When researching mid 1800s Japan and the early stages of the Meiji Restoration, it was always interesting to see how many key figures could speak/read Dutch. It really was an astoundingly widespread practice by the end of "isolation". Lovely video!
I actually like the Edo culture during Sakoku period. People call it the "Galapagos effect", where culture develops without or at least with only a little outside influence. I really love how their kabuki developed during this period.
Ooh. Awesome vid, CJ. This is an especially "touchy" subject in both Korea and China, with the scholars in decades-old debates as to determine why Japan was able to successfully modernize first, whereas both China and Korea ultimately failed, had to go through a grueling fate of being colonized, and then had to go through rapid modernization in the mid-late 20th century. It's a lot tougher question than just "well Japan traded with the West more openly," because both in Korea and China, there were significant trends of traditional academia trying to open up to new thoughts and ideas, with often promising results and very intriguing philosophical advancements. But those new academic ideas ultimately failed to transform the system, whereas in Japan, it became very prevalent. Excellent historic topic for Cool History Bros. -- two thumbs up!
Some of your opinion which you state as fact, I find to be somewhat inaccurate. It is however a ingrained image postulated by the Western narrative so I feel I need not correct you.
It's because the traditionalist faction was too strong in China and China also suffered from incompetent/corrupt leadership that significantly hampered those in government who did want to modernize.
Probably has to do with societal structures. Japan had the most similar societal structure to western Europe compared to other east asian countries. Also I once read that they had some form of stock market, don't remember where I saw that.
I also wanna add to the Sinosphere similarity: Vietnam also had isolationist policy called Bế Quan Toả Cảng 閉關鎖港 during Nguyễn dynasty, partly also due to Christian missionaries. This was also the reason for their downfall to colonialism, as the French had religious reason to invade.
And if Jabzy is to be believed. Much of the foundations for Industrialization was already laid, namely Dojima Rice Exchange and empowered merchants supplementing the peaceful era for mercantile to grow.
5:20 fun fact: Zhu Zhiyu also arrived to Cochinchina (South Vietnam) back then, but wasn't treated well. Cochinchinese mandarins looked down on him because he's a 貢士
Old comment but I feel the need to say that I'm not totally sure this accurate. We know that there was a significant boost in Japanese prosperity during this time due to the relative peace that Sakoku brought to the Edo Period. And we also know that European ideas were still being received among the Japanese at this time. It was not a truly free exchange but it was still allowed to happen, contrary to many misunderstandings of the era. I think the continued growth and evolution of Japan was a goal of Sakoku and it was a goal that was certainly achieved - but that the goal was for that growth to happen entirely on Japan's own terms. Dutch learning is one element of the era which shows that Japan was open to outside *ideas* but opposed to outside *influence*. Iemitsu Tokugawa and his descendants understood that Europe was experienced in colonizing other nations through methods other than traditional warfare: through trade, through religious conversion, and so on. Placing restrictions on foreign trade while still allowing foreign trade was a strategic component in allowing European ideas to be received while also ensuring that European colonization efforts would fail. It had the added effect of reducing the economic power of any daimyo who might challenge the Tokugawa Shogunate, ensuring a longer peace than Japan had known for quite some time. Japan prosperity grew significantly during Sakoku and this growth is one reason the United States was desperate to open up trade by the 1850s. To suggest Sakoku was a period of stagnation is sort of missing the strategic purpose behind the policy, and its long term outcomes.
The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period (徳川時代, Tokugawa jidai) is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional daimyo. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characterized by economic growth, strict social order, isolationist foreign policies, a stable population, perpetual peace, and popular enjoyment of arts and culture. The period is named after the city that the shogunate was officially established in: Edo (now Tokyo) on March 24, 1603, by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration on May 3, 1868, after the fall of Edo.
I remember watching James Clavell's Shogun in the 80's starring Richard Chamberlain as William Adams (Anjin-san). The Shogun was however a fictional Toranaga. Very good series.
At first, Japan was completely open to foreigners. However, among the Europeans who came to Japan, there were slave traders who kidnapped Japanese children and sold them overseas, and unofficially, an estimated 50,000 or more Japanese were sold overseas. Records showed that there were even Japanese people in South America that shouldn't have existed at the time. And it was clear that Europeans were trying to invade Japan with the spread of Christianity. The Kirishitans at that time were not selling Japanese territories to Westerners, they were giving them away for free. so Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the shogun at the time, closed the country off to protect the Japanese and Japan. Without his decision, Japan would have been a colony of Europe.
