Nankyoku tanken (Expedition to the South Pole)

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Nankyoku tanken ["Expedition to the South Pole"] 

Shirase, Nobu [text by]. 

Tōkyō: Hakubunkan, Taishō 2 [1913]. First edition.

A personal account of Japan's first Antarctic expedition (1910-1912) recorded by the expedition's leader, Japanese Army Lieutenant Shirase Nobu (1861–1946). Shirase's crew departed Tokyo on the Kainan-maru on November 29th, 1910, for the South Pole, woefully under-funded for its intrepid journey. After encountering ice too thick to penetrate, Shirase and his crew had to retreat to Australia, where they waited seven months (until spring) for a second attempt. The troubles the crew, and particularly Shirase, encountered in Sydney during this period are meticulously detailed in this volume. After hearing of Robert F. Scott and Roald Amundsen's race to the Pole, Shirase decided to change tactics for his next attempt, setting his sights on more general exploration as a goal. Setting off once again, the Kainan-maru encountered Amundsen's ship Fram near the Great Ice Barrier and succeeded in exploring the Alexandra Range in King Edward VII Land. Two Ainu men and two Karafuto Ainu sleigh dogs were instrumental in the crew's accomplishments and are pictured in several photographic images in this highly illustrated work. After a brief stop in New Zealand, the crew arrived back in Japan in June of 1912. Despite the fact that they were celebrated in the press upon their return, Shirase died in obscurity in 1946. 

      Nankyoku tanken is both a symbol of a largely forgotten episode in the “heroic age” of polar exploration and a highly personal and nuanced record of cultural and political challenges faced by the Japanese crew in an Australian society influenced by the 'White Australia Policy'. A scarce first edition, in its original dust jacket.

One volume, complete. Scarce original dust jacket with a few stains, ink marks, tears, and losses, partially repaired. Original wrappers a little browned and creased, bubbling to upper, a few tears to spine. Title leaf, first text leaf of text, page facing map, and last leaf of ads browned. Occasional light soiling and marks to text. Crease to left edge of folding map. [4 leaves of photographic illustrations], 4, 2, 12, 400 p. + [1 folding map]. 22.4 x 14.8 cm. Text in Japanese.

Nankyoku tanken (Expedition to the South Pole)
Price: $6,875.00 (USD)