Portuguese Trade at Nagasaki

Timeline

1. 1562–1566Hirado · HizenIn the early 1560s Portuguese merchant ships called at ports such as Hirado and Bungo (Ōita), trading raw silk, gunpowder, and silver with Kyushu daimyō. Jesuits preached under the protection of Matsuura Shigenobu and Ōtomo Sōrin, forming a pattern of trade and mission known as Nanban exchange.
2. 1567–1570Nagasaki · NagasakiAfter converting to Christianity, Ōmura Sumitada of Hizen actively attracted Portuguese merchant ships. By the late 1560s the advantages of Nagasaki Bay as a deep-water harbor became apparent, and Portuguese trade and church activities gradually concentrated there, bringing the Ōmura clan enormous customs revenue and political capital.
3. 1561–1570Kyushu · KyushuPortuguese trade in the 1560s brought matchlocks, gunpowder, and silver to Kyushu daimyō, altering the Sengoku military balance and introducing European goods and culture. Nagasaki's status as a potential trade hub was established in this decade, profoundly shaping early modern Japan's foreign relations.