Part 1: Expositions Held in and before 1900

List of Expositions (Chronological Table)

The world's first international exposition was held in 1851 in London. The event was followed by a boom of international expositions around the world, especially the United States and Europe. The international exposition that Japan officially participated in for the first time was the Paris International Exposition of 1867. In the Meiji Period, Japan began to hold domestic expositions (National Industrial Exhibitions).

This part provides a summary of the main international expositions and Japan's National Industrial Exhibitions.

Year International Expositions Held in Foreign Countries Expositions Held in Japan World Events Events in Japan
1851 First London International Exposition Yakuhin-e
(the medical and pharmaceutical shows),

honzo-e
(the herbal shows),

bussan-e
(the trade shows)
   
1852   Second French Empire (to 1870)  
1853 New York International Exposition Crimean War (to 1856) Perry's Expedition to Japan
1854     U.S.-Japan Treaty of Peace and Amity
1855 First Paris International Exposition   Establishment of the Nagasaki Naval Training School
1856   Bessemer steel production process was patented  
1858     Treaties of Amity and Commerce (of Japan with the U.S., as well as with the Netherlands, Russia, the U.K., and France)
1861   American Civil War (to 1865);
Emancipation reform in Russia; Establishment of the Kingdom of Italy
Completion of Nagasaki Iron and Steel Works
1862 Second London International Exposition   London Protocol (for the Postponement of City and Port Opening)
1866   Austro-Prussian War  
1867 Second Paris International Exposition   Return of political power to the Emperor by the Tokugawa Shogunate
1868     Boshin Civil War; Change of the name of era to "Meiji";
Installation of Japan's first steam pump in Takashima Coal Mine
1870   Franco-Prussian War (to 1871); Establishment of the French Third Republic  
1871   Kyoto Exposition Establishment of the German Empire Abolition of the feudal domain system and establishment of prefectures;
Dispatch of Iwakura Embassy to foreign countries (to 1873);
Promulgation of Senbai ryaku kisoku (suspended in the following year);
Renaming of Yokosuka Iron and Steel Works to Yokosuka Shipyard
1872   Yushima Seido Exposition   Start of railroad operation between Yokohama and Shinbashi;
Promulgation of the new education system;
Start of the operation of the government-managed Tomioka Silk-Reeling Mill
1873 Vienna International Exposition     Conscription Ordinance, and Takamori Saigo's leaving the post of political power after losing the Seikan ron (debate to conquer Korea)
1876 Philadelphia International Exposition   Invention of the telephone by G. Bell Law Banning the Wearing of Swords; Shinpuren Rebellion; Akizuki Rebellion; Hagi Rebellion
1877   First National Industrial Exhibition Russo-Turkish War (- 1878); Establishment of the British Indian Empire The Satsuma Rebellion
1878 Third Paris International Exposition   Invention of the incandescent lamp by T. Edison  
1879 Sydney International Exposition      
1880 Melbourne International Exposition     Transfer of government-managed businesses to private ownership under the Kojo Haraisage Gaisoku (Ordinance of transfer of government factories to private ownership)
1881   Second National Industrial Exhibition   1881 Political Crisis; Assumption of Masayoshi Matsukata as Minister of the Okura-sho
1883     Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property;
Invention of the four-stroke gasoline engine by G. W. Daimler
 
1884     Sino-French War  
1885     Discovery of the X-ray by W. G. Röntgen Establishment of cabinet system;
Senbai Tokkyo Jorei
1887       Start of operation of Tokyo Electric Lamp Company (electric power company)
1888 Barcelona International Exposition      
1889 Fourth Paris International Exposition     Promulgation of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan
1890   Third National Industrial Exhibition   Convening of the first Imperial Diet
1893 Chicago International Exposition      
1894     Franco-Russian Alliance Sino-Japanese War (to 1895)
1895   Fourth National Industrial Exhibition   Tripartite Intervention;
Start of operation of the Kyoto Electric Railroad
1897 Brussels International Exposition      
1898     Spanish–American War  
1899     Boer War(to 1902) Participation in the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
1900 Fifth Paris International Exposition   Boxer Rebellion  
1901       Start of operation of the government-owned Yawata Iron and Steel Works
1902       Anglo-Japanese Alliance
1903   Fifth National Industrial Exhibition    
1904 St. Louis International Exposition   Invention of the offset press by I. W. Rubel Russo-Japanese War (to 1905)
1907   Tokyo Industrial Exhibition Establishment of the Triple Entente between the U.K., France and Russia