How Europeans Tried to End Japanese Isolation - Colonialism DOCUMENTARY

[@KingsandGenerals]

🍘 Use code "KINGS" for $5 off your first #Sakuraco box through our link: team.sakura.co/kings-SC2206 or your first #TokyoTreat box through our link: team.tokyotreat.com/kings-TT2206

[@aaacsacahh9088]

Please bro make videos on India Pakistan war

[@febrian0079]

Please continue the series on crime syndicates Make a video about the history of the Russian mafia and then the Yakuza

[@wisdomleader85]

I see you guys seemed to have missed Nakahama Manjiro, the first Japanese person to arrive in America, learn the English language, and become a whaleship captain, way before Japan opened its door to the world. He deserves his own episode.

[@KingsandGenerals]

@@wisdomleader85 that is not the topic of the video?

[@wisdomleader85]

@@KingsandGenerals I was actually referring to the channel's recent video strings regarding Japanese history. I don't think I've seen him mentioned in previous episodes either, considering his importance, so I'm hoping to see his presence in future videos.

[@deadby15]

Fun Fact: Mr. Tanaka, who reverse-engineered a steam engine and built one for himself was a genius clockmaker. After the Meiji Restoration, he founded Toshiba Inc.

[@apexnext]

That is really cool! 😎👍

[@ankokunokayoubi]

Basically it's Tanaka Engineering Works -> Shibaura Engineering Works -> merger with Hakunetsusha / Tokyo Denki and named Tokyo Shibaura, then the name gets shortened to just Toshiba

[@HistoryDose]

Japan's isolation has always fascinated me. Just as the world globalizing and industrializing, Japan says "no thanks," and defers it until the late 19th century

[@RamKrishna-hf6dd]

What's so fascinating about it? It's just like most westerners that hold in disdain immigrants in their countries.

[@strength9621]

It wasn’t them saying some “no thanks”, it was the stupid catholic conquest ruining their country/ ending all that and kicking everyone of them out of the country.

[@lordloss3398]

@@danedane8573 the tokugawa shogunate were terrible and had to deal with alot of problems, quite frankly everybody besides the shoguns inner circle were miserable. The archaic social rules alone were bleh. Not that forcing unequal treaties on them was better, but let's not propagate the myth that everybody was living happily till Europeans decided to trade. Also the Japanese empire didn't turn uber imperialistic until the usa started to isolate them internationally to put them in their orbit.

[@dayangmarikit6860]

It wasn't just Japan, even Siam/Thailand also imposed 150 years of self-isolation, until the fall of China's Qing Dynasty, Siam/Thailand was forced to open and sign unequal treaties with the West.

[@MelkorPT]

@@danedane8573 the way you tell it makes it sound like the road to happiness is for the common people to be so thoroughly crushed that they can't even _conceive_ of rebelling against their aristocrat overlords.

[@mikotagayuna8494]

Matthew Perry forcing Japan to end its isolation at gunpoint was literally the worst episode of Friends.

[@aaronmarks9366]

👏👏👏

[@maximaldinotrap]

We got anime out of it eventually so I see it as an absolute win

[@rekoken2911]

well, they couldn't be cooped up in their little island forever

[@manupontheprecipice6254]

@@rekoken2911 America: Japan, you really need to stop being a shut in Japan: *Hikikomori sounds intensify+

[@flackstar007]

@@maximaldinotrap Anyone who disagrees with this can "watch" bleach :-)

[@dannyf5339]

Dutch: "We protestant, we are harmless" USA: Protestant With Big Guns

[@Revick_Revas]

Later USA: Protestant With Big Bombs.

[@riverman6462]

@Sanjeev Das Most Americans are descandants of other Europeans and West Africans

[@zjeee]

@Sanjeev Das And when Japan became powerful they did exactly the same to their neighbours, it's got nothing to do with culture it's just human nature, the strong will conquer the weak, no matter religion or culture.

[@asmirann3636]

​@@zjeeeEuropean culture is aggressive, violent and barbaric. Accept it for what it is and stop making excuses.

[@drpepper3838]

We still had a fleet of over 100 warships so you could say we had the guns too

[@CMY187]

“Some Corsican guy took over Europe.” This made me laugh. Great video, K&G. Looking forward to more.

[@shaynewheeler9249]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@darklord_ing3478]

this is absolutely details and mindblown.. i was taught that Japan remained isolanist for 200 years. But not only u guys revealed everything with the main storyline of video, but also put the details within the storyline. I can feel the experience and atmosphere around 1800 when u told the detail in 13:00 until the end.. keep it up, next video please make video of Boshin War PLEASEEEEEE

[@pseudonomenclature8054]

"open the country. stop having it be closed." - Commodore Matthew Perry

[@beauarroyo6590]

i was looking for this comment! haha

[@inisipisTV]

This Sucks! - some Samurais.

[@vijayvijay4123]

So that we can spoil your nation

[@sharonnejones8389]

Do it or I'll kill you all. Also commodore Matthew Perry.

[@mb-jade7661]

Nothing new. One word sums up US foreign policy- Force. But the world has finally catch on!

