Luxuries From Japan: Cultural Exchange in the 17th and 18th Centuries May 15, 2010

More than 400 years ago, Japan forged strong trading partnerships with China and the West. Japan's lacquer and porcelains were among the most sought-after luxuries in the world. Although Japan largely closed itself to the West around 1640, Chinese and Dutch merchants were allowed to trade goods through a network that extended down the Asian coast to Islamic ports, around Africa and then to Europe.