Portugal meets Japan (1543 CE)- Part 1

The Portuguese were the first europeans to reach Japan, having arrived in it's shores in the year of 1543 CE. This arrival marks the beginning of what is now called the Nambam Period, or The Period of Commerce with the Barbarians from the South. The portuguese were highly impressed with the sophistication of the Japanese culture and with the importance and size of the Budist Universities of the day, which superseeded by far the Universities of Coimbra and Salamanca, that were the most important in the Iberian Peninsula back then. This began a flourishing period of technological, cultural and artistic exchange of which the lacquered folding screens in the photo are one of the most beautiful examples.

(Image: portugal-kultur.de)

From these first contacts came the first dictionary translating Japanese into Portuguese, which was the first document of mutual understanding between a European and a Far Eastern language. Arigato, tempura, biidoro, furasuko, marumero and pandoro, among others are portuguese words that became an integral part of the Japanese day to day. And also, the first Christian conversions were made in what was a very friendly period of communication between these two peoples, which was enhanced by the fact that China had embargoed Japan and the Portuguese, from the port in Macao, served as intermediary for much looked after Chinese goods in Japan. This resulted in a prosperous period of exchange between the two peoples until the English and Dutch arrived around 1638 CE and political conditions generated a prohibition of the disembarkment of european priests and a general going back to isolation by the Empire of Japan which was to last for a long while yet.

• My talks about the meeting of these two cultures in the 16th and 17th centuries will continue.

@hefestus 27.02.25