Frequently Asked Questions

The century's big subjects, answered the way they are asked. Each guide opens with a concise answer to every question and links to the full articles behind it — start here if you want the shape of things fast.

The Nanban TradeWhat it was, when it ran, who ran it, and how it ended — the canonical overview in eight questions. The Sakoku EdictsThe closed-country policy in questions and answers: the edicts, the reasons, and how the isolation ended.