Dejima, Nagasaki: A Portal of Trade and Knowledge During Japan's Isolation

The Portuguese Nau: A Global Explorer of the 16th and 17th Centuries

Dejima was an artificial, fan-shaped island constructed in Nagasaki Bay in 1636 to segregate foreign traders from the Japanese population, initially for the Portuguese and later for the Dutch. This isolation was part of Japan’s sakoku (seclusion 鎖国令) policy under the Tokugawa shogunate.

For over two centuries, from 1641 to 1859, the island served as Japan's sole official window to the West. It was here that the Dutch East India Company (VOC) established its trading post, transforming Dejima into a bustling hub of limited exchange. 

While Japanese society remained largely closed off, Dejima became a vital artery for the flow of goods such as silk, sugar, and spices, as well as for a deeper exchange: the introduction of Western knowledge and ideas. This unique role cemented Dejima’s place not only in Japanese history but also in the broader narrative of global trade and cultural interaction.

The estimated voyage route of the Dutch ship Liefde (リーフデ号), which departed from Rotterdam in 1598 along with the ships Liefde, Hope, and others, traces a remarkable journey. In November 1598, Liefde and Hope made a stop at Santa Maria Island in Chile. The route also included passage through the Strait of Magellan, a crucial navigational corridor for circumnavigation during that era.

From Dejima to Europe: The Legacy of Imari Porcelain (YouTube link)

Photo Gallery

Today, Dejima stands as a National Historic Site—a tangible link to a pivotal era. Meticulous restoration efforts have revived the island, featuring reconstructed buildings and museums that invite visitors to step back in time. The photos below serve as a testament to that period of history at the site of the former Dutch trading post on Dejima. 

A person in traditional Japanese attire welcomes visitors to the historic site of the former trading post on Dejima

The Captain's Quarters: A Glimpse into Early 19th-Century Maritime Life

The Art of Karakami: "Kobanagara Shippo" Pattern

This exhibit explores "Ceramics for Export," with a focus on Imari porcelain and its role in European trade and decor. In the mid-17th century, Imari ware from Hizen, including Arita, gained prominence after a Chinese export ban, becoming popular in Asia and Europe for both utility and ornamentation. Styles like Kakiemon and Kinrande were especially prized in European "porcelain rooms." Many items—such as albarelli, ewers, and coffee sets—were custom-made for foreign markets, often commissioned by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Though exports declined in the 18th century, Imari’s legacy endures in VOC-marked and personalized pieces.

This exhibit, "The Impact of Copper," traces the journey of Japanese copper as it transformed into coins, household items, weapons, and building materials across the globe. Exported by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), Japanese copper became a major revenue source, especially in Asian markets like Coromandel, Bengal, Ceylon, and Surat. Its flow even influenced copper prices in Europe. After 1759, the VOC minted coins from Japanese copper, which circulated widely in its Asian territories.

This exhibit, "Changes in Export Trade," highlights Japan’s shifting export priorities during the Edo Period. Initially dominated by silver, exports transitioned to copper in the late 17th century due to shogunate restrictions on precious metals. Copper was refined in Osaka—often by the Sumitomo family—and exported via Nagasaki. Other key exports included ceramics, lacquerware, soy sauce, miso, and camphor, which was shipped from Dejima to destinations like Batavia, Malacca, Persia, and the Netherlands for medicinal and aromatic use.

The exhibit illustrates shifts in Japan’s import trade during the Edo Period, highlighting Dutch commerce through Dejima. Initially, raw silk—sourced from Tonkin and Bengal—was the main import, fueling Japan’s clothing culture, but declined by the mid-17th century due to domestic production. By the 18th century, sugar from Batavia replaced silk as the dominant import and remained crucial until the period’s end. Other notable imports included European wool, Chinese and Southeast Asian cotton, medicinal herbs, aromatics, and sundry items like sappanwood used for dyeing.

This exhibit illustrates a copper export scene from the Edo period at the Dutch Factory in Dejima, Nagasaki. It captures key stages—from storage removal to weighing and packaging—while highlighting the roles of supervising officials and record office staff. Dutch traders are shown overseeing weight checks, reflecting their active involvement in ensuring the quality and quantity of copper exports.

The Foreman's Room and Copper Warehouse Were Reconstructed Using Paintings and Excavation Evidence

This image presents traditional Japanese timekeeping and its contrast with European methods. While Europe used a fixed 24-hour system, Edo-period Japan divided day and night into six seasonal units based on dawn and dusk. It also features two timepieces: the Shakudokei, a scale clock powered by a descending weight in a narrow box, and the Makuradokei, a spring-driven tabletop clock.

The text highlights the cultural exchange between Japan and the Dutch through Dejima, focusing on imported goods like beer, gin, coffee, chocolate, cheese, and instruments such as cameras and pianos. Initially used by Dutch residents, these items were introduced to Japanese officials and courtesans, gradually gaining wider recognition. Although beer and gin weren't popular drinks among the Japanese at first, their empty bottles became valued souvenirs, often decorated with paintings.

The image and text explore the cultural impact of exotic animals imported to Japan by the Dutch during the Edo Period. Brought to Dejima from regions like Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and South America, animals such as elephants, porcupines, sloths, orangutans, and especially camels amazed the Japanese public and were often gifted to the Tokugawa Shogunate or displayed. Camels became particularly popular, inspiring artistic depictions in paintings, woodblock prints, and porcelain, including Kameyama Kiln cups featuring male and female camels.

The image showcases the "Paintings of Dejima" exhibition, featuring works by Ishizaki Yushi and Kawahara Keiga that depict the Dutch trading post on the fan-shaped island of Dejima in Nagasaki Bay during the Edo Period. The exhibition includes panoramic harbor views, bird's-eye perspectives, and interior scenes of the trading post, reflecting both domestic and international fascination with Dejima. Despite historical inaccuracies—such as depictions of buildings after their destruction—the artworks circulated widely, underscoring Dejima's cultural significance.

The image outlines the Dutch East India Company's (VOC) relay trade strategy in the early 17th century, where raw silk from China, Tonkin, and Bengal was traded in Japan for silver and copper, which were then used in India to obtain cotton fabrics, ultimately exchanged for spices in the Moluccas. To overcome Europe's trade imbalance—since woolen fabrics were unpopular in tropical regions—the VOC developed this complex network, headquartered in Batavia, linking Europe, India, Persia, Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. Their operations extended beyond goods, fostering cultural exchange across continents.

The text highlights how Dutch ships introduced various plants, vegetables, and fruits to Japan via Dejima, including sunflowers, marigolds, tomatoes, potatoes, and pineapples—many of which became staples in Japanese culture. Some, like clover, arrived unintentionally as packing material and later naturalized. Vegetables such as cabbage and parsley were initially named with the prefix "oranda" (Dutch), reflecting their foreign origin. Dejima served as a vital gateway for these botanical exchanges, shaping Japan’s agricultural and culinary landscape.

Edo-Period Kitchenware and Imported Goods: A Culinary History of 18th-Century Japan

During the Edo period, a diverse range of imported goods became an integral part of Japanese life. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) brought in spices and aromatics from Southeast Asia, including cloves, cinnamon, pepper, aloeswood, and sandalwood. Luxury materials such as deer and sharkskin, tortoiseshell, ivory, and coral were also imported for various crafts. Additionally, metals like tin and lead were brought in for different uses. By the 19th century, European influence was even more apparent with the widespread availability of porcelain from the Netherlands and Britain, which often featured distinctive copper-plate transfer printing.

Nagasaki's harbor remains a bustling hub, continuing its centuries-old legacy as a center for both trade and tourism