(RIZAL M.

5 REVIEWER)
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Romantic Interlude in Japan Rizal’s Visit the United States Rizal in London

Lesson 1: Romantic Interlude in Japan

One of the happiest interludes in the life of Rizal was his sojourn in the land of the Cherry
Blossoms for one month and a half (February 28 – April 13, 1888)

He was enchanted by the natural beauty of Japan, the charming manners of the Japanese
people, and the picturesque shrines. Moreover, he fell in love with a Japanese girl, whose
loveliness infused joy and romance in his sorrowing heart. Her real name was Seiko Usui.

Rizal affectionately called her O-Sei-San. Fate, however, cut short his happy days in Japan. He
had to sacrifice his own happiness to carry on his work for the redemption of his oppressed
people.

RIZAL ARRIVES IN YOKOHAMA February 28, 1888 - Rizal arrived in Yokohama, Japan and
registered at the Grand Hotel.

February 29, 1888 - He proceeded to Tokyo and took a room at Tokyo Hotel where he stayed
for six (6) days. Japan was to him the "Land of the Cherry Blossoms" because of its natural
beauty and the charming manners of the Japanese people.

RIZAL IN TOKYO
Shortly after Rizal’s arrival in Tokyo, he was visited at his hotel by Juan Perez Caballero,
secretary of the Spanish Legation. The latter invited him to live at the Spanish Legation. He
accepted the invitations for two reasons
1.He could economize his living expenses by staying at the legation.
2.He had nothing to hide from the prying eyes of the Spanish authorities.

During his first day in Tokyo, Rizal was embarrassed because he did not know the Japanese
language although he looked like a Japanese. he had a hard time shopping for he could not be
understood. To avoid further embarrassment, he decided to study the Japanese language. In a
few days, he was able to speak the language.

He also studied the Japanese drama (kabuki), and visited the museums, libraries, art galleries,
shrines, and Japanese villages. While he was promenading the Tokyo Park, Rizal heard the
band playing Western music. He was impressed by the superb performance of the band.
However, he was not impressed of the mode of transportation because the rickshaws were
drawn by men, which made Rizal disgusted because according to him, human beings are
working like horses.

RIZAL AND THE TOKYO MUSICIANS

- The musicians were equally surprised and delighted to meet him. They told him they
were Filipinos and that the principal instruments in the band were Japanese, but they
were playing only the secondary instruments.

RIZAL’S IMPRESSION OF JAPAN

- Rizal was favorably impressed by Japan. He was a keen observer, taking copious notes
on the life, customs, and culture of the people. He was no silly, light-headed tourist who
merely enjoys attractive sights that appealed only to the senses. The things which
favorably impressed Rizal in Japan were:
1. The beauty of the country – its flowers, mountains, streams, and scenic panoramas. 2.
The cleanliness, politeness, and industry of the Japanese people.
3. The picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women.
4. There were very few thieves in Japan so that the houses remained open day and
night, and in the hotel room one could safely leave money on the table.
5. Beggars were rarely seen in the city streets, unlike in Manila and other cities.

ROMANCE WITH O-SEI-SAN

Rizal met Seiko-San, a pretty Japanese girl and the only daughter of a Japanese samurai. Her
real name was Seiko Usui but Rizal called her O-SeiSan. They almost met daily as they visited
interesting spots of the city, like the Imperial Art Gallery, the Imperial Library, the city parks and
picturesque shrines. O-Sei-San served as Rizal’s guide, interpreter, and tutor.

Rizal saw in lovely O-Sei-San the qualities of his ideal womanhood – beauty, charm,
modesty, and intelligence. No wonder, he fell deeply in love with her. O-Sei-San reciprocated his
affection, for it was the first time her heart palpitated with joys to see a man of gallantry, dignity,
courtesy, and versatile talents.

O-Sei-San’s beauty and affection almost tempted Rizal to settle down in Japan. At the same
time, he was offered a good job at the Spanish Legation. If he were a man of lesser heroic
mould, of lesser will power, he would have lived permanently in Japan – and happily at that with
O-Sei-San; but then the world, in general, and the Philippines, in particular, would have lost a
Rizal.

