According to van gulik's translation, this is the account of what may have been the first ever visit of a gibbon to japan. Van gulik translates kenkadō's text as follows: "in the winter of the sixth year of the bunko era (1809), a gibbon was shown in osaka, in the dōtombori ward (s. W. Of tennōji park, today still the pleasure quarter of osaka. V. G. ) although we have heard the word "gibbon" since olden times, and seen pictures of him, we never had seen a live specimen, and therefore a large crowd assembled to see this gibbon. Generally he resembled a large macaque, and figure and fur are very similar. The face is black, the fur grey with a touch of brown. The hollander "captain" hendrik doeff who was then staying here said that this gibbon occurs on the island of java where it is called "wau-wau". Truly an extraordinary sight!"
according to gulik, "wau-wau" refers in indonesia to the species hylobates moloch; it must have been brought to japan on a dutch ship. Date: Probably 1809 (the date of the events described), or soon thereaafter.
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