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| 1861, March–Sept |
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| Russia occupied the island of Tsushima. | 1 |
| In the escalating antiforeign violence, Townsend Harris's Dutch interpreter was assassinated. | 2 |
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| 1862, Jan |
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A mission to European governments resulted in the signing of an agreement in London (June) that postponed until 1868 the opening of Niigata and Hy go and residence in Edo and  saka. | 3 |
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| June |
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The Senzaimaru arrived in Shanghai to investigate commercial conditions. This was the first Japanese voyage to China in over two centuries and the first official voyage in over three centuries. Among those on board were several who played important roles in subsequent domestic politics, including Takasugi Shinsaku (1839–67) of Chsh and Godai Tomoatsu (1835–85) of Satsuma. | 4 |
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| Sept. 14 |
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| An Englishman, C. L. Richardson, was murdered by Satsuma men in the village of Namamugi near Yokohama. An indemnity was demanded (Dec.), but Satsuma refused to listen and to turn over the guilty parties. The result was a British squadron attack on Kagoshima (Aug. 15–16, 1863), an event that effectively convinced Satsuma of the impracticality of expelling the foreigners. An agreement was ultimately signed (Dec. 11, 1863). This was one of many similar attacks on Westerners or their employees by antiforeign samurai. | 5 |
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| Oct |
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| The system of “alternate attendance,” by which all daimyos were compelled to reside half of each year in Edo, was greatly curtailed, and the western lords began to congregate around the court in Kyoto. | 6 |
| Also in 1862, the Institute for the Investigation of Barbarian Books (founded, 1857) was renamed the Institute of Western Books (renamed the Development Office later). A group of 15 Japanese students, including Inoue Kaoru (1835–1915) and It Hirobumi (1840–1901), set sail for Britain. | 7 |
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