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 Government Building of the Colonial Department, Sapporo (model) |
【１】The theme of this room is "The Early Modern Era", dealing with Hokkaido history from 1869 to 1886. The Meiji government established the Colonial Department in 1869 to carry out the development of Hokkaido. It was partly because military tensions had increased on Sakhalin, where both Japanese and Russians lived, that the Japanese government was paying attention to this northern region. 【２】In addition, however, the government expected much from Hokkaido, with its abundant natural resources and vast lands available for cultivation as Japan moved to modernize and improve its international standing. By strengthening the nation militarily and economically, and emulating the systems and techniques of the West, the government hoped to free Japan from the burden of unequal treaties that had been forced upon it by the stronger Western nations. Accordingly, the government decided to invest, over a ten-year period, a total of 10 million yen in the development of Hokkaido--a huge amount of money at that time. It also invited Mr. Horace Capron, at that time the Commissioner of Agriculture of the United States, to be the Colonial Department's chief advisor. In addition to Capron, many foreign technical experts, mainly from America, were invited in a wide range of fields, including surveying, engineering, civil engineering, geology, mining, and agriculture. The development of Hokkaido proceeded based on their studies, recommendations, and assistance. |
 Canned and Beer Foods  Farming Utensils (model) 
 Tonden-hei Uniform  Settlers of Samurai |
【３】Sapporo was designated as the capital, and was, in short order, transformed from forest to a modern city with wide, straight streets and western-style buildings. The Colonial Department owned steamships used to promote sea transportation, constructed railways and macadam roads for horse-drawn carriages, and established postal and communication facilities. Experimental farms were started to introduce Western crops, livestock and agricultural equipment. Coal mines were opened, and factories built to manufacture or process lumber, beer, sugar, canned foods, steel and more--all making the best use of the natural resources of Hokkaido. Sapporo Agricultural College, the present Hokkaido University, nurtured the island's human resources as well. 【４】The Colonial Department tried to encourage immigration of farmers by guaranteeing their protection, but few stayed. The exceptions were those with samurai backgrounds. The Meiji Restoration had ended the feudal system in which the samurai had played their key role. Many came to Hokkaido as farmers, reuniting under their former masters, or serving as farmer-soldiers--"tonden-hei"--in the new colonial militia. Indeed, the success of the ton-den-hei, as they settled in undeveloped areas and defended the frontier, became an inspiration to the next wave of settlers. 【５】Meanwhile, the Ainu were being driven from their traditional homes as the mountains and plains that had been their hunting and fishing grounds came under the control of the government. The Colonial Department banned many traditional customs, forced the Ainu to use the Japanese language and take Japanese names, and encouraged them to engage in agriculture. The Ainu culture was being rapidly eroded. |
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