"The Kirishitans at that time were not selling Japanese territories to Westerners, they were giving them away for free" These were really just port arrangements or leases to priests(Buddhists and Shinto were already having religious leases for centuries). The port lease to Dutch was similar but on a much smaller scale. I would say what "saved" Japan was its unity and closer technological parity, like I would have a hard time believing that Portugal would somehow colonize a united Japan, the again given how the Portuguese were acting in Ethiopia before they were expelled, who knows.
Not even close. At the time, no country in Europe had the military might to force Japan to become a colony. Especially Portugal, whose strength was trade.
I think that is actually what the North Koreans did in recent memory. What their motive was, is not exactly clear. My personal opinion is that they went on a wife stealing mission.
I'm no fan of Christian missionaries myself, but I don't really buy this view. It comes off like the usual retrospective anti-European perspectives being pushed in East and SE Asia. It wasn't Hideyoshi who closed the country off - he actually wanted to launch an invasion of the Philippines and take the fight to the Spanish. He even tolerated Kirishitan Samurai like Konishi Yukinaga. Also while some of what you say is true regarding Japan and the Kirishitans, you're way overplaying the anti-colonial superhero narrative. That wasn't necessarily the reasoning of Japanese leaders at the time. It wasn't just Europeans, but Wakou also doing such kidnapping and raiding. Portuguese and Dutch couldn't even hold Taiwan, and Wakou/limited Samurai raids into the Philippines showed that even they weren't a threat.
4:49 I tried to look for that book on the internet writing exactly as is written in the video but I couldn't find it! Can anyone tell me where I can find this book?
The Spanish did not use catholicism to conquer the Americas, not in the sense that it spread before the conquest as a type of hybrid war. On the countrary, catholicism grew after the conquest be it in the Spanish or Portuguese dominions with an exception perhaps for Jesuit missions but those actually resisted Spanish and Portuguese authority (they were later subjugated which is why I say you might consider them an exception) and that is quite a few decades after the start of the colonial period.
He meant the Spanish used a Devide and Conquer tactics by using Catholic converted natives as alies or auxilia to their armies for more easily conquering a territory.. I'm not totally aware of Spanish empire history but it seems they have done that to some capacity in at least some of their conquests; in the Philippines anyways.. that's what the Japanese thought anyway, and that's held for a fact
@@bumblebeeeoptimus That is factually wrong in the Americas. None of their allies in the conquest of the Inca or Aztec were Christian, similarly with the Phillipines. Which state or group in Tondo or Minandao was majority Christian when the Spanish invaded? None. Like people act like there aren't other reasons to ally an invading force without religion. Edit. This video actually touches on the real relationship between the Spanish and their native American allies. ua-cam.com/video/cmEbKVgWM1I/v-deo.html
I agree. It wasn't Christianity that conquered the Americas. It was guns, disease, and willing native allies. The allies were not catholic until after the fall of the Aztec and Incan Empires.
@@CoolHistoryBros Thank you for giving the source. Say, can I ask something? Is your "study" limited to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan) or do you cover the whole Asia as well?
I will expand to other places such as Mongolia & Indonesia, but I would rather specialise in a few things and get it really right rather than cover a lot of areas but only superficially.
Japanese actually incorporated many Dutch words into their language. "Buriki" - blik - tin, "doronken" - dronken - drunk, "hatoron"- patroon - cartridge, "penki"- pek - house paint, "randoseru"- ransel - backpack, "yojiumu"- jodium - iodine, etc.
@@Cyberpunker1088 I had a great response on another comment, it might be BS to you, but millions died for this subjective idol, such as God or democracy in the west. calling it BS is kinda disrespectful (and I don't follow God or democracy)
@@maximusd26 So...you agree with the concept of the Mandate of Heaven? Don't be a moralizing hypocrite. You asked a question, "does the mandate of heaven belong the to ccp". I answered that the mandate of heaven is BS. Your response that it is disrespectful to say it is BS shows you aren't really interested in discussion; maybe you just like to talk with yourself then? It's a waste of time for me though to engage.
