Japan Was Never Really Closed | Japanese History

Sakoku — Japan's "closed country" policy (1639–1854) — is one of the most famous facts about Japan. But Nagasaki, Tsushima, Satsuma and Matsumae kept trading with the Dutch, China, Korea, the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Ainu the whole time. And the word "sakoku" itself wasn't coined until 1801. #JapaneseHistory #Japan #Edo #History