San Francisco whaling ships, the little steam train that was more than a toy, the Dutch connection, and much more! Delve into the archives to find out how two nations became allies.

(Click Here) An account of the dramatic events surrounding the start of formal relations between the U.S. and Japan in the 19th century, from an American perspective.

(Click Here) Details about how Japan anticipated the Perry expedition and actually welcomed U.S. intervention as a chance to end the crumbling shogunate's self-destructive isolation.