The Spanish did not use Catholicism to conquer the Americas or the Phillipines. None of their native allies in MesoAmerica or Inca were Christian at the time of conquest and after conquest some of these allies maintained their right to autonomous religion for times more. And for those wondering why then, the Aztec were notoriously brutal and according to their own records left some relatively powerful states unconquered to be raiding annually and the Inca were at civil war, the Spanish respectively allies these natives that the Aztec raided and ruled harshly and the other side of the civil war in the case of the Inca. This video touches on how some of the native allies under the Spanish actually operated. ua-cam.com/video/cmEbKVgWM1I/v-deo.html Similarly with the Philippines. Even that the Spanish soldier washed up on Japan threatening the Japanese, they Threatened them with their huge and recently won Empire. That's all. The only places where argument that Catholicism was used for conquest is among pre-state and micro-state societies and those don't really count for the narrative of "Catholicism made them overthrow their rulers" because they had no rulers to overthrow, the Jesuits that converted them were general a symbiotic relationship preferred by the natives and resisted more colonial Spanish or Portuguese control.
Don't forget, this is the Tokugawa government, and they're very strict. So strict that they close the country. No one can leave, no one can come in. Except for the Dutch, they want to buy and sell shit, but they'll have to do it in Dejima. Now that the entire country was not at war with itself, the population increased a lot. Business increased. Schools were built. Roads were built. Everyone learned to read. Books were published. There's poetry, plays, sexy times, puppet shows and Dutch studies. People started to study European science from books they bought from the Dutch. We're talking geography, skeletons, physics, chemistry, astronomy and maybe even electricity. Over time, the economic and cultural prosperity began to gradually slow down - Knock knock. It's the United States. With huge boats. With guns. Gunboats. "Open, the country. Stop, having it, be closed." said the United States. There's really nothing they could do, so they signed a contract that lets the United States, Britain and Russia visit Japan anytime they want. Chosu and Satsuma hated this. "That sucks." they said. *"This sucks!"* And with almost very little outside help, they overthrew the shogunate and somehow made the emperor the emperor again.
When researching mid 1800s Japan and the early stages of the Meiji Restoration, it was always interesting to see how many key figures could speak/read Dutch. It really was an astoundingly widespread practice by the end of "isolation". Lovely video!
I actually like the Edo culture during Sakoku period. People call it the "Galapagos effect", where culture develops without or at least with only a little outside influence. I really love how their kabuki developed during this period.
The biggest result of outside-influence would be the guns
"Sakoku" is scary - total dictatorship over the ordinary working people.
Ooh. Awesome vid, CJ. This is an especially "touchy" subject in both Korea and China, with the scholars in decades-old debates as to determine why Japan was able to successfully modernize first, whereas both China and Korea ultimately failed, had to go through a grueling fate of being colonized, and then had to go through rapid modernization in the mid-late 20th century. It's a lot tougher question than just "well Japan traded with the West more openly," because both in Korea and China, there were significant trends of traditional academia trying to open up to new thoughts and ideas, with often promising results and very intriguing philosophical advancements. But those new academic ideas ultimately failed to transform the system, whereas in Japan, it became very prevalent. Excellent historic topic for Cool History Bros. -- two thumbs up!
China wasn't colonized, tho Korea was by Japan.
Some of your opinion which you state as fact, I find to be somewhat inaccurate. It is however a ingrained image postulated by the Western narrative so I feel I need not correct you.
CN was never c.olonize completely....?
Only small territory sold off by Qing during the most broken era.
Alot has changed since, with joseon (korea)
It's because the traditionalist faction was too strong in China and China also suffered from incompetent/corrupt leadership that significantly hampered those in government who did want to modernize.
Probably has to do with societal structures. Japan had the most similar societal structure to western Europe compared to other east asian countries. Also I once read that they had some form of stock market, don't remember where I saw that.
I also wanna add to the Sinosphere similarity: Vietnam also had isolationist policy called Bế Quan Toả Cảng 閉關鎖港 during Nguyễn dynasty, partly also due to Christian missionaries. This was also the reason for their downfall to colonialism, as the French had religious reason to invade.
I think Cambodia too had an Isolationist policy after a Spanish attack.
Great video. So glad you mentioned Coxinga: the half Chinese, half Japanese nobleman. Would be great is you could do a video about him.
pirate king
Good memory!
I think someone made a video about him.
I love the 3 kingdoms Era and their adventure
Fascinating! It’s really cool to see how the interactions, or lack there of, shaped perspectives for each culture.
