Dejima 出島 “exit island” was a small artificial island built in the bay of Nagasaki in 1634 by local merchants. This island was the single place of direct trade and exchange between Japan and the outside world during the Edo period. Dejima was built to keep foreign traders away from the main island of Japan as part of sakoku, the self-imposed isolationist policy. Originally built to house Portuguese traders, it was used by the Dutch as a trading post from 1641 until 1853.
16may16. Nagasaki, Japan.
This part of Japanese history fascinates me. Would love to wander around Dejima.
Yes ~ it’s quite small, but I agree, the Sakoku period is fascinating.