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In the past, “national seclusion” (sakoku) has been used as a term indicative of the distinctive features of foreign relation in early modern Japan, Edo period (and more recently the term “maritime prohibitions” is also being used). But as a already been pointed out by many researches, in actual fact contacts with foreign countries and other peoples continued during this period in an enduring, although restricted, form. These where, namely the relations with Chinese merchants and Dutch traders at Nagasaki, the relations with Korea mediated by Tsuhima the relations with Ryukyu and China mediated by Satsuma and the relations with the Ainu mediated by Matsumae. In recent years it has become common practice in studies of Japanese early modern history to refer collectively to the loci or rotes of contact with these “foreign countries” (China, Holland and Korea) and “foreign regions” (Ryukyu and the Ainu) as the “foue gates” . |
