Lounge discussions, office hours, and thematic explorations across eleven days
Senior Lecturer in Modern Japanese History, SOAS University of London
Dr Gerteis specializes in the history of modern Japan and East Asia, with particular expertise in maritime trade, colonial encounters, and the Ryukyu Kingdom. He will lead lounge discussions and be available for office hours throughout the voyage.
An introduction to the voyage ahead—from the treaty port world of Hong Kong to the island kingdoms of Ryukyu and the samurai domains of southern Japan.
The South China Sea teemed with diverse maritime organizations for centuries. Merchants, traders, and seafaring communities contested these waters. How did empires try to govern the sea—and why was it so challenging?
Drop by the Lounge to discuss the voyage themes, ask questions, or explore topics in more depth.
Explore Formosa's contested history—from Qing frontier to Japanese colony. Suggested visits include the National Palace Museum, Taipei 228 Memorial, and Jiufen old town.
Small islands became big problems when empires tried to draw borders through the sea. How did the Yaeyama Islands come to mark the edge of competing sovereignties?
The southernmost reach of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Explore Kabira Bay, visit the Yaeyama Museum, and discover the minsā textile tradition that survived colonial extraction.
The Ryukyu Kingdom was built on trade—Chinese silk flowing one way, island products the other. How did small islands become crucial nodes in vast commercial networks?
The capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Visit reconstructed Shuri Castle, explore the Tsuboya pottery district, and walk the streets where tribute missions once assembled.
An evening reflection on Ryukyuan history—how a small kingdom survived by making itself indispensable to larger powers, and what was lost when it couldn't.
The 1609 Satsuma campaign reshaped the Ryukyu Kingdom. How did a new border through the island chain create new forms of governance and regional identity?
The transformed island economy—explore the island's complex history at the Amami Museum, visit ōshima tsumugi silk workshops, and taste kokutō shōchū made from local sugarcane.
Satsuma built an industrial powerhouse on sugar revenues from the islands. How did island commodities finance the modernization that would help end the Shogunate?
The Shimazu stronghold beneath Sakurajima volcano. Visit the Shōkoshūseikan industrial heritage site, the Shimazu memorial gardens, and Saigō Takamori's statue overlooking the bay.
How did the regional domain economy become a unified national market? The Meiji transformation and what was gained—and lost—in the making of modern Japan.
Japan's commercial heart. Visit the Osaka Museum of History, explore Kobe's foreign settlement, and walk the streets where domain rice was traded and fortunes made.
In the shadow of Mount Fuji. Visit Miho-no-Matsubara beach (UNESCO World Heritage), explore the tea warehouses, and see the view that inspired Hokusai and Hiroshige.
Our final discussion—looking back on what we've learned about maritime connections, island kingdoms, and the making of modern East Asia. What questions remain?
A final gathering as we approach Tokyo Bay and the end of our journey through the Silk Road of the Sea.
Our voyage ends where Japan's modern transformation began. The Shogun's capital, remade as the Emperor's seat—and the heart of contemporary Japan.
Continuing your journey?
View Schedule forTokyo → Hong Kong