You could talk about the Meiji restoration some time in the future.. your narrative on the subject would be a fine addition to UA-cam
And if Jabzy is to be believed.
Much of the foundations for Industrialization was already laid, namely Dojima Rice Exchange and empowered merchants supplementing the peaceful era for mercantile to grow.
5:20 fun fact: Zhu Zhiyu also arrived to Cochinchina (South Vietnam) back then, but wasn't treated well. Cochinchinese mandarins looked down on him because he's a 貢士
I love the new art continue the good work
Nah like The old ones better
Both look good in their own way
@@sinoroman yes I don't try say I hate the old art i say I love he try new art
this period is very interesting. The rest of the world was changing and adapting, while Japan tried its very hardest to stay exactly the same.
Old comment but I feel the need to say that I'm not totally sure this accurate.
We know that there was a significant boost in Japanese prosperity during this time due to the relative peace that Sakoku brought to the Edo Period. And we also know that European ideas were still being received among the Japanese at this time. It was not a truly free exchange but it was still allowed to happen, contrary to many misunderstandings of the era.
I think the continued growth and evolution of Japan was a goal of Sakoku and it was a goal that was certainly achieved - but that the goal was for that growth to happen entirely on Japan's own terms. Dutch learning is one element of the era which shows that Japan was open to outside *ideas* but opposed to outside *influence*.
Iemitsu Tokugawa and his descendants understood that Europe was experienced in colonizing other nations through methods other than traditional warfare: through trade, through religious conversion, and so on. Placing restrictions on foreign trade while still allowing foreign trade was a strategic component in allowing European ideas to be received while also ensuring that European colonization efforts would fail. It had the added effect of reducing the economic power of any daimyo who might challenge the Tokugawa Shogunate, ensuring a longer peace than Japan had known for quite some time.
Japan prosperity grew significantly during Sakoku and this growth is one reason the United States was desperate to open up trade by the 1850s.
To suggest Sakoku was a period of stagnation is sort of missing the strategic purpose behind the policy, and its long term outcomes.
good timing bro thank you very much
You're welcome.
@@CoolHistoryBros please do one on the history of martial arts in east Asia and how it was made
I went to Mito not to long ago. There is a lot or really interesting history there!
concise and informative，not boring at all
Very interesting, I Tough Japan is really never let foreigner to enter Japan in Edo Period. Thanks to this Info, I know more.
Great video!!
Great video
The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period (徳川時代, Tokugawa jidai) is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional daimyo.
Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characterized by economic growth, strict social order, isolationist foreign policies, a stable population, perpetual peace, and popular enjoyment of arts and culture.
The period is named after the city that the shogunate was officially established in: Edo (now Tokyo) on March 24, 1603, by Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration on May 3, 1868, after the fall of Edo.
I remember watching James Clavell's Shogun in the 80's starring Richard Chamberlain as William Adams (Anjin-san). The Shogun was however a fictional Toranaga. Very good series.
There is 2024 Shogun series as well. Also good although quite violent
"I'll just bring this one female Japanese Knotweed back to Europe. What's the worst that could happen?" Seibold, probably.
Make video about relationship between japan and korea
Yooo “Gaijin Smash”! What an unexpected hit of nostalgia!
It would be great if you made a video on Koxinga/Coxinga, if you haven't already.
2:35 Hidden Christians/Kirishitan
I would really love it if you guys also cover Mainland and Maritine South East Asian History as well!!
At first, Japan was completely open to foreigners.
However, among the Europeans who came to Japan, there were slave traders who kidnapped Japanese children and sold them overseas, and unofficially, an estimated 50,000 or more Japanese were sold overseas. Records showed that there were even Japanese people in South America that shouldn't have existed at the time. And it was clear that Europeans were trying to invade Japan with the spread of Christianity. The Kirishitans at that time were not selling Japanese territories to Westerners, they were giving them away for free. so Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the shogun at the time, closed the country off to protect the Japanese and Japan. Without his decision, Japan would have been a colony of Europe.
"The Kirishitans at that time were not selling Japanese territories to Westerners, they were giving them away for free" These were really just port arrangements or leases to priests(Buddhists and Shinto were already having religious leases for centuries). The port lease to Dutch was similar but on a much smaller scale.
I would say what "saved" Japan was its unity and closer technological parity, like I would have a hard time believing that Portugal would somehow colonize a united Japan, the again given how the Portuguese were acting in Ethiopia before they were expelled, who knows.
