Nanban trade period

The Nanban trade period (Japanese: ??????, nanban-b?eki-jidai, "southern barbarian trade period") in Japanese history extends from the arrival of the first Europeans to Japan in 1543, to their near-total exclusion from the archipelago in 1650, under the promulgation of the "Sakoku" Seclusion Laws.

Related Topics:
Japanese - Japanese history - 1543 - 1650 - Sakoku

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Nanban (南蛮 Lit. ?Southern Barbarian?) is a Japanese word which originally designated people from South Asia and South-East Asia. It followed a Chinese usage in which surrounding ?barbarian? people in the four directions had each their own designation. In Japan, the word took on a new meaning when it came to designate Europeans, the first of whom started to arrive in Japan in 1543, first from Portugal, then Spain, and later the Netherlands and England. The word Nanban was thought naturally appropriate for the new visitors, since they came in by ship from the South, and their manners were considered quite unsophisticated by the Japanese.

Related Topics:
South Asia - South-East Asia - Barbarian - Japan - 1543 - Portugal - Spain - Netherlands - England

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