[@lerneanlion]

I always thought that the peoples in Japan have no idea about the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Crimean War and the Mahdist War due to this isolationist policy. But this video just debunked that idea! Thank you, Kings and Generals!

[@ShuajoX]

There's some wacky Japanese art from a book detailing the American Revolution when they learned about it (supposedly decades later in the early 1800's). Has stuff like George Washington fighting giant birds and tigers with his saber, and Ben Franklin deadlifting a cannon. The channel Voices of the Past used art from it in a video, reading the account.

[@flyingeagle3898]

They did learn about it eventually... but their knowledge of these events was delayed by over 20 years in some cases. As mentioned in the video due to the Dutch wishing to hide the fall of their independence they hid many things during this period. Even when the dutch were more open japan's information was frequently behind the times. Interestingly China also had a similar problem prior to the opium wars

[@Hashashin_Fidayin]

@@ShuajoX Thank you for sharing that info! I was able to find the book, its called "Osanaetoki Bankokubanashi" Definitely worth the read.

[@ShuajoX]

@@Hashashin_Fidayin Ah, good! I had forgotten the name of the book.

[@ShuajoX]

@The Philosoraptor Man, I need a Dynasty Warriors for the American Revolution after that now.

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

A history of Korea and its own isolation would be a nice complement to the East Asia arc.

[@Dorimeme187]

yup, Korea and Chine would be great to include in the East Asia series!

[@cseijifja]

@@carboncc8687 wtf?

[@gilbert8162]

@@carboncc8687 *1821

[@resentfuldragon]

@@cseijifja the main commenter's name is the name of a french commander who died in 1821.

[@AyubuKK]

Yes

[@AKAZA-kq8jd]

How to end a nation isolation sure and also create a new rival in the industrial revolution.

[@drk5orp-655]

A reason to develop into the world's hegemon.

[@Lidon249]

Japan's lack of key resources must also be reminded. Japan was quite lucky to end up where it did, since China showed how terrible a goalless isolationism is.

[@tinienteabanil2922]

Silver was the only thing Japan was good for at the time

[@hugepanda001]

Welp…The Chinese isolation was fine before the British showed up with drugs…

[@Lidon249]

@@hugepanda001 The thing is Qing dynasty treated foreigner without exception with disdain, with no regard to international balance of power. Even the Opium "War" were treated as secondary due to the Heavenly Kingdome uprising, blinded the about the issues which led to this uprising.

[@MirzaAhmed89]

@@hugepanda001 so what? People in China clearly wanted the opium. They should be allowed to buy and trade for it with whatever they want.

[@jonaspete]

The Qing downfall was unavoidable. They are not the successor of Han Chinese.

[@ModernEphemera]

Catholics: “Alas, I cannot tread o’er this image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Queen of Heaven.” Dutch Protestant traders: “i dont know this b*tch, where the trade goods at”

[@diogosousa868]

"Evolved in a trading relationship between the Iberian Union and Japan" It is not the full story as the relationship already existed when Portugal was independent before the Union. In 1557, Macau became Portuguese, that increased the commerce volume In 1579 (one year before the Union) there were 400 houses, where Portuguese lived, in Nagasaki Not only that, the Nagasaki donation, was in August 15th 1580. That was 10 days before the the War of the Portuguese Succession.

[@NihaoPT]

Thank you for the extra knowledge, I would love to visit Nagasaki in search of such history ✌️

[@theperfectAdil]

It’s quite ironic that despite being buddies for decades, the Japanese and the Dutch became bitter enemies in the Pacific War.

[@TonyDootjes]

One of the top anime betrayals in history!

[@ShireTommy_1916_Somme-Mametz]

More like Britain. We built the Japanese navy, trained their admirals, helped their royalty, and then they betrayed us in ww2, when we were fighting the Axis on multiple fronts

[@jyy9624]

What's ironic about all of history?

[@samsmith2635]

That's what happens when you start a war to end Western Imperialism in Asia, before WWII Europe was elbow deep in Asian affairs. After WWII There wasn't much left of Europe's holdings.... The Japanese when they occupied other Asian Nations, despite being extremely brutal, trusted locals to run their own affairs, appoint locals to manage the Empire. After Japan lost those areas had a sense of self determination and began to utilize that right. Just look at the Indonesian War of Independence.

[@lordloss3398]

@@ShireTommy_1916_Somme-Mametz they didn't betray you. America forced Britain to break the Anglo japanese alliance to isolate japan in the Pacific and together you both shut down japan in the league of nations. Blame murica for that.

[@CrimsonAlchemist]

Its amazing how coordinated Japanese were against the Western powers, if they weren't this vigilant Japan would have been a colony since a long time ago

[@paulceglinski3087]

Excellent video, again. Kings and Generals delves into very interesting topics. The production is first rate. Outstanding! Absolutely first rate.

[@Teemaino]

I'll never forget Perry with his huge boats (with guns) (gunboats) standing before Japan saying: "Open the country. Stop having it be closed."

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

Ah, I see you too are a person of culture

[@theawesomeman9821]

"One can do many things when he's aiming a gun at your head"-Napoleon

[@waylaidsavant]

I could listen to this channel all day (and some days, I do). Thank you

[@maapaa2010]

Japan is really such an interesting country. It is so curious they were so organised and strong. This is what prevented them becoming like China during the colonial era..

