Dejima Wharf (Former Dutch Trading Post)

Overview

Dejima is an artificial island constructed in Nagasaki harbor by the Tokugawa Shogunate to restrict trade with the Portuguese. Completed in 1636, it served as a trading post for the Dutch East India Company from 1641 to 1859. The island housed residences for Dutch traders, warehouses, gardens, and more, where Dutch employees and Japanese workers lived. Dejima was the only place in Japan during the sakoku period where Western culture was directly transmitted, significantly impacting Japanese culture and economy. You can also learn about the interactions with the Dutch at that time and how Japanese culture and technology spread to Europe. Through the buildings and materials from that era, you can imagine the state of Japan during the sakoku period and learn about the history of the exchange between Japanese and Western cultures. This is a precious place to learn about a pivotal moment in history.