Author of The Emperor and the Spy
This 1908 photo presents an exciting moment in international business relations, the first modern day U.S. Japan trade/economic alliance which helped the U.S. during a period of economic instability, while at the same strengthening U.S. Japan political and cultural relations.
Grant’s world tour journey began after completing his two terms as U.S. president. Ulysses S. Grant with his wife Julia, and one of his sons, 29-year-old son Frederick, had planned a vacation to England to visit their daughter, Nellie, but this voyage mushroomed into an unprecedented journey, embarking on a two year world adventure on May 17, 1877 touring Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and being welcomed everywhere they visited.
The Grant family’s last stop was Japan in June 1879, before returning to the U.S. – According to the Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation and Museum, Shibusawa Eiichi (then 39 years old) served as chairman of the Tokyo Committee to Welcome General Grant (18th President of the United States).