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

Actually, Japan is very close to China's situation in dealing with the foreign powers between 1854 -1868, complete with punitive expeditions, treaty ports, and extraterritoriality. The only reason Japan weathered all that is that they accepted the reality that they're outmatched by the foreigners at the moment (something China didn't acknowledge until 1895) and played the long game with gradual development of its military and economic strengths. It also helps that Japan has some advantages like having an intelligentsia that knows foreign tech, and having a short Not-Civil War to clear things up and install a strong government that is needed to push for these programs. In short, Japan saw good in a bad situation while China is too arrogant to see the situation at all...

[@deepdungeon8465]

​@Sanjeev Das but US also helps them with Coals, Oils, precious Metals and other vital resources not to mention majority of their military officials graduated from US Military and Naval Academies. US wanted Japan to be a buffer from other European powers in eastern theater.

[@deepdungeon8465]

@Sanjeev Das but US approach is different, they literally re-armed the Japanese because they are focusing on developing the Philippines and other islands in the eastern Pacific. They even support and applaud the Japanese when they beat the Russian Navy. But their plans got backfired when Japan starts spreading its influences.

[@deepdungeon8465]

@Sanjeev Das buffer zone means easy counter measure against other powers, Japan has manpower and enough resources. US even applaud them when they beat the Russian Navy.

[@Clee-os6pv]

To be fair? You have to remember China got conqueror by the Manchus who were similar to the Mongols in ever way. China was pretty much not ruled as a non Chinese Dynasty, so China wasn't ruled by China at the time. Manchus were also responsible of locking China from modernizing and any changes so it put China to a stand still and made China pretty much backwater. The Manchus were also anti science and technology too. The Manchus even ban the development and uses of firearms and gunpowder weapons. When they were fully aware and realizing how powerful gunpowder weapons were when they fought the Ming Dynasty 大明. That was the reason why China wasn't able to advance themselves.

[@padvinder8]

Ah! the same old story taught in our classes in the Netherlands. We went where the Portugese were and tried to wriggle ourselves between them and a foreign country.

[@TheMakoyou]

For Japan's part, we are grateful that the Netherlands has come between us and Portugal. Because the Dutch pirates attacked a Portuguese ship and were able to get hold of a letter that was on board. The letter was from a missionary to the King of Portugal, and it was about whether or not Japan could be colonized. When the shogun learned of this, he made the decision to close the country to the outside world.

[@gyabin2]

At first, Japanese authorities did not prohibit trade with other countries or the spread of Christianity. However, when he was furious when he learned that the Japanese were being taken as slaves, it triggered to lockout. Given the history of Southeast Asian and African countries exploited as European colonies, Japan's isolation policy was a good decision as a result.

[@mikemodugno5879]

I've always been fascinated by the history involved in Japan's modernization during the late 19th century. However, I was largely ignorant of the history leading up to the Perry Expedition. Thanks for filling in the gaps.

[@Emilechen]

in 16th century, Chinese and Japaneses have already contact with European Jesusist missionaries, so this is a prelude,

[@AyubuKK]

Unknown to Matthew Perry, he set off a chain of events that would lead to Japan becoming a WWII villain.

[@daniellxnder]

This!!! The butterfly effect he set off 🙃

[@1eyeddevil929]

So his fault?

[@Smurfonshroom]

To be honest Japan wasn't nearly as isolated as other East Asian countries like China and Korea, the study of western scientific literatures (Rangaku) helped them immensely during the modernization of the later Meiji era and perhaps the lingering benefits are evident even as of today

[@youthinasia4103]

The British put a stop to Chinese isolation with all that Opium they imported in! Got em hooked n held the monopoly on the drug to keep em beholden to them. Honestly that’s what I think is going on with fentanyl with the US now! They are flipping the script on us n we are willingly killing ourself unfortunately.

[@ltcinsane]

I've kind of always interperated the Meiji period as the Japanese going 'if the damn Europeans won't stop buggign us, we'll modernize to the point where they can't push us around!'

[@sangillee7]

Yeah even today all the science medical political legal and math words used in Korea are Japan-made Chinese words. Japan translated them into Chinese characters for two hundred years through Rangaku and the impact is immense even today. I’m Korean.

[@Clee-os6pv]

The only reason why China was so isolated was the fault of the Nomadic tribes like the Manchus who ruled China at the time. China got conqueror by the Manchus who were similar to the Mongols in ever way. The Manchus ruled China after winning and defeating the Ming Dynasty 大明 in the mid 1600s. Who established a non Chinese Dynasty called the Qing started from the mid 1600s all the way to the early 1900s. China was pretty much not ruled as a non Chinese Dynasty, so China wasn't ruled by China at the time. Manchus were also responsible of locking China from modernizing and any changes so it put China to a stand still and made China pretty much backwater. The Manchus were also anti science and technology too. The Manchus even ban the development and uses of firearms and gunpowder weapons. When they were fully aware and realizing how powerful gunpowder weapons were when they fought the Ming Dynasty 大明. That was the reason why China wasn't able to advance themselves and we didn't see China as a powerhouse much of the 1800s and 1900s.

