80115-0001 - Burnt Down American Legation

Burnt down American Legation at Zenpukuji (善福寺) in Azabu, Tokyo, photographed by Felice Beato in August 1863 (Bunkyu 3).

In 1859 (Ansei 6), the Buddhist temple became the home of the first American legation in Edo. On May 24, 1863, several temple buildings were burned down by anti-Western samurai of the Mito Han.

This prompted the US Minister to Japan, Robert Hewson Pruyn (1815–1882), successor of US Consul Townsend Harris (1804–1878), to move to Yokohama.