SAYONARA, JAPAN - On April 13, 1888, Rizal boarded the Belgic, an English steamer, at
Yokohama, bound for the United States. He left Japan with a heavy heart, for he knew that he
would never again see this beautiful ‘’Land of the Cherry Blossoms’’ and his beloved O-Sei-San.
Truly, his sojourn in Japan for 45 days was one of the happiest interludes in his life.
Lesson 2: Rizal’s Visit to the United States (1888)

TECHO SUEHIRO

● A FIGHTING JAPANESE JOURNALIST, NOVELIST, AND CHAMPION OF HUMAN

RIGHTS.
● WAS FORCED BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY JUST
AS RIZAL WAS COMPELLED TO LEAVE THE PHILIPPINES BY THE SPANISH
AUTHORITIES.

Rizal first saw America on April 28, 1888. His arrival in this great country was marred by racial
prejudice, for he saw the discriminatory treatment of the Chinese and the Negroes by the white
Americans.

He kept notes of what he observed during his trip from San Francisco to New York, where he
took a ship for England. From his note and his letters to his friends, we get a wealth of first-hand
impressions of America, some of which were rather unfavorable but true. Rizal was a man of
truth, and he wrote what he had seen and experienced.

ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO April 28, 1888 – Rizal and Techo arrived in San Francisco Port
on Saturday morning of April 28. All passengers were not allowed to land because the ship was
placed on a quarantine on the ground that it came from the Far East where cholera epidemic
was alleged to be raging. Rizal soon discovered that placing the ship under quarantine was
prompted by politics.

The American authorities were against cheap labor from China that displaced American
laborers in railroads construction. The ship was carrying many Chinese workers.

After a week of quarantine, all first class passengers, including Rizal were permitted to land but
the Chinese and Japanese passengers of the second- and third-class accommodations were
forced to remain on board.

May 4, 1888 – It was the day when Rizal and the other passengers were permitted to land.
Rizal registered at the Palace Hotel, a first-class hotel of the city of San Francisco. He stayed in
this city for two days. The President of the United States at this time was George Cleveland.

May 6, 1888 – Rizal left San Francisco to Oakland (a distance of nine miles) on a Sunday at
4:30 p.m. by ferry boat. In Oakland, he took his supper at Sacramento for 75 cents and slept in
his coach.
May 7, 1888 – Rizal boarded a train for trip across the continent (May 7 at Reno, Nevada; May
8, Utah, Ogden, Denver; May 9, Colorado; May 10, Nebraska; May 11, Chicago; May 12,
Canada (an English Territory); May 13, Albany). His transcontinental trip ended on Sunday, May
13 at 11:10am

May 13, 1888 – Rizal reached New York on a Sunday morning. He stayed three days in the city
which Rizal called “The Big Town”. He visited the memorial of George Washington, and other
scenic and historic places.

May 18, 1888 – He left New York for Liverpool on board the City of Rome, the second largest
ship in the world during his time. Rizal visited the colossal Statue of Liberty on Bedloe Island.

RIZAL’S IMPRESSION OF AMERICA

The good impressions were:

1.The material progress of the country, as shown in the great cities, huge farms, flourishing
industries, and busy factories.
2.The drive and energy of the American people.
3.The natural beauty of the land.
4. The high standard of living.
5. The opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants.

However, the bad impressions of Rizal were: racial prejudice existed, democracy and freedom
were only in words, not practiced; and have no true civil liberty. As a whole, Rizal said that
America is the land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites.

Lesson 3: Rizal in London

In London, he engaged in Filipiniana studies, completed annotating Morga’s book, wrote many
articles for La Solidaridad in defense of his people against Spanish critics, penned a famous
letter to the young women of Malolos, carried on his voluminous correspondence with
Blumentrit. He chose this English city to be his new home for three reasons:

1. To improve his knowledge of the English language.

2. To study and annotate Morga’s Sucessos de las Islas Filipinas, a rare copy of which he heard
to be available in the British Museum.
3. London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny. Rizal
entertained the American and European passengers with his marvelous skill with yo- yo as an
offensive weapon.
Rizal entertained the American and European passengers with his marvelous skill with yo- yo as
an offensive weapon.

