This restriction also extended to Japanese citizens, preventing them from leaving the nation.
The authorities feared that such influences could destabilize the shogunate’s power and disrupt peace in the archipelago.
A Dutch trade ship approaches Dejima Island.
Ground-plan of the Dutch trade-post on the island Dejima at Nagasaki.
The Dutch, however, secured favor by providing crucial assistance to the shogunate in suppressing the rebellion.
Their support, which included supplying gunpowder and cannons, earned them exclusive trading rights with Japan.
Christianity was strictly prohibited on the island.
Every arriving ship underwent thorough inspection, and Dutch visitors were required to surrender their Bibles to Japanese authorities.
Work was mandated on Sundays, and religious activities, including worship and funeral services, were forbidden.
Japanese print of cargo being offloaded at Dejima.
From 1715 to 1847, only one or two ships per year were permitted.
Despite the stringent regulations, Dutch traders managed to establish a flourishing outpost on Dejima.
In its initial years, the island likely resembled more of a remote barracks than a developing frontier community.
Dutch sailors and merchants occasionally stayed on Dejima for extended periods, sometimes up to a year.
Evenings were spent in socializing and drinking at the well-appointed dining mess.
However, it was strictly prohibited for anyone to leave Dejima without explicit permission from Japanese authorities.
Eventually, it was integrated back into the peninsula and absorbed into Nagasaki.
The original structures on Dejima suffered damage during the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
Visitors entering Dejima still traverse a single stone bridge, although the once-sea-facing views have disappeared.
Photo credit:Wikimedia Commons
Scale model of Dejima as it was during Edo period in Dejima.
