Dejima

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For the Ghost in the Shell refugee island, see Dejima Island.

Image:Nagasaki bay siebold.web.jpg Image:Deshima Scale Model2.jpg Image:Dejima7398.JPG Dejima, also Deshima (出島, literally 'protruding island') in modern Japanese, Desjima in Dutch, often latinised as Decima, was a fan-shaped artificial island in the bay of Nagasaki that was a Dutch trading post during Japan's self-imposed isolation (sakoku) of the Edo period, from 1641 until 1853.

1 History
2 Sakoku policy
3 See also
4 Sources and External links

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History

The island was constructed in 1634, on orders of shogun Iemitsu, and originally accommodated Portuguese merchants. The Shimabara uprising of 1637, in which Christian Japanese took an active part, was crushed with the help of the Dutch. After the Portuguese and other Catholic nations were expelled from Japan in 1638, the shogunate ordered the Dutch East India Company (V.O.C.) transfer its mercantile operations from the port of Hirado (established on 20 September 1609) to Deshima. From now on, only the Chinese and the Dutch could trade with Japan. It is significant that Deshima was a man-made island, hence not part of Japan proper. Thus the foreigners were kept at arm's length from the sacred soil of Japan.

It was a small island, 120 m by 75 m, linked to the mainland by a small bridge, manned on both sides by guards, with a gate on the Dutch side. It contained houses for about 20 Dutchmen, warehouses and accommodation for Japanese government officials. The Dutch were watched by a number of Japanese officials, gatekeepers, night watchmen and a supervisor (otona) with about 50 subordinates. There were a number of merchants for supplies and catering and about 150 interpreters (tsūji). They all had to be paid by the V.O.C. Dejima was under direct central supervision of Edo by a governor, called a bugyō, responsible for all contact between the V.O.C. and Edo.

Every Dutch ship that arrived in Dejima was inspected by the bugyō. The sails were seized until the ship could leave again. Religious books and weapons were sealed and taken in custody. No religious services were allowed on the island.

Despite the financial burden of their residence on Dejima, the trade with Japan was very profitable for the V.O.C., initially yielding profits of 50 % or even more. Trade declined in the 18th century, when only two ships were allowed yearly to dock at Dejima. After the bankruptcy of the V.O.C in 1795, the Dutch government took over the settlement. Times were especially hard when Holland was under French Napoleonic rule and all ties with the homeland were severed.

The chief executive on the Dutch side was the Opperhoofd (here Chief factor, but the same Dutch word is usually used for a native, e.g. American Indian, Chief), and remained so under Dutch state authority. There was about one incumbent a year, until 28 February 1860.

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Sakoku policy

For two hundred years, Dutch merchants were generally not allowed to cross from Deshima to Nagasaki, and Japanese were likewise banned from entering Deshima, except for prostitutes. Official exceptions were also made to this rule, especially following Tokugawa Yoshimune's doctrine of promoting European practical sciences. European scholars such as Engelbert Kaempfer, Carl Peter Thunberg, and Philipp Franz von Siebold were allowed to enter the mainland with the shogunate's permission. Starting in the 1700s, Deshima became known throughout Japan as a center of medicine, military science, and astronomy, and many samurai travelled there for "Dutch studies" (Rangaku).

In addition, the Head of the Dutch 'factory' (trading post), known by the title of opperhoofd, was treated like a Japanese daimyo, which meant that he had to pay a visit of homage to the Shogun in Edo regularly (the so-called sankin kotai). In contrast to daimyo, the Japanese delegation traveled to Edo yearly between 1660 and 1790 and once every four years thereafter. In Edo the opperhoofd and his retinue (usually his scribe and the factory doctor) were expected to perform Dutch dances and songs etc. for the amusement of the shogunate, but they also used the opportunity of their stay in the capital to exchange knowledge with learned Japanese.

The Dutch East India Company's trading post at Deshima was closed in 1857, once Dutch merchants were allowed to trade in Nagasaki City. Since then, the island has been surrounded by reclaimed land and merged into Nagasaki: its original location is marked by rivets.

A project to restore Deshima is now underway. In modern Japanese the pronunciation would be Dejima; in relation to the Dutch trading post, Deshima is the preferred spelling.

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