Changes

The Japanese had been active on the seas and across the region for centuries, traveling for commercial, political, religious and other reasons. The 16th century, however, saw a dramatic increase in such travel and activity. The internal strife of the [[Sengoku Period]] caused a great many people, primarily [[samurai]], commoner merchants, and [[Christianity|Christian refugees]] to seek their fortunes across the seas. Many of the samurai who fled Japan around this time were those who stood on the losing sides of various major conflicts; some were [[ronin]], some veterans of the [[Korean Invasions|Japanese invasions of Korea]] or of various other major conflicts. As [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] and later the [[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa shoguns]] issued repeated bans on Christianity, many fled the country; a significant portion of those settled in Catholic Manila<ref>Wray. p8.</ref>. This was, for a time, according to some sources, the site of both the largest Japanese, and Chinese, settlements in Southeast Asia, with 1500 Japanese and 20,000 Chinese residents of Manila in the early 17th century.<ref>Uezato Takashi. "The Formation of the Port City of Naha in Ryukyu and the World of Maritime Asia: From the Perspective of a Japanese Network." ''[[Acta Asiatica]]'' 95 (2008). p70.</ref>

The Japanese had been active on the seas and across the region for centuries, traveling for commercial, political, religious and other reasons. The 16th century, however, saw a dramatic increase in such travel and activity. The internal strife of the [[Sengoku Period]] caused a great many people, primarily [[samurai]], commoner merchants, and [[Christianity|Christian refugees]] to seek their fortunes across the seas. Many of the samurai who fled Japan around this time were those who stood on the losing sides of various major conflicts; some were [[ronin]], some veterans of the [[Korean Invasions|Japanese invasions of Korea]] or of various other major conflicts. As [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] and later the [[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa shoguns]] issued repeated bans on Christianity, many fled the country; a significant portion of those settled in Catholic Manila<ref>Wray. p8.</ref>. This was, for a time, according to some sources, the site of both the largest Japanese, and Chinese, settlements in Southeast Asia, with 1500 Japanese and 20,000 Chinese residents of Manila in the early 17th century.<ref>Uezato Takashi. "The Formation of the Port City of Naha in Ryukyu and the World of Maritime Asia: From the Perspective of a Japanese Network." ''[[Acta Asiatica]]'' 95 (2008). p70.</ref>

As a result of the [[Ming dynasty|Ming dynasty's]] ban on direct Sino-Japanese trade or travel, the various lands of Southeast Asia became the primary destinations. Beginning in 1567, the ban was lifted for trade and contact in Southeast Asia, and many traders who would otherwise have been deemed [[wako|pirates]] for their violation of the ban were thus able to engage in legal activity, though trade and travel directly between China and Japan remained illegal<ref>Wray. p2.</ref>. These factors combined with a number of others to create a vibrant trading scene across East and Southeast Asia, a period which Southeast Asian historian [[Anthony Reid]] has dubbed "the Age of Commerce."<ref>Reid.</ref>

As a result of the [[Ming dynasty|Ming dynasty's]] ban on direct Sino-Japanese trade or travel, the various lands of Southeast Asia became the primary destinations. Beginning in 1567, the ban was lifted for trade and contact in Southeast Asia, and many traders who would otherwise have been deemed [[wako|pirates]] for their violation of the ban were thus able to engage in legal activity, though trade and travel directly between China and Japan remained illegal<ref>Wray. p2.</ref>. These factors combined with a number of others to create a vibrant trading scene across East and Southeast Asia, a period which Southeast Asian historian [[Anthony Reid]] has dubbed "the Age of Commerce."<ref>Reid.</ref> Due to the seasonal patterns of monsoon winds in the region, trade generally traveled only in one direction half the year, and in the reverse direction the other half; ships generally left Japan for Southeast Asia in mid-winter, and returned in early summer.

Japanese abroad worked in a myriad of roles, though most were merchants, mercenaries, sailors, soldiers, servants, or manual laborers of various sorts<ref>Wray. pp8-9.</ref>. A few ran restaurants or Japanese-style inns, and a few are even known as actors or dancers.<ref>Cesare Polenghi, ''Samurai of Ayutthaya: Yamada Nagamasa, Japanese warrior and merchant in early seventeenth-century Siam''. Bangkok: White Lotus Press (2009), 26.</ref> The establishment of the [[shuinsen|red seal ships]] system by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 1590s, and its continuation under [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] in the early decades of the 17th century caused this trade and overseas activity to reach a climax and enter a golden age. Through these maritime adventurers and overseas communities, Japanese entrepôt trade in Southeast Asia thrived. Many of the more active ports came to have a port master, or head of the Japanese community; this port master, called ''syahbandar'' in Malay and Indonesia, oversaw the activities of the residents of the ''Nihonmachi'', served as a liaison between the community and the local authorities, and played an important role in coordinating the port's trade with non-resident Japanese traders who came to the port<ref>Wray. p9.</ref>.