[@minoru-kk]

From the perspective of Japanese history, it's unclear whether Admiral Perry (and others) wanted to trade with Japan. The 1853 Treaty was for Amity, so pointed they didn't want to trade, but just wanted bases, they'd supply for Westerners everything as their wish when sailing around the world, such as for whaling.

[@shaynewheeler9249]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@chelsiec3819]

Waiting there for SIX MONTHS and then they say NO!? I can't even fathom how mad that Russian captain must have been

[@DirectorBird]

"Open your ports. Stop having them be closed." - C. Perry

[@y0shio_fps]

To those who don't know why Hideyoshi banned Christianity. Christianity was first tolerated in Japan during the reign of Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Nobunaga allowed Christianity to be spread, and the number of Christians in Kyushu area grew rapidly. This was because the Jesuits, who propagated Christianity, appealed to both Christianity and trade at the same time. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who succeeded Nobunaga as ruler of Japan, also initially tolerated Christianity, but profit of trade was a factor. What triggered Hideyoshi change his mind was his pacification of Kyushu from July 1586 to April of the following year. The battle was to defeat Shimazu Yoshihisa of Satsuma (Kagoshima Prefecture), who opposed Hideyoshi, in order to unify all of Japan and unify Kyushu. Not only he saw the number of Christians increase rapidly, but the Christian lords of Kyushu donated land to the Jesuits. Juntada Omura, lord of the Omura domain in Hizen Province (Saga and Nagasaki prefectures), donated Nagasaki and other areas to the Jesuits. Harunobu Arima of the Hinoe domain in Hizen Province (Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture) also donated Urakami. The fact that Japanese land belonged to the Jesuits was like the colonization of Japan by a Christian nation. In addition, Christians suppressed other religions by destroying temples and shrines. In some cases, Christian feudal lords forcibly converted their subjects, and in other cases, Christians exported Japanese people overseas as slaves. According to one theory, 50,000 Japanese were exported as slaves. Hideyoshi was shocked and outraged to learn of these conditions. One of a key figure in the banning of Christianity was Gaspar Coelho, a Jesuit missionary from Portugal. Coelho had an audience with Toyotomi Hideyoshi as a representative of the Jesuits in Japan and received permission from Hideyoshi to proselytize and was active in political affairs. He also offered Hideyoshi military assistance in the conquest of Kyushu. In addition, Coelho guided Hideyoshi, who arrived at Hakozaki in Chikuzen Province, to a Fusta ship loaded with cannons. As they toured Hakata Bay, he showed off Spain's military saying, "I can move the Spanish fleet anytime I want." This alarmed Hideyoshi that the Spanish might overrun Japan. Incidentally, Coelho's actions were criticized by missionaries of the time as an obstacle to missionary work in Japan. Before the Christian ban was issued, Hideyoshi sent an envoy to Coelho to ask for an explanation of the current situation. Hideyoshi asked Coelho three questions. (1) the reason for forcing the Japanese to become Christians, (2) the reason why the missionaries were eating horses and cows, valuable animals, for labor, (3) the reason for the purchase of Japanese people and their transportation to Portugal. However, Hideyoshi not only questioned the Jesuits on these three points, but also made suggestions to them. (1) If the Jesuits did not practice soft missionary work such as Shintoism and Buddhism, they would be expelled from Japan, but Japanese government would pay for their return. (2) The government suggests eating wild boar and deer as an alternative. If they cannot stop eating horses and cows, they will have to leave the country. (3) The Japanese who were sold and went abroad must be returned, and the Japanese who are currently being sold must be released, and if they are retuned and released, the Japanese government will pay for it. Coelho ignored the proposal and gave an excuse. (1) He denied forced conversions to missionary work and insisted on continuing missionary activities in various regions. (2) the missionaries do not eat aggressively. (3) He said, "The Portuguese buy Japanese because the Japanese sell their people. We have prevented human trafficking and the enslavement of our subjects, and the damage has been limited to Kyushu. We need strict supervision and a system of prohibition by the various feudal lords of Japan," he replied, since the Japanese were responsible for the slave trade. Hideyoshi, perhaps angered by this, sent a messenger again to ask a follow-up question, but he received the same answer. In response, Hideyoshi issued a decree banning Christianity.

[@huseyincobanoglu531]

Really enjoyed this episode. Thank you Kings and Generals Team.

[@arthurreede4478]

I believe a reason why the Dutch may also trade is because they dug up a man made island. It was said that no non-japanese person was to set foot on the holy ground of the land of the rising sun so the Dutch made an island next to the coast to manoeuvre around that policy

[@deanzaZZR]

Right, don't mind the large Chinese enclave (唐人屋敷 - Tojin Yashiki) less than a km away. 😉

[@arthurreede4478]

@@deanzaZZR That's awesome! Thanks I didn't know :D

[@Z020852]

The most amusing part when this was covered in school is how our teachers had to clarify that it wasn't Chandler Bing that blockaded Edo Bay.

[@theawesomeman9821]

Nice Friends humor ;)

[@Z020852]

@@theawesomeman9821 Professor figured out (possibly when it was him as a student in college, we were his first batch) that whenever anyone says "Matthew Perry" idiots like us will automatically start singing "I'LL BE THERE FOR YOOOOOOOUU."