Not even close. At the time, no country in Europe had the military might to force Japan to become a colony. Especially Portugal, whose strength was trade.
I think that is actually what the North Koreans did in recent memory. What their motive was, is not exactly clear. My personal opinion is that they went on a wife stealing mission.
No one was invading Japan
I'm no fan of Christian missionaries myself, but I don't really buy this view. It comes off like the usual retrospective anti-European perspectives being pushed in East and SE Asia.
It wasn't Hideyoshi who closed the country off - he actually wanted to launch an invasion of the Philippines and take the fight to the Spanish. He even tolerated Kirishitan Samurai like Konishi Yukinaga.
Also while some of what you say is true regarding Japan and the Kirishitans, you're way overplaying the anti-colonial superhero narrative. That wasn't necessarily the reasoning of Japanese leaders at the time. It wasn't just Europeans, but Wakou also doing such kidnapping and raiding. Portuguese and Dutch couldn't even hold Taiwan, and Wakou/limited Samurai raids into the Philippines showed that even they weren't a threat.
2021 : Sakoku 2.0
I guess if China Cultural Revolution lasted more than 10 years it might have developed it's new "culture" without Soviet or American influence.
Isolationist? Sound protectionist policy? It's all in the mind, Parappa.
As Parappa said, you just gotta believe
Very interesting, I Tough Japan is really never let foreigner to enter Japan in Edo Period. Thanks to this Info, I know more.
Goddamn.
the dutch are no allow to learn japanese to prevent foreign influence
Fun fact Kant's philosophy translated japanese before turkish 100 year!
what about a video on the sanada clan or date masamune?
Next year.
@@CoolHistoryBros please do one on the history of martial arts in east Asia and how it was made
ah it's the setting of that manga "JIN"
It's a shame the scanlator stopped uploading new chapter and translation..
Fear is profit and kindness is not.
-Matthew Perry
Martin Scorsese movie 'Silence' settings in Japan during the Sakoku Period, where they persecuted the Jesuit Missionary.
GOOD.
GLORY TO SHOGUNATE
Read the book
I wonder how the Manchu Qing reacted to being called Non-Chinese Barbarians by the Japanese (and Koreans and Vietnamese)? 🤔
its safe to say that china greatly disappointed japan towards the end
4:49 I tried to look for that book on the internet writing exactly as is written in the video but I couldn't find it! Can anyone tell me where I can find this book?
Here you go: archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/ri08/ri08_02559/
@@CoolHistoryBros thank you very much my bro!
Elision and shortening of words seems to be a habit especially when the term or idea becomes mainstream.
The Spanish did not use catholicism to conquer the Americas, not in the sense that it spread before the conquest as a type of hybrid war. On the countrary, catholicism grew after the conquest be it in the Spanish or Portuguese dominions with an exception perhaps for Jesuit missions but those actually resisted Spanish and Portuguese authority (they were later subjugated which is why I say you might consider them an exception) and that is quite a few decades after the start of the colonial period.
He meant the Spanish used a Devide and Conquer tactics by using Catholic converted natives as alies or auxilia to their armies for more easily conquering a territory.. I'm not totally aware of Spanish empire history but it seems they have done that to some capacity in at least some of their conquests; in the Philippines anyways.. that's what the Japanese thought anyway, and that's held for a fact
@@bumblebeeeoptimus That is factually wrong in the Americas. None of their allies in the conquest of the Inca or Aztec were Christian, similarly with the Phillipines. Which state or group in Tondo or Minandao was majority Christian when the Spanish invaded? None.
Like people act like there aren't other reasons to ally an invading force without religion.
Edit.
This video actually touches on the real relationship between the Spanish and their native American allies. ua-cam.com/video/cmEbKVgWM1I/v-deo.html
I agree. It wasn't Christianity that conquered the Americas. It was guns, disease, and willing native allies. The allies were not catholic until after the fall of the Aztec and Incan Empires.
Ranga (Běrlanda) Hollander.
3:16 Oden lol
Can I ask you, where did you get "Illustrations of people from 42 countries" (1714)? I have difficulties on finding them.
Here you go: www2.lit.kyushu-u.ac.jp/~his_jap/siryo/sekai.htm
@@CoolHistoryBros Thank you for giving the source.