LIFE IN LONDON May 25, 1888 – Rizal went to London and stayed there for a short time as
guest at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, a practicing lawyer in London and exile of 1872.
Later, he lodged at 37 Chalcot, Crescent, Primrose Hill. He boarded at Beckett family. Mr.
Beckett was the organist of St. Paul’s church.

Gertrude called “Gettie” or “Tottie” was the oldest of the Beckett sisters. He spent Sundays in
the house of Dr. Reinhold Rost, the librarian of the ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Authority
of Malayan languages. Rizal played cricket (English game) and boxed with Dr. Rost son. Rizal
also spent most of his time in the British Museums annotating Morga’s book, Successos de los
Islas Filipinas (Historical Events of the Philippine Islands), which was published in Mexico in
1609. For about ten (10) months, Rizal was deeply immersed in his historical studies in London.

NEWS FROM HOME, GOOD AND BAD

Both good and bad news from home reached Rizal in London. Of the bad news, were the
injustices committed by the Spanish authorities on the Filipino people and the Rizal family.

Among which were as follows:

1. Persecution of the Filipino patriots who signed the ‘’Anti-Friar Petition of 1888’’ which was
presented by Doroteo Cortes, prominent Mason and lawyer, to Jose Centeno, Civil Governor of
the Province of Manila, on March 1, 1888. This petition was signed by about 800 patriots and
was actually written by M.H. del Pilar. It was addressed to the Queen Regent of Spain
requesting the expulsion of the friars, including Archbishop Pedro Payo (Dominican) of Manila.

2. Persecution of the Calamba tenants, including Rizal’s family and relatives, for their courage to
petition the government for agrarian reforms.

3. Furious attacks on Rizal by Senators Salamanca and Vida in the Spanish Cortes and by
Desengaños (Wenceslao E. Retana) and Quioquiap (Pablo Feced) in Spanish newspapers.

4. Rizal’s brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, husband of Saturnina, was exiled by Governor

General Weyler to Bohol without due process of law.

5. A friend of Rizal, Laureano Viado, a medical student at the University of Santo Tomas, was
arrested and jailed in Bilibid Prison because copies of the Noli were found in his house.

One good news cheered Rizal, and that was Rev. Vicente Garcia’s defense of the Noli against
the attacks of the friars. He heard this good news from Mariano Ponce. He was deeply gratified
by the courageous action of Father Garcia, a venerable Filipino canon of the Manila Cathedral.
Later, On January 7, 1891, he to Father Garcia, expressing his personal thanks.

ANNOTATING MORGA’S BOOK

The greatest achievement of Rizal in London was the annotating Morga’s Book, Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas (Historical events of the Philippines Islands) which was published in Mexico,
1609.

September 17, 1888 - in a letter to Blumentritt, Rizal said: “Morga’s work is an excellent book; it
can be said that Morga is a modern scholarly explorer. May 1888-March 1889-Rizal was deeply
immersed in his historical studies in London.

SHORT VISIT TO PARIS AND SPAIN September, 1888 – Rizal visited Paris for a week to
search for more historical materials in the Biblioteque Nationale. In this place, he was
entertained by Juan Luna and wife Paz Pardo de Tavera and showed their son Andres (Luling).

December 11,1888 – He went again to Spain and visited Madrid and Barcelona. He went to
visit his compatriots Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, two great leaders of the
Propaganda Movement. He exchanged ideas with them and promised to cooperate in the fight
for reforms.

CHRISTMAS IN LONDON (1888) December 24, 1888 – He returned to London and spent
Christmas and New Year’s with the Beckett family. During the Christmas eve (Noche Buena),
Rizal wrote and sent Blumentritt a Christmas gift – a bust of Emperor Augustus which he made.
He also sent to another friend Dr. Carlos Czepelak (a Polish scholar) a bust of Julius Ceasar as
a Christmas gift. Knowing that Rizal had a great admiration in magic, Mrs. Beckett gave him a
Christmas gift, a book entitled “The Life and Adventures of Valentine Vox, the Ventriloquist”.

