To schedule a tour of The Manjiro House and/or The Manjiro Trail call Gerry Rooney at 508-858-5303

The Whitfield-Manjiro Friendship House at 11 Cherry Street in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, is a museum dedicated to the remarkable true story of friendship between Captain William Whitfield of Fairhaven and Manjiro Nakahama, a Japanese fisherman rescued at sea in 1841 who became the first Japanese person to live in America. Restored in the early 2000s, the house was Whitfield’s home and where young Manjiro spent his first night in the United States. Today, it serves as a cultural and educational center celebrating the enduring connection between Fairhaven and Tosashimizu, Japan—symbolizing cross-cultural understanding, global friendship, and the power of human kindness. 

The Manjiro Trail was put together by the Whitfield-Manjiro Friendship Society and guides you through Fairhaven to places pivotal to John Manjiro's life in the U.S..  These sites include The Old Stone Schoolhouse, a one-room school he attended, The Millicent Library, and The Lewis Bartlett School.