Nagasaki Naval Training Center

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Nagasaki Naval Training Center (Jp:長崎海軍伝習所) was a naval training institute, established in 1855 by the government of the Shogun. The decision to build the center, together with the decision to order modern steam warships, was part of the actions taken by the Bakufu to modernize following the forcible opening of Japan by Commodore Perry in 1854.

The training center was established by the Dutch settlement of Dejima in Nagasaki, where maximum interaction with Dutch naval know-how would be made possible, and was managed by the Director Nagai Naoyuki (Jp:永井尚志). The center was also equipped with Japan's first steamship, the Kankō Maru, given by the government of the Netherlands in 1855.

Dutch Navy officers were in charge of education, the first one being Pels Rijcken (in charge from 1855 to 1857), and the second one Kattendijke (in cahrge from 1857-1859).

The future Admiral Enomoto Takeaki was one of the student of the Training Center.

The Training Center was closed in 1859, and education transferred to Tsukiji in Tokyo, where the Kankō Maru was also sailed by a Japanese-only crew.