Dejima: The Island that made modern Japan

Perhaps the advancement of modern Japan can be closely linked to a large extent to activities in Dejima, an artificial island created during the isolation era when the Asia archipelago closed its borders to external elements for centuries.For two centuries, Japanese rulers refused to open the country’s doors to the outside world and created the […]

Perhaps the advancement of modern Japan can be closely linked to a large extent to activities in Dejima, an artificial island created during the isolation era when the Asia archipelago closed its borders to external elements for centuries.
For two centuries, Japanese rulers refused to open the country’s doors to the outside world and created the Dejima Island on its southern fringes at Nagasaki, renowned for its natural ports. Then, it was called Kishima and was the only place Europeans and others could live and trade with the Japanese in sugar and sundry items.
Ships berthed at Dejima and cargoes off-loaded to the numerous warehouses in the 15, 000 square-metre island before they were conveyed to other parts of Japan. But then, Europeans were only allowed to remain on the island and only few Japanese, especially clerks and goods inspectors, were allowed contact with the European traders.
However, according to information from the Nagasaki Museum of History and Cultural Collection, the reason for establishing Dejima and the concept of isolation was to stop the spread of Christianity and foreign culture by the Europeans. It says: “In 1936, in order to stop the spread of Christianity by the Portuguese, this 15, 000 square-metre artificial island called Dejima was constructed by the people of Nagasaki on the order of the Edo Shogunate and the Portuguese were interned there. In 1639, when Portuguese ships were banned from Japan by the National Isolation Edict, Dejima became uninhabited for a short time. However, in 1641, the Dutch East India Company Trading Post in Hirado was moved to Dejima. Until the end of Japan’s period of isolation in 1859, Dejima played a large role in the modernisation of Japan for 218 years.”
Indeed, Dejima was built as a design to isolating foreigners from local Japanese residents. During the time of exclusion, the island was the only open window to the outside world. However, the rich merchants paid homage to the rulers in Tokyo and had to travel from Nagasaki to the imperial palace, a journey that took 180 days return trip.
Built in the form of a typical Japanese hand fan but after decades, Dejima has been taken over by development and the fan-shaped island has disappeared making it a part of mainland Nagasaki. This was due to continuous reclamation of the land. By 1904, the fan-shaped island was gone.
The Japanese did not commit their resources to the establishment of Dejima. It was left for the Europeans to do so. Twenty-five merchants co-financed the project, taking two years to complete reclaiming the land from the ocean.  It started in 1634 and was completed in 1636. Due to the manner in which the island was constructed, it was called by many names but key among them are: Tsukishima, because it was established through reclaimed land and Ogijima because of its fan-shape.
Even with the isolation, merchants and workers were allowed to live their European life-style, at least within the precepts of Dejima. As such, they brought in some aspects of Western culture, including reading and writing and styles.
The Edo period was characterised by economic growth, strict social order, isolationist foreign policies, environmental protection policies and popular enjoyment of arts and culture. The shogunate was officially established in Edo on March 24, 1603, by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration on May 3, 1868, after the fall of Edo.
The Meiji period is the Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan during which Japanese society moved from being an isolated feudal society to its modern form. Fundamental changes affected its social structure, internal politics, economy, military, and foreign relations.
Ms. Yoko Nakano, a tour guide who took journalists round the historic sites in Nagasaki, was excited to inform them that the city was the gateway to the modernisation of Japan by way of Western influence which introduced many things that later moved into the greater country after the law on isolation was abrogated. It was this period that Dejima actually blossomed and became influential.
Yoko said the Dutch East India Company, Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), was the key firm that traded in Dejima and brought numerous goods to Japan. She said as a result of the contact, Nagasaki became the first place of learning and contact with the outside world. However, Yoko said despite that, it still is a surprise that not many Nagasaki residents understand and speak good English.
The life in Dejima at that time is replicated in the buildings and items in the renovated island. It unveiled the lavish life the Europeans lived. The island is properly organised into office areas, living quarters, recreation spots, a garden and worship places. The segments also include: Head of Clerk’s quarters, No. 1 warehouse, warehouses, deputy factor’s quarters, first ship captain’s quarters, chief factor’s residence, Japanese official’s office and the kitchen. It is from this arrangement that the Japanese began to copy Western style buildings and interior arrangements.
For recreation, the Europeans introduced piano, badminton and billiards, while beer, clover (a kind of protective container for breakable materials), coffee, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes and chocolate became popular.
Nagasaki has now transformed into a dynamic industrial hub in Japan and is known for its ship building and port of business which Dejima is a contributory factor.
The present day Dejima is a total replica of what it was in the past. Though fire destroyed parts of the buildings, it was reconstructed in almost exactly the same way. The whole island is properly paved to provide defined walkways for pedestrians and all the buildings are the almost the same with wooden linings, curved windows and doors as in the past. The garden still exists in Dejima with all the luxuriant flowers from all over Europe which were later planted in other parts of Japan.
Visitors can also feel in Dejima the presence of its works dressed in Japanese kimono welcoming people. It also has a gift shop where various items can be bought and a former warehouse turned into a cinema hall where animated film of the history of Dejima is shown.
Now, Dejima presents a joyous tourist attraction not only in Nagasaki but the whole of Japan. It is a warm island and one should not only appreciate its European style now copied throughout Japan, but should be seen as a unique gateway of “civilisation” that opened the door for Japan to transform into an Asian Tiger.