[@brokenbridge6316]

A nicely informative video. I didn't know about these other attempts to open Japan to trade. my compliments to all those who made this video a reality.

[@ItinerantIntrovert]

Watching this video from my room overlooking the nightscape of Nagasaki, I can't help but be awed by time and humanity. The Japanese are very lucky to have such a beautiful country here. I'm sure they didnt need any of us westerners

[@kaltaron1284]

Fun fact: As some may have gleamed from the mon, the Daimyou at Matsumae was a side branch of the famous Takeda clan.

[@confucamus3536]

The period that was chosen for the anime Samurai Champloo, some of my favorite historical material

[@katakana2]

The unbalanced and one sided treaties of America, England and so on forced on Japan also directly contributed to the end of the Edo period and started the Meji restoration.

[@theawesomeman9821]

Well at least Japan was at it's golden age with the Meiji era.

[@katakana2]

@@theawesomeman9821 Yes interms of organizing the Military and reshaping the governing body. With High literacy rate and fast urbanization already in the Edo period, the foundations for the success of the Meji period is in place.

[@Chris-ut6eq]

Great video which links events so we can understand a process not memorize facts or be left with many questions. I'm sure there are many more details, but this is a good summary.

[@franciscoflamenco]

Great video, though I'm a bit surprised you didn't take the chance to mention how the Japanese traded with China at that time of isolation. You show it a bit in the map, but trade with China was so important yet also so forbidden (for many reasons) that Japan basically tried all the indirect routes available in order to achieve it. Trade with China at the time meant partaking in "tribute" to China. Since the Japanese saw their Emperor as being on the same level as the Chinese Emperor (and on a higher standing than the "barbarian" Manchus currently running China), they couldn't bring themselves to partake in such tribute. So the Japanese traded with Korea through Tsushima, with the Dutch through Dejima, and with the Aino in Yezo (Hokkaido) in order to have access to Chinese goods. More importantly, the Satsuma domain in modern Kagoshima literally conquered the Ryukyu islands but made sure to keep the conquest a secret, so that the Ryukyu Kingdom could still pretend to be independent and still partake in tribute and trade with China. That meant that the Ryukyu Kingdom was at the same time a tributary of China (same as, for example, Korea) and a vassal to the Satsuma clan, itself a vassal to the Tokugawa Shogunate. This is a bit as if Puerto Rico was nominally independent but secretly part of the State of Florida, and it pledged allegiance and tribute to Cuba so that the US could trade with Cuba without actually trading with Cuba.

[@Primetiime32]

I studied this part of history very intensely.

[@peanutwars]

Still the most amazing history channel ever on KZbin! This video was very entertaining and well done as usual! Your telling me America was the first country to open trade with Japan!? I never knew that.

[@alissa6]

Crazy right! They were the ones that also nuked them twice after the Japanese surrendered. But Japanese label only Muslims as tyyrorists ain't that funny? Silly spineless puppets 😆

[@ericconnor8251]

The first modern country to force Japan to trade, that is, and if you watched the video you would know the Dutch had been trading with Japan for centuries before the USA. For that matter Japan kept up minimal trade with Qing China and Joseon Korea despite the isolationism. Japan had also been trading with China and forming diplomatic contacts since the 1st century AD, during China’s Han dynasty and the “Wa” era of ancient Japan. Japan invaded Korea twice, in the 7th and 16th centuries, before the 20th century invasion. And the Dutch weren’t even the first Europeans to trade with Japan, the video clearly explains it was the Portuguese.

[@peanutwars]

@@ericconnor8251 “if you watched the video “ “the video clearly explains” why are you so offended lol XD maybe I missed that part or was distracted. Thanks for the info but lose the attitude It was just a comment and maybe I was wrong IM SO SORRY ERIC CONNOR corrector of the ages

[@ericconnor8251]

@@peanutwars You're upset that I merely pointed out you didn't watch the video? My corrections weren't even profound, just absolute basic stuff that a high schooler could understand. You sound hysterical over something so trivial, but I accept your sarcastically hostile apology. Goodnight.

[@MirzaAhmed89]

I thought that was common knowledge.

[@samsmith2635]

I love how capable the Japanese were at governing their nation, despite lagging behind the rest of the world at that time. Japan was blessed with gifted statesmen and Craftsmen, way to go Tanaka on the reverse engineering the Steam Engine!

[@giorgiociaravolol1998]

I hope you'll do a video on Matthew Perry and his successful expedition. Btw, you failed to mention that the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was the second ever european nation to establish relationships with the Japanese by trading gifts. Through italian Jesuits, the grand Duchy wanted to open a new trade route but ultimately failed because of internal disorders. You can find the whole story on the museum of exotic goods of Florence.

[@robbabcock_]

Great video! The Meiji Restoration was a fascinating period that set Japan on a collision course with the West.

[@GhostCountries]

Very interesting video once again. This whole isolation is actually still pretty popular in some Asian countries where you can see similar instruments being used against "foreign ideas". Of course not only there but I find it especially interesting in Asia! Who knows how Japan would look like now without isolation !

