Changes

Access to mainland Japan, i.e. permission to leave Dejima, was via a wooden bridge (later replaced by one in stone) on the north side of the island. Access was severely limited, but included regular journeys made by all 10-15 VOC representatives to pay respects to the shogun at [[Edo]]. These visits took place annually until [[1790]], after which the Dutch visited the shogun only once every five years until [[1850]], when the practice came to an end. These missions generally cost around 3.7% of the company's annual profits.

Access to mainland Japan, i.e. permission to leave Dejima, was via a wooden bridge (later replaced by one in stone) on the north side of the island. Access was severely limited, but included regular journeys made by all 10-15 VOC representatives to pay respects to the shogun at [[Edo]]. These visits took place annually until [[1790]], after which the Dutch visited the shogun only once every five years until [[1850]], when the practice came to an end. These missions generally cost around 3.7% of the company's annual profits.

Dutch ships were limited to two a year. They generally arrived in the seventh month, and were required to leave no later than the 20th of the ninth month. The VOC imported a variety of goods into Japan, including chiefly Chinese silk, but also Dutch books, microscopes, telescopes, and the like in small quantities. In exchange, they obtained Japanese gold, silver, and porcelains, later learning to produce their own porcelains, copying Japanese styles.

Dutch ships were limited to two a year. They generally arrived in the seventh month, and were required to leave no later than the 20th of the ninth month. The VOC imported a variety of goods into Japan, including chiefly Chinese silk, but also Dutch books, microscopes, telescopes, watches, fire pumps, and other glasswares and technological objects in small quantities. They also imported cotton printed calicos (aka chintz), European ones of which came to eclipse Indian ones on the world market in the late 18th century.<ref>Robert Hellyer, Defining Engagement, Harvard University Press (2009), 76.</ref> In exchange, the Dutch obtained Japanese [[silver]] and [[porcelain]]s, among other goods, later learning to produce their own porcelains, copying Japanese styles.

Generally, both European and Japanese women were not permitted on Dejima. The [[courtesans]] of the [[Maruyama]] pleasure district were a notable exception; they also served the [[Chinese in Nagasaki|Chinese merchants of the city]], and Japanese visitors to Nagasaki from other parts of the archipelago. The courtesans were officially required to return from Dejima in the morning, but in practice, often stayed for up to a week. Enforcement of restrictions on the island were quite lax at times, and on occasion, courtesans even escorted Dutchmen off Dejima (into Nagasaki proper), or accompanied them out of the country.<ref>Johnson, 22.</ref> A number of Maruyama courtesans also had children with members of the Dejima community; some of these children came to be regarded as "Japanese," being accepted and incorporated into Japanese society, and remained in Japan for the rest of their lives, banned from leaving just like any other Japanese, while others were deemed foreigners, and lived on Dejima or outside of Japan the remainder of their lives, banned from entering or traveling freely within the archipelago like any other foreigner.

Generally, both European and Japanese women were not permitted on Dejima. The [[courtesans]] of the [[Maruyama]] pleasure district were a notable exception; they also served the [[Chinese in Nagasaki|Chinese merchants of the city]], and Japanese visitors to Nagasaki from other parts of the archipelago. The courtesans were officially required to return from Dejima in the morning, but in practice, often stayed for up to a week. Enforcement of restrictions on the island were quite lax at times, and on occasion, courtesans even escorted Dutchmen off Dejima (into Nagasaki proper), or accompanied them out of the country.<ref>Johnson, 22.</ref> A number of Maruyama courtesans also had children with members of the Dejima community; some of these children came to be regarded as "Japanese," being accepted and incorporated into Japanese society, and remained in Japan for the rest of their lives, banned from leaving just like any other Japanese, while others were deemed foreigners, and lived on Dejima or outside of Japan the remainder of their lives, banned from entering or traveling freely within the archipelago like any other foreigner.