The Japan Times<p>In 1853, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Edo Bay and inflicted national humiliation on Japan. In 2025, the town of Shimoda celebrates him for it. <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/05/08/travel/shimoda-festival-black-ships-history-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/05/</span><span class="invisible">08/travel/shimoda-festival-black-ships-history-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/life" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>life</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/travel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>travel</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/festivals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>festivals</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/shizuoka" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>shizuoka</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/travel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>travel</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/blackships" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>blackships</span></a></p>