[@rodniegsm1575]

Who knows how Japan would look like if they were allowed to be isolated. No one see how European arrogance and greed destroyed and took away country right to follow there own path. There freedom to be who they are.

[@pavlepavlovic4073]

@@rodniegsm1575 And then the Japanese used the freedom they gained to decide the freedom of other Asian peoples on whom they looked down upon. Go figure...

[@zjeee]

@@rodniegsm1575 Why is this said to be a European trait, you have no idea why Japan is so hated in the Asian pacific after their aggressive expansionism? Looking down on other Asians as backwards... yes poor Japan, once they had the power necessary to oppress their neighbors they did exactly what the west had done to them. Who would have thought... The strong will conquer the weak, that's just how the world works. The only reason why this is something people associate with the west is because the west have been totally dominant in military tech the last 200 years. Once there was a swing in power and Asian countries caught up they started their own conquest of their neighbors. It's just human nature unfortunately.

[@machirim2805]

@@rodniegsm1575 a weeb who’s ignorant of japan’s imperialist history. how typical

[@thalmoragent9344]

@@zjeee Yeah, but the other side of that is people defending the European colonization while also saying the Asian ones were bad, and then we have counter arguments to those as well. All a cycle of finger pointing, tbh.

[@marginbuu212]

"Speak softly and carry a big stick" worked out pretty well.

[@Anwwoo]

6:29 seagull sound effects are never gettng old.

[@orktv4673]

OPEN THE COUNTRY STOP HAVING IT BE CLOSED

[@frankieseward8667]

50 years later--- You know opening up Japan probably wasn't the best idea.

[@diitsmach]

Said the United States

[@Joey-db8bv]

I watched the 3 hour documentary on this. The treaty was sign under duress.

[@mr.sushi2221]

Man history is so interesting!

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for another good video 👍🏻

[@shabreenfiroz6186]

Amazing, I love your history videos. I still have to watch your videos. But nice.

[@freekitten00]

The Edo Shogunate had already begun modernization. Many people misunderstand without knowing. However, the victory of the Satsuma-Choshu alliance was entirely due to British convenience. World affairs at that time were cleverly controlled by Britain.

[@ultrascreens5206]

‘Could this nation BE any more closed’ Commodore Matthew Perry…. Probably

[@youthinasia4103]

It’s always the first converts that get the worst of the brunt when the foreign forces that brought in the religion in the first place get kicked out n their converts are left behind in their hostile home country n are thrown to the wind and assigned to their fate which was usually pretty brutal to be honest! Just like in Ireland when Catholicism came to the isle n that the Protestants came back through n brought down the hammer on the indigenous people n their new faith which they fought for tooth n nail. A situation that still is ongoing today, not as much n most younger generations are more religious open but the older generations still remember back when the troubles was going on! Whenever you get a first wave there usually is a second wave of religion that tends to dismiss the original religious people beliefs to the unfortunate people involved. I understand many great things has been done because of religion but also some of the worst atrocities have also happened because of religion so it’s a double edged sword, you get cut either way!

[@theleper4186]

For a truly religious person, God cannot be blamed for our failures. The fault is always ours. 😐

[@lordloss3398]

Only the terribly brutal monotheistic ones which basically make violence impossible to avoid. Idk about you but I've never heard of zeus followers killing ishtars for being a pagan.

[@jacksonquinn8744]

@@lordloss3398 ya, the greeks and romans only destroyed their neighbors and enemies within. They may not have killed and destroyed for religions sake, but they did it for every other reason in the book 😂 but ya they were so much better that they killed for every other reason besides religion

[@dirckthedork-knight1201]

@@lordloss3398 You may wanna look up something called "the sacred wars"

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , K&G . 🐺

[@mikeboix3315]

Great video as always.

[@pauljones-tj5vs]

Wonderful video. This has to be the best channel on KZbin. So interesting

[@18890426]

Japan was already advanced and prosperous in terms of their own culture and civilization before Europeans came and in fact Japanese are still proud of themselves because of the fact that they advanced and developed their own rich, unique and highly beautiful culture and civilization by their own in the isolation era.

[@deepdungeon8465]

but that wouldn't last for long, after they saw Commodore Perry's Iron battleships they knew that they have to catch up and get stronger or else become like puppet china.

[@zjeee]

Kind of, I guess. You have to remember though that the Japanese culture was heavily influenced by the Chinese, their major religion originally came from China so did their language even today many characters are the same in Chinese and Japanese. I am not going to take away that they certainly blended the Chinese culture with a Japanese flavour, it is unique but it's certainly not void of outside influence. So while they did not pick up much European cultural influence they certainly picked up quite a lot of the Chinese culture, even during the isolation era.

[@hutt1936]

Rise of the Ronin got me here and great video depth thanks

[@bebinca]

Last night I saw a documentary on Japan's royalty and how it was forced to open up for foreign trade by the British. But I stopped just till that. So now I watch this to get a complete picture. I loved your documentary on how China was forced to open up. It was so well done. Thanks you guys

[@misfortunemate8261]

Europeans: Hi Japanese: It's the nature of time that the old ways must give in It's the nature of time that the new ways comes in sin

[@bolasdefraile]

I see you are a man of culture as well. Long live Sabaton

[@TheMakoyou]

Japan allowed only the Dutch because they were not obsessed with religion. It is easier to conduct diplomacy with someone obsessed with money than with someone obsessed with religion. You only have to look at the Middle East today to understand this.

