The Fan of Japan Anna Vardanyan has made a Note on her Facebook Page

“A Stroll in Japan” author Heghine Melik-Haykazean, Tbilisi, 1905.

I found this book in the National Library of Armenia in “The World of Books”. The memories and impressions of our compatriot during her visit to Japan in the beginning of 1900ies are a story full of adventures written in a literate and interesting way.

It was interesting to see Japan with the eyes of Mrs. Heghine; a Japan, which “hasn’t seen” war, atomic bombing, to stroll mentally in the steep of Nagasaki, “to feel” the rhythm of big Japanese towns, to get acquainted with some branches of the Japanese art, which are already famous now but were still newly developing at that time. It is a very interesting story, which can be read in a breath.

During the whole process of reading I was looking forward to Mrs. Heghine to meet an Armenian there or a question to arise related to the nationality. My knowledge about the Armenian-Japanese relations start from the information that we have about Diana Abgar, which are also attributed to that period.

My expectations were justified. I present the section to your attention by protecting the rights of the author.

Hospitality in the house of a Japanese:

At first he expressed his happiness for the honor of visiting his house. Then he asked my nationality and when he got to know that I was an Armenian, he gazed at me and asked with a hesitation:

“Are you from the Armenians, who constantly fight against the Turks?”

This time it was my turn to get surprised.

“Oh, have you really heard about the Armenians?”

“Of course, I remember that several years ago there were massacres, if I am not mistaken. There was a missionary here, who gathered money to send to you. What is the situation in your country now?”

I was looking at him and I didn’t know what to answer, I didn’t know whether to be glad or sad that the waves of our great sorrow have reached the shores of the Japanese islands.

It was interesting and exciting to know that the problems of the Armenian nation have touched the Japanese living still in the beginning of the previous century. I am not a historian and perhaps I would be mistaken at this moment but being a fan of Japan and constantly following the historical process of the Armenian-Japanese relations, this small section of the book of Heghine Melik-Haykazyan can be considered the oldest historical link of the Armenian and Japanese nations.

the material is taken from Vardanyan Anna

translated from Armenian into English by M.Vardanyan