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After centuries of total isolation of Japan, a country of relative mystery it started to come under the spotlight of the western powers. The intestine wars that it was facing renewed the desire for the west to commence commercial dealings. The western powers, always interested in new conquests, looked with particular interest at this land. Italy had opened a commercial treaty with Japan, based on the importation of silk. The “pedrina” illness that caused the death of silkworms caused a crisis in the Northern Italian silk industry.
In 1872 Giacomo Bove had just successfully passed his exams at the Naval Academy and was spending his holidays in Maranzana, when he was asked to embark on the ship “Governolo” for a scientific mission in the east. The experts wanted to study the coastlines of Borneo to specifically survey the morphological, hydrographical and ethnographical aspects Giacomo Bove was appointed as the cartographer of the expedition.
They returned november 1873. They also researched Malaysia, China, and Japan.
This journey is widely documented in the book “UN VIAGGIATORE ITALIANO IN GIAPPONE” by Paolo Puddinu teacher at the Sassari University who by a lucky stroke, found “IL GIORNALE PARTICOLARE” written by Bove during his journey.
He published it under the support of the Sassari University and Monte Bussan of Tokyo.
A picture of G. Bove in Japan
Book “un viaggiatore italiano in Giappone”
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