[@dudeboydudeboy-zj8kd]

south african here, can you make videos of the great trek and the zulu wars with king shaka zulu in the future please🙏. also your videos are awesome

[@Paidwellington]

This is a great video. I love this channel

[@GallowglassVT]

There's an argument to be made that Japan's own colonial behaviour, along with the slip into outright fascism, wouldn't have happened (or at least, not as horrifically or rapidly as it did) if the Americans had just left well alone (which has never happened and as an English person, I apologise). Conversely, they probably would have been fully colonised by Western imperial powers had they not modernised so it's a double edged sword and either way, everyone gets cut. Still doesn't justify what the Empire did, but it at least explains some of it.

[@lordloss3398]

The blame for japanese fascism is def usas fault but japan wouldn't really be colonised by anybody. It would have frankly been too expensive and non lucrative to occupy an isolated mountainous island with a lack of natural resources

[@jacksonquinn8744]

Well nobody forces a person to start butchering their neighbors, nor does it force some one to r@pe a city. Ya I understand Japan's fast paced modernisation and even some of the colonizing effort but the manner and fashion it was done in? That's nobody else's fault but Japan's. Let's not remove culpability where it should be. Is it UK's fault america has fought so many wars after the conclusion of the revolution? Id like to see your response

[@jacksonquinn8744]

@@lordloss3398 japan chose that rout because appealed to their damaged self confidence. But they chose that rout themselves.

[@lordloss3398]

@@jacksonquinn8744 if I aim a gun at you and tell you to jump off the roof and you do it, it was your choice. You could've defied me. That's pretty much it, it was their choice but their choice wasn't made in a vacuum devoid of global geopolitical influence.

[@zjeee]

Pretty much half the world dabbed into nationalism at that period of time. The only reason Japan went ham is because they had the military capability to do so and their Asian neighbours didn't. It's all the same during human history, the strong will conquer the weak. Japan tried conquering Korea many times before but they failed because they lacked the military capability to do so. Once they obtained superiority in terms of military then they went on an expansion spree as you would expect them to. There was always a will to expand and conquer, they just lacked the capability to do so. Once they obtained said capability then the ensuing invasions and conquests was just a matter of time.

[@reginaldshort8486]

I agree with not trusting the Europeans but limiting oneself so much that u weaken yourself to exterior threats is stupid. Trading goods for gold and silver while also learning about languages, cultures, technology and weapons would’ve sped up their development by generations.

[@jackback70]

That's true but don't forget that religion was a big part to why they wanted to remain isolated. Trade of any kind opens your country up for new ideas like Christianity and for many Japanese back then, it was almost like a betrayal to their own gods.

[@zjeee]

@@jackback70 The issue was the rebellions, when the locals start following the words of Christ and listen to their priests instead of the shogun and ruler of Japan then it became a problem. Japanese rulers were like any other rulers, it was a challenge to their authority and that was the issue. If the new religion proclaimed the ruler of Japan as the rightful ruler they would have loved it.

[@glps6167]

This video does not distinguish between the V.O.C. and the Dutch state succeeding it, and at one time refers to Holland instead of the Netherlands.

[@grimmjowjaegerjaques650]

Recently documents were found in Japan of a plot to assassinate Perry. From Japan: 🇯🇵

[@yourenotperfect.9493]

Heard about him in the anime Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei where he is a menace who goes around opening random objects

[@k00lkidz4]

Last year I found out I'm related to Commodore Matthew Perry, so it's cool seeing videos about him.

[@wingninjagaming]

Obligatory "Open the country, Stop having it be closed" -Matthew Perry

[@ansosboy8687]

I wish the Kingdoms and Sultanates In Indonesia made same restrctions like tokugawa Shogunate for Dutch VOC but Kingdoms and Sultanates were so open to the world

[@Raadpensionaris]

They weren't as strong as Japan

[@deanzaZZR]

"Sharing sake and cookies" Chocolate chip cookies? 😄 My guess would be something like senbei...rice crackers.

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

How about a coverage on Korea and China’s isolation and its history as well?

[@theawesomeman9821]

I believe they already covered China's isolation in one of their videos.

[@Clee-os6pv]

In China's case it was different? China got conqueror by the Manchus who were similar to the Mongols in ever way. The Manchus ruled China after winning and defeating the Ming Dynasty 大明 in the mid 1600s. China was pretty much not ruled as a non Chinese Dynasty, so China wasn't ruled by China at the time. Manchus were also responsible of locking China from modernizing and any changes so it put China to a stand still and made China pretty much backwater. The Manchus were also anti science and technology too. The Manchus even ban the development and uses of firearms and gunpowder weapons. When they were fully aware and realizing how powerful gunpowder weapons were when they fought the Ming Dynasty 大明. That was the reason why China wasn't able to advance themselves and didn't see China as a powerhouse much of the 1800s and 1900s.

