Trade/Isolation (Sakoku)

Question 1

What types of objects were traded with Europeans?

Answer 1

Tobacco, watermelons, maps, muskets, ship building skills

Question 2

Who introduced the Japanese to guns and gun powder?

Answer 2

The Portuguese

Question 3

Why did the Tokugawa shoguns see trade with Europeans as a threat?

Answer 3

1. Guns might fall into the hands of daimyo who could rise against the shogun.
2. Christianity threatened to undermine Buddhist and Shinto beliefs, which helped to support the feudal structure and social order.
3. Daimyo could become too wealthy.

Question 4

How did the shoguns control international trade?

Answer 4

1. Traders weren’t allowed to step foot onto the mainland.
2. Only allowing trade to happen out of one port in Nagasaki.
3. By putting a permit system in place (350 permits for key daimyo and merchants/12 permits to Europeans/11 permits to China.)
4. Made it illegal for Japanese people to go overseas - if they came back they would be killed.

Question 5

What did the tightly controlled trade lead to?

Answer 5

A period of isolation called ‘‘Sakoku” (or closed country).

Question 6

What were the policies of Sakoku?

Answer 6

1. Banning Christianity.
2. Prohibiting Japanese from going overseas.
3. All trade had to happen at Nagasaki.
4. Banning Spanish and Portuguese ships.
5. The study of European politics was banned.

Question 7

Why did the shoguns isolate Japan?

Answer 7

1. Christianity was a threat to social order. Encouraged obedience to the Pope.
2. To stop the daimyo from getting too wealthy/powerful.
3. To maintain strict control over the feudal system and the economy.