RIZAL BECOMES LEADER OF FILIPINOS IN EUROPE

December 31, 1888 – A patriotic society was established and inaugurated called Association
La Solidaridad with Rizal chosen as honorary president. The officers were Galicano Apacible,
President; Graciano Lopez Jaena, vice-President; Manuel Santa Maria, secretary: Mariano
Ponce, Treasurer, Jose Ma. Panganiban, accountant.

January 28, 1889 – Rizal wrote a letter addressed to the members of the Association La
Solidaridad. He expressed his thanks of making him honorary president. In his letter, he
stressed, among others, that the individual should give way to the welfare of society and he
should not expect rewards or honors for what he does.
RIZAL AND THE LA SOLIDARIDAD NEWSPAPER February 15, 1889 – Graciano Lopez
Jaena founded the fortnightly patriotic newspaper, La Solidaridad in Barcelona – the organ of
the Propaganda Movement.

The aims of La Solidaridad were:

1. to work for a peaceful political and social reforms in the Philippines;

2. to portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines so that Spain may remedy them.
3. To oppose the evil forces of reaction; to advocate liberal ideas and progress;
4. To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino people to life, democracy and
happiness. On the founding of La Solidaridad, Rizal congratulated Lopes and his associates in
founding La Solidaridad. However, he advised Lopez Jaena that great care should be taken in
publishing only the truth.

FIRST ARTICLE IN LA SOLIDARIDAD Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino Farmers).

- It was published on March 25, 1889. In this initial article, he depicted the deplorable
conditions in the Philippines which cause the backwardness of the country.

WRITINGS IN LONDON
- He wrote a pamphlet entitled La Vision del Fray Rodriguez (The vision of Fray
Rodriguez) which was published in Barcelona under his pseudonym Dimas Alang. In La
Vision del Fray Rodriguez, Rizal demonstrated two things:

1. His profound knowledge of religion.

2. His biting satire.

February 22, 1889 - Rizal wrote the famous “Letter to the Young Women of Malolos”. He
penned it, upon the request of M.H. Del Pilar to praise the young ladies of Malolos for their
courage to establish a school where they could learn Spanish, despite the opposition of Fr.
Felipe Garcia, Spanish parish priest of Malolos.The main points of this letter were:

1. a Filipino mother should teach her children love of God, fatherland, and mankind;
2. the Filipino mother should be glad, like the Spartan mother, to offer her sons in the defense of
the fatherland;
3. a Filipino woman should know how to preserve her dignity and honor;
4. a Filipino woman should educate herself, aside from retaining her good racial virtues; and
5. Faith is not merely reciting long prayers and wearing religious pictures, but rather it is living
the real Christian way, with good morals and good manners.
ROMANCE WITH GERTRUDE BECKETT

- Gertude, Gettie, as she was affectionately called, was a buxom English girl with brown
hair, blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. Rizal being a man of normal emotions, found
exhilirating joy in Gertrude’s company. Their friendship drifted towards romance. Rizal
affectionately called her “Gettie,” in reciprocation, she fondly called him “Pettie”.

- As their flirtation was fast approaching the point of no return, Rizal suddenly realized that
he could not marry Gettie for he had a mission to fulfil in life. With iron will, he
suppressed the passionate yearning of his heart, and decided to go away so that
‘’Gettie’’ may forget him. Before leaving London, he finished four sculpture works:

1.Prometheus Bound,
2. ‘’The Triumph of Death over Life,’’
3.‘’The Triumph of Science over Death,’’
4. a composite carving of the heads of the Beckett sisters. The last-named carving he
gave as a farewell gift to the Beckett sisters. He packed ‘’The Triumph of Death our Life’’
and ‘’The Triumph of Science over Death’’ and sent them to his friend, Professor
Blumentritt, in Leitmeritz.

ADIOS, LONDON

March 19, 1889 - Rizal bade goodbye to the kind Beckett family (particularly Gertrude) and left
London for Paris. He was sad as he crossed the English Channel, for he cherished so many
beautiful memories of London.