Nankyoku Tanken (Expedition to Antarctica)

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Nankyoku Tanken [Expedition to Antarctica]

Shirase, Nobu [text by].

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

A third edition of the 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 their intrepid journey. An icy impasse forced Shirase and his crew to abandon their course and retreat to Australia for seven months before re-attempting the journey. After hearing of Robert F. Scott and Roald Amundsen's race to the Pole, Shirase changed 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. After a brief stop in New Zealand, the crew arrived back in Japan in June of 1912. Two Ainu men and two Karafuto sleigh dogs were instrumental in the crew's accomplishments and are pictured in several photographic images in this highly illustrated work. Despite the fact that he was celebrated in the press upon his 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 Australia. This third edition was published less than two months after the first edition and predates the official account of the expedition. All editions are scarce.

One Western-bound volume, complete, lacking original dust jacket. Original wrappers a little browned, extremities scuffed, with a few small marks, repairs to spine. Sticker residue and small ex-ownership stamp to front endpaper. Title leaf and first text leaf browned. Map lightly foxed. Occasional light marks and browning to text. [4 leaves of photographic illustrations], 4, 2, 12, 400, 8 p. + [1 folding map]. 22.4 x 14.8 cm

Nankyoku Tanken (Expedition to Antarctica)
Price: $1,640.00 (USD)