/christian-martyrs-elephant/
The precursor to the elephant story is tragic, sadly.

And then there was Shiro.

]]> By: Alfred https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-30166 Mon, 14 Sep 2026 17:34:51 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-30166 What a wonderful story! Thank you.
I came accross this site when searching for information about the elephant that the Dutch brought to Japan in 1813 as an offer to the Shogun. However the offer was refused! The Dutch had to return the elephant to the ship. It must have been humiliating. I learned this story when i was in Dejima.

]]> By: Diane Tincher https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-1254 Mon, 06 May 2024 22:16:34 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-1254 In reply to Debra.

Thank you, Debra! I had only heard that he existed before I did my research. Now I’m learning he was mentioned along the Nagasaki Sendo in Kokura, Kitakyushu, and the Tokaido. I will have to follow in his footsteps one of these days.

]]> By: Debra https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-1251 Mon, 06 May 2024 13:37:33 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-1251 I’d wondered about this elephant ever since hearing about it while trekking the Tokaido Trail — from your post it sounds an even more arduous journey than I’d imagined!

]]> By: Diane Tincher https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-1215 Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:31:57 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-1215 In reply to Sheila.

Thank you, Sheila! It was a job to research and piece the story together, but I’m glad I did. Thank you for your kind words!

]]> By: Sheila https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-1214 Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:41:33 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-1214 What a fascinating story that hasn’t been told! Thank you for translating and sharing it with us!

]]> By: Diane Tincher https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-33 Thu, 07 Apr 2022 00:42:10 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-33 I’m happy to hear that! Thank you for reading!

]]> By: Sleiman https://www.morethantokyo.com/elephant-met-japanese-emperor/#comment-32 Thu, 07 Apr 2022 00:02:51 +0000 https://www.morethantokyo.com/?p=5709#comment-32 Seriously enjoyed this story! An elephant, in Edo!

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