Friday April 2, 2021 it is 200 years ago that Titia Bergsma passed away. She was the first Western woman to enter hermetically sealed Japan for centuries and to cause a great stir there because of her outward appearance and behavior. Numerous Japanese artifacts and millions of souvenirs are dedicated to her.

Despite this, many in the Netherlands do not know this woman born in Leeuwarden in 1786. Together with her husband Jan Cock Blomhoff, who was to lead the Dutch ‘faktorij’ on Decima, she set foot on this peninsula against the express wishes of the shogun.

Numerous artists came to see this strange appearance. Her portrait has since come to play a major role in Japanese art and in millions of souvenirs. All the more reason to reflect on Titia Bergsma in this Olympic year in Japan.

A Frisian initiative group wanted to celebrate Titia’s 200th anniversary on a large scale in her hometown, but had to abandon it due to corona. Nevertheless, Titia Bergsma will be commemorated in a multidisciplinary way.

  • Karin van der Wolf brings the book Titia Bergsma. Frisian charm enchants the Japanese. She describes how Titia managed to become a Japanese style icon.
  • The northern poets collective Maandagdichters is publishing a collection of poetry Parelsnoer voor frou Bergsma with 32 haikus, in which beautiful photographs by Eelze Jan Ploegh about the Frisian landscape and that of Japan serve as a source of inspiration.
  • The article Titia Bergsma: world famous in Japan by Peter de Haan will be published in the historical magazine Fryslân on 27 March. The article provides background information on the importance of Titia Bergsma.
  • Former diplomat and Titia connoisseur René Bersma, who lives in Brussels, made a film (11 minutes) together with his daughter Nathalie that gives an overview of the large collection of Titia objects that Bersma has at his disposal. The film is called Titia Bergsma 1786-1821: onbekend maar niet vergeten.
  • A video clip is available about the haiku bundle Parelsnoer for frou Bergsma. The film contains the recitation of haikus referred to under 2 and is provided with special musical accompaniment (see the next point).
  • The Titia composition on piano (background music for the clip at point 5) was specially composed for the occasion by the Japanese pianist / composer Kanako Inoue from Cornwerd. Kanako has attended various masterclasses in Europe and is a much sought-after pianist (including at the Dutch National Ballet, see www.kanakoinoue.com). Because of her Japanese background, she became extra intrigued by the person of Titia Bergsma.
  • The Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden places the aforementioned films on its website, while the Princessehof ceramics museum is releasing its own video clip with Titia animations.