The Nanban Trade: When Japan First Met the West The (南蛮貿易, Nanban bōeki , "Southern Barbarian trade") represents one of the most fascinating "what if" eras in global history. For nearly a century, from 1543 to 1641, Japan opened its doors to European influence, resulting in a dizzying exchange of technology, religion, and art that forever altered the trajectory of the Japanese archipelago. 1. The Arrival of the "Southern Barbarians"
"The Early European Impact on Japan" (Chapter/Paper within The Cambridge History of Japan , Vol. 4) nanban trade
"The Portuguese in Japan: The Nanban Trade Revisited" The Nanban Trade: When Japan First Met the