ABSTRACT
Shogun Ienari’s audience for two castaways, the ship master Daikokuya K3day5 and sailor Isokichi, had almost nothing in common with their reception by Catherine the Great. According to K3day5’s account, when they first saw Catherine, she was surrounded by female attendants. The chief minister took K3day5 by the hand, led him to the empress, and told him to place his hands on top of each other. Catherine stretched out her hand and touched his palm. “I was told to suck (name) her fingers, and so I did.” For the audience on 1793/9/18, Ienari went to the viewing stand in Fukiage park outside the main enceinte. He took his seat at the center, hidden behind bamboo blinds (misu). An attendant sat to his left. To his right were Matsudaira Sadanobu and other high officials. Lowerranking officials sat at right angles to the shogun, visible to the two castaways sitting on the ground (Fig. 14.1). Ienari never addressed the castaways directly; officials mediated his questions and the castaways’ replies. Portraits of Catherine circulated in Russia and Japan; portraits of Ienari did not.1
