J-NS and the Historical Museum have the pleasure of introducing Anna Karoline Johnsen and her lecture about the Norwegian national hero and polar explorer, Roald Amundsen (1872-1928). Amundsen was the first human being ever to reach the South pole in 1911. He also crossed the North Pole in an airship named Norge. Amundsen was invited to Japan by Hoochi Shinbun in 1927 and held a series of lectures.

Anna Johnsen is a J-NS member and her lecture builds on her Master’s thesis ‘The road to Tokio’: the polar explorer Roald Amundsen’s adventure in Japan. Johnsen has found that Amundsen was received by thousands of people all over the country. Even the Japanese Emperor Hirohito received Amundsen in a rare visit. In the media he was compared with Columbus and Vasco da Gama and was portraited as an explorer travelling in peace.

The lecture is held in cooperation with the Historical museum and in relation to the very popular samurai exhibition. During Amundsen’s visit to Japan in 1927 a samurai armour was given to Amundsen. This armour is now in the possession of the museum and is one of the many highlights of the samurai exhibition.

Please join us on Thursday 14 th of December at 17.00. The event is free of charge and open for all but with a limited number of seats. As of this time, the event is now SOLD OUT!

However, the Samurai exhibition is open until the 30 th of December 2023.