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The city was also home to one of the largest ''[[Nihonmachi]]'' (Japantowns) in Southeast Asia at that time; boasting some 1,500 Japanese at its peak, this community was roughly the same size as that in the Siamese capital of [[Ayutthaya]].<ref>At that same time, Manila was also home to around 20,000 Chinese. 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.; Gunn, 222-223.</ref> The community began in the late 16th century, at a time when Catholicism was earning many converts in Japan, particularly in Kyushu, and when some thousands of Japanese were actively trading and traveling between Japan and Southeast Asia, or otherwise living in diaspora. Around [[1590]], Governor Gomez Pedro Dasmarino began to impose restrictions on the Japanese living in Manila, and around the same time, Japanese residents, such as [[Harada Quimon]], petitioned [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] to invade and conquer the Philippines. Hideyoshi is known to have sent at least one threatening letter, but never actually launched any attempts to attack the Philippines.

The city was also home to one of the largest ''[[Nihonmachi]]'' (Japantowns) in Southeast Asia at that time; boasting some 1,500 Japanese at its peak, this community was roughly the same size as that in the Siamese capital of [[Ayutthaya]].<ref>At that same time, Manila was also home to around 20,000 Chinese. 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.; Gunn, 222-223.</ref> The community began in the late 16th century, at a time when Catholicism was earning many converts in Japan, particularly in Kyushu, and when some thousands of Japanese were actively trading and traveling between Japan and Southeast Asia, or otherwise living in diaspora. Around [[1590]], Governor Gomez Pedro Dasmarino began to impose restrictions on the Japanese living in Manila, and around the same time, Japanese residents, such as [[Harada Quimon]], petitioned [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] to invade and conquer the Philippines. Hideyoshi is known to have sent at least one threatening letter, but never actually launched any attempts to attack the Philippines.

Spanish and Japanese trading ships continued to travel between Manila and [[Nagasaki]], connecting the two cities in a rather active trade, and the Japanese community, though small, remained influential as it did in many other Southeast Asian ports. By [[1603]], the Japanese community numbered around 800, and played some role in quelling an uprising by the local Chinese. Three years later, in [[1606]], the Japanese themselves rose up, at a time when the Spanish governor was absent. Though this rebellion could have thus presented a serious threat to Spanish control, it ultimately came to nothing, and another rebellion the following year was crushed, with the ''Nihonmachi'' being burned to the ground.

Spanish and Japanese trading ships continued to travel between Manila and [[Nagasaki]], connecting the two cities in a rather active trade, and the Japanese community, though small, remained influential as it did in many other Southeast Asian ports. By [[1603]], the Japanese community numbered around 800, and played some role in quelling an uprising by the local Chinese. Three years later, in [[1606]], the Japanese themselves rose up, at a time when the Spanish governor was absent. Though this rebellion could have thus presented a serious threat to Spanish control, it ultimately came to nothing, and another rebellion the following year was crushed, with the ''Nihonmachi'' being burned to the ground.