The Ainu group at the Saint Louis Exposition

The narrative follows a determined traveler who, in the spring of 1904, sets out from St. Louis for Japan with the unusual commission of gathering a small community of Ainu, the indigenous people of northern Japan, and bringing them to the United States for the upcoming exposition. Along the way he encounters the sudden outbreak of the Russo‑Japanese War, yet finds Japanese officials courteous and efficient, revealing a nation balancing wartime urgency with surprising hospitality. Their journey offers a vivid portrait of a people rarely seen outside their homeland, and the logistical challenges of moving an entire cultural group across the globe.

While waiting in Tokyo, the author explores the Imperial University’s anthropology department, observing meticulous collections of stone‑age artifacts and ethnographic displays that illuminate Japan’s own ancient past. He records conversations with scholars, reflects on the Ainu’s distinct customs, and sketches the tension between curiosity and exploitation that often accompanies such exhibitions. The first act ends with the expedition poised to set sail, promising a rare glimpse into an encounter between two worlds at a pivotal moment in history.