Say, can I ask something? Is your "study" limited to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan) or do you cover the whole Asia as well?
I will expand to other places such as Mongolia & Indonesia, but I would rather specialise in a few things and get it really right rather than cover a lot of areas but only superficially.
earliest successful example of a gaijin smash lmao
JAPAN EDO PERIOD IS THE BEST 😎😎😎👍👍
Imagine if Japan continued to speak Dutch...
Japanese actually incorporated many Dutch words into their language. "Buriki" - blik - tin, "doronken" - dronken - drunk, "hatoron"- patroon - cartridge, "penki"- pek - house paint, "randoseru"- ransel - backpack, "yojiumu"- jodium - iodine, etc.
Ka... I... Hentai? Hentai??
What is this, lewd studies??
Apparently, I haven't watched enough hentai to know what this is about.
Hentai literally means transform(into abnormal)
Ka I Hentai can be translated as "China Transfromed into Barbarians"
@@chrischen7241 Good to know. More knowledge.
@@chrischen7241 It makes sense why the Japanese would name comic p*rn as barbaric to be honest 😂
Will this be the new artstyle or will the old style return?
This is a stock japanese art actually. I'll use it if I'm lazy.
@@CoolHistoryBros Ok
@@CoolHistoryBros If there is good art to use, then why not? Adds great eye candy to the narrative.
@@CoolHistoryBros please do one on the history of martial arts in east Asia and how it was made
Is the chinese mandate of heaven lost ? Or does it belong to the CPP now ?
The Mandate of Heaven is BS
@@Cyberpunker1088 I had a great response on another comment, it might be BS to you, but millions died for this subjective idol, such as God or democracy in the west. calling it BS is kinda disrespectful (and I don't follow God or democracy)
@@maximusd26 I don't respect it. You are right.
@@Cyberpunker1088 sry for moralizing. a guy saying "you are right" on the internet ? impossible ! well done bud
@@maximusd26 So...you agree with the concept of the Mandate of Heaven? Don't be a moralizing hypocrite. You asked a question, "does the mandate of heaven belong the to ccp". I answered that the mandate of heaven is BS. Your response that it is disrespectful to say it is BS shows you aren't really interested in discussion; maybe you just like to talk with yourself then? It's a waste of time for me though to engage.
Interesting
The Spanish did not use Catholicism to conquer the Americas or the Phillipines. None of their native allies in MesoAmerica or Inca were Christian at the time of conquest and after conquest some of these allies maintained their right to autonomous religion for times more. And for those wondering why then, the Aztec were notoriously brutal and according to their own records left some relatively powerful states unconquered to be raiding annually and the Inca were at civil war, the Spanish respectively allies these natives that the Aztec raided and ruled harshly and the other side of the civil war in the case of the Inca.
This video touches on how some of the native allies under the Spanish actually operated. ua-cam.com/video/cmEbKVgWM1I/v-deo.html
Similarly with the Philippines.
Even that the Spanish soldier washed up on Japan threatening the Japanese, they Threatened them with their huge and recently won Empire. That's all.
The only places where argument that Catholicism was used for conquest is among pre-state and micro-state societies and those don't really count for the narrative of "Catholicism made them overthrow their rulers" because they had no rulers to overthrow, the Jesuits that converted them were general a symbiotic relationship preferred by the natives and resisted more colonial Spanish or Portuguese control.
Don't forget, this is the Tokugawa government, and they're very strict. So strict that they close the country. No one can leave, no one can come in. Except for the Dutch, they want to buy and sell shit, but they'll have to do it in Dejima.
Now that the entire country was not at war with itself, the population increased a lot. Business increased. Schools were built. Roads were built. Everyone learned to read. Books were published. There's poetry, plays, sexy times, puppet shows and Dutch studies. People started to study European science from books they bought from the Dutch. We're talking geography, skeletons, physics, chemistry, astronomy and maybe even electricity. Over time, the economic and cultural prosperity began to gradually slow down -
Knock knock. It's the United States. With huge boats. With guns. Gunboats. "Open, the country. Stop, having it, be closed." said the United States. There's really nothing they could do, so they signed a contract that lets the United States, Britain and Russia visit Japan anytime they want. Chosu and Satsuma hated this. "That sucks." they said. *"This sucks!"* And with almost very little outside help, they overthrew the shogunate and somehow made the emperor the emperor again.
Ka I Hentai?!
Oh, this accent...