[@Lafyva]

Very fine videos!

[@rsollinger]

excellent!

[@revinhatol]

11:47 Rangaku - (n.) a Japanese term for European (specifically Dutch/Netherlandic) teachings.

[@datprawn4850]

You've forgotten HMS Phaeton in 1808 when disguised as a Dutch ship attacked the Dutch trading post in Nagasaki to prevent any resources from going to Napoleon.

[@timetravelingphilanthropis5274]

Please do a video on Rokuemon!!!

[@brianschwarz]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@banerjeesiddharth05]

Very nice video

[@usa7006]

The main cause of the Amakusa Shiro Rebellion was not because of Christianity, but because of the maladministration of the Matsukura family, lords of the Amakusa region.　　Incidentally, after the Amakusa Shiro Rebellion was suppressed, Katsuie Matsukura was held responsible for the rebellion and beheaded.

[@CartoonHistory]

I used to live near Nagasaki... often walked past the memorial to the 26 christian martyrs, all crucified in 1596.

[@Amitdas-gk2it]

Interesting 🙂

[@meydallas]

Why European and American people always think that all the people in the world have to have some sort of relationship with them? And that hasn't changed a lot since what happened to Japan during this time. I mean, if someone doesnt want to mess with you, just leave them alone. Why threatening wars?

[@KingsandGenerals]

Money

[@zjeee]

Because Europeans and Americans were the dominant force back then they did what they wanted. Once Japan reached superiority in the region they did whatever they wanted to their neighbours and conquered what they could. Same reasons really, the western nations wanted trade as it brought more income and Japan lacked resources on their soil and looked to get some freebies by conquering their neighbors.

[@georgiopasca2720]

@The Garfield Why do you use number system? its indian creation. Everyone uses other humans creative things

[@meydallas]

@The Garfield Why do you use the alphabet? It was created in Egypt, then spread through the middle east, before people in Europe finally adopted it. Plus, do you know that some countries In Africa, all the countries in Central and South America are a part of the western hemisphere of the globe.? So what do you mean by western creation? That makes no sense at all. You truly need to keep watching this channel, so you can learn more about history, and see how interconnected the world is.

[@1eyeddevil929]

It's in their nature. After all, their twisted philosophy of "if you want it, seize it." mentality had remained in them for far too long

[@sushmag4297]

Commodore Perry was the first weeb. He sailed halfway across the world to get some animu waifus.

[@theawesomeman9821]

Weeb? He was a racist, according to academia.

[@lupin402]

5:20 I think there is no record that the japanese forced Dutch to walk over picture of madonna and child before entering dejima.

[@garvinanders2355]

This video really does capture the feeling that isolation was going to end one way or another. If it wasn't the Americans, it would be the Russians, or the French, or another European power seeking advantage in the Pacific.

[@febrian0079]

Please continue the series on crime syndicates Make a video about the history of the Russian mafia and then the Yakuza

[@alighahremani3656]

Can't wait to watch your videos on Nader Shah the Great.

[@republicradio431]

Thanks, this was the wierdest thins in history to me "free trade or ill shoot you" so dirictly? Today we still do that but we at least lie about it

[@paulceglinski3087]

This video reminds me of a Prof of mine that always said that the study of history not only includes people, places and times, but also the possibility. What if, is the way he kinda put. Example in the video are the Portuguese. If their attempt at converting the population to Christianity had been less "aggressive", their monopoly on Japanese trade would have been near complete. But, because of the virulent missionary activity the Japanese rightfully became more isolationist. They were very curious about the West, but they didn't want the knowledge for such a price. One different move may have been a total game changer. Food for thought.

[@dirckthedork-knight1201]

What do you mean "aggressive" the Portuguese never really try to convert the japanese the whole mess happened because the Tokugawa Bakufu were terrifiyed of the idea of people following another authority other than the Bakufu

[@therraxz]

so they japanese was going from small sail boats to yamato battleship in less than 100 years:O

[@jessejojojohnson]

Hey guys, just an FYI: that map of Ashanti at 10:40 is wrong. The kingdom did not cover the extent of modern day Ghana. It was more central and spread a bit westward than is shown on the map.

[@augustineo.6990]

Sometimes states act like pirates and pirates act like states.

[@darrylerren8185]

Knock Knock, Its the United States with boats, and guns. Gunboats Open the country, stop having it be closed

[@theawesomeman9821]

Surprised that Japan never got colonized by the West.

[@zjeee]

Not worth it, the trade the west did with Japan was very limited. If Japan was the richest nation in the world they would have been colonized in a heartbeat. Fact is it was just not worth the resources and time there were much bigger fish to be had.

[@dirckthedork-knight1201]

The trade already gave them wealth no reason to take over

[@theawesomeman9821]

@@dirckthedork-knight1201 I'm pretty sure trade is usually the reason why nation colonize others

[@theawesomeman9821]

@@zjeee good point. It didn't have resources like China and SEA

[@judas3952]

@@theawesomeman9821 Thai?

[@slipbizkit]

5:21 im shocked, i knew madonna was old, but wow

[@hrshustle]

can you make a documentary with the history of japan before 1543 that would be awesome content id love to watch it