In November of 1862, when he was 19, Neesima finished his study at the Naval Academy and was requested by Katsukiyo Itakura, who was the head of the Bicchuu-Matsuyama Prefecture, to take part in the navigation of Tamashima. He joined the samurai warriors of the Bicchuu-Matsuyama Prefecture and left the Edo Bay on the Kaifuu-Maru. They made their way to Tamashima and back, going via Osaka, and taking about 2 months. It was his first time to go overseas and experience different cultures, so he was able to sense how big the world was, as well as widen his views and ways of thinking on this trip. At that time, a teacher at the Dutch school that Neesima went to lent him some books. “Robinson Crusoe'' made him even more interested in going abroad, and when he read about America’s history and geography in Renpou-Shiryaku, he admired the politics, education, and welfare policies there. After reading about the Genesis in the Bible, he felt more respect for God than his parents and head of his fief, and that made him want to leave Japan and follow God even more. 3. His Time in Hakodate In March of 1864, 1 year after navigating Tamashima, Neesima met the samurai of Bicchuu-Matsuyama Prefecture that he had been with on the ship by coincidence and heard that they were going to Hakodate. He decided to join them and go to Hakodate, so went to ask for permission from Katsumasa Itakura straight away. While he officially said he would study at a school called “Takeda Juku”, he was really thinking about escaping overseas. When he arrived in Hakodate, Neesima went to Takeda Juku, but Mr. Takeda was absent, so he talked with Seiichirou Suganuma, the head the students of the school. He said he wanted to get to know some foreigners, so he was introduced to a Russian priest called Nikolai a few days later. In return for being able to live in the priest’s house, Neesima taught Japanese to Nikolai. After a while he told Nikolai about his plan to travel overseas, but Nikolai refused to help him, and advised him to stay and study with him. After being turned down by Nikolai, Neesima went to talk with Seiichirou Suganuma again, and he was introduced to Takuma Sawabe who then introduced him to Unokichi Fukushi. Fukushi was originally a ship builder, but had been learning English from the diplomats at the American consul and worked at the Alexander Porter Trading Company as a translator. Neesima learned English from Fukushi, and soon told him about his plan to leave Japan. He promised to help him.
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