Yokohama gained sudden recognition as a treaty port in 1859. Before that it was Japan’s premier harbor for overseas trade. Its cosmopolitan milieu was due to large Western and Chinese populations, each contributing to a rich mixture of cuisine and culture. Foreigners thronged the town, and the abrupt end of feudalism meant that ambitious young Japanese could leave the remote countryside and make their fortunes in a new town, eventually transforming Japan as well.
This colorful history inspired Steadfast, a book that traces the intertwined paths of the city and an international school, Saint Maur, on top of a steep hill overlooking the harbor. The growth of Yokohama is a continuing theme, along with global trade, international education, and the troubled history of Christianity in Japan. The main characters are tough, determined, courageous, and resilient women (who often had to overcome interference by bossy, entitled men). The setting includes not only Yokohama but also Paris, Nagasaki, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Yokohama and Saint Maur are alike in that both survived two world wars and a devastating earthquake, as well as political turmoil and military oppression. Destroyed and rebuilt over and over, the school still stands on the original site where it was founded in 1872. Thus the book’s title: Steadfast.
Originally intended for the school’s sesquicentennial, the book’s publication was delayed two years by the very forces that it describes: economic crises, trans-Pacific shipping, and global unrest. It is now available on Amazon or directly from Saint Maur on its Online School Store. For more details, please visit: steadfast1872.com.