Hoisting the flag for Siebold

There used to be a flagpole on the west side of the former island of Deshima when Siebold lived there in the early 19^th century. For over 100 years the flag and flagpole had served as a landmark on Deshima also acknowledging the Dutch who resided there. The flag and flagpole were also symbols of the trade relations between Japan and the Netherlands.

In the second half of the 19^th century the trading post on Deshima lost its function and the flag and flagpole disappeared. This year a new flagpole was installed on Deshima at its original location commemorating the 200^th anniversary of Siebold’s arrival in Japan. Today the Dutch flag was hoisted again for the first time and will continue to be flown on Saturday and Sundays and on Japanese and Dutch holidays.