Japanese abroad worked in a myriad of roles, though most were merchants, mercenaries, sailors, soldiers, servants, or manual laborers of various sorts<ref>Wray. pp8-9.</ref>. A few ran restaurants or Japanese-style inns, and a few are even known as actors or dancers.<ref>Cesare Polenghi, ''Samurai of Ayutthaya: Yamada Nagamasa, Japanese warrior and merchant in early seventeenth-century Siam''. Bangkok: White Lotus Press (2009), 26.</ref> The establishment of the [[shuinsen|red seal ships]] system by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 1590s, and its continuation under [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] in the early decades of the 17th century caused this trade and overseas activity to reach a climax and enter a golden age. Through these maritime adventurers and overseas communities, Japanese entrepôt trade in Southeast Asia thrived. Many of the more active ports came to have a port master, or head of the Japanese community; this port master, called ''syahbandar'' in Malay and Indonesia, oversaw the activities of the residents of the ''Nihonmachi'', served as a liaison between the community and the local authorities, and played an important role in coordinating the port's trade with non-resident Japanese traders who came to the port<ref>Wray. p9.</ref>.

Trade and relations between Japan and Ayutthaya were quite friendly and strong for roughly sixty years, until a series of political scandals in 1630 led to the shogunate formally severing ties with the kingdom. Following the death of King Songtham, the throne was seized by Prasat Thong in a violent coup. As part of this scheme, Prasat Thong arranged for the head of the ''Nihonmachi'', Yamada Nagamasa, who also served in prominent roles in court and as head of a contingent of royal Japanese bodyguards, to be killed. Fearing retribution from the Japanese community, the new king burnt down the ''Nihonmachi'', expelling or killing most of the residents. Many Japanese fled to Cambodia, and a number returned several years later having been granted amnesty by the king<ref>Iwao. "Reopening..." pp2-4.</ref>. The shogunate, regarding Prasat Thong as an usurper and a pretender to the throne, severed ties with the kingdom. Trade continued aboard Chinese and Dutch ships, and, though formal relations were not resumed following the ascension of King Narai to the throne in 1657, an event in which the Japanese community played a not insignificant part, the royal court's involvement in trade with Japan did resume<ref>Iwao. "Relations..." pp28-29.</ref>.

Trade and relations between Japan and Ayutthaya were quite friendly and strong for roughly sixty years, until a series of political scandals in 1630 led to the shogunate formally severing ties with the kingdom. Following the death of King Songtham, the throne was seized by Prasat Thong in a violent coup. As part of this scheme, Prasat Thong arranged for the head of the ''Nihonmachi'', Yamada Nagamasa, who also served in prominent roles in court and as head of a contingent of royal Japanese bodyguards, to be killed. Fearing retribution from the Japanese community, the new king burnt down the ''Nihonmachi'', expelling or killing most of the residents. Many Japanese fled to Cambodia, and a number returned several years later having been granted amnesty by the king<ref>Iwao. "Reopening..." pp2-4.</ref>. The shogunate, regarding Prasat Thong as an usurper and a pretender to the throne, severed ties with the kingdom. Trade continued aboard Chinese and Dutch ships, and, though formal relations were not resumed following the ascension of King Narai to the throne in 1657, an event in which the Japanese community played a not insignificant part, the royal court's involvement in trade with Japan did resume<ref>Iwao. "Relations..." pp28-29.</ref>.

The ''Nihonmachi'' recovered for a time, playing an important role in managing aspects of the Japanese trade at the port, and lasting through the end of the 17th century before becoming assimilated into the Siamese population and disappearing. Much of the city was destroyed when it was taken by the Burmese in 1767<ref>Coedes. pp164-165.</ref>, and very little by way of intact buildings or other large, noticeable remnants remains today of the ''Nihonmachi''. A formal marker, placed in modern times, denotes the site, which has been the subject of some archaeological research, and which has been visited by both the current [[Emperor]] and his predecessor HIM the Shôwa Emperor.

The ''Nihonmachi'' recovered for a time, playing an important role in managing aspects of the Japanese trade at the port, and lasting through the end of the 17th century before becoming assimilated into the Siamese population and disappearing. Much of the city was destroyed when it was taken by the Burmese in 1767<ref>Coedes. pp164-165.</ref>, and very little by way of intact buildings or other large, noticeable remnants remains today of the ''Nihonmachi''. A formal marker, placed in modern times, denotes the site, which has been the subject of some archaeological research, and which has been visited by both the current [[Emperor]] and his predecessor the Shôwa Emperor.

=====Hoi An=====

=====Hoi An=====