Page 191 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

162 E. Miyata

Fig. 9.1 Old map of Tojin-yashiki (Chinese quarter) in Nagasaki

The port was initially functioned to bring in Chinese silk and textiles in change
for Japanese silver brought from the Iwami mine. The Jesuits were also partici-
pating in this trade as to maintain their evangelization activities in Japan. Of course
the well known Japanese merchants such as Harada Kizaemon who was known to
be committed in the Nagasaki Manila trade (his name appears in the Spanish
archives as “Firando”) resided and engaged trade in this city.
The port and the city prospered from trade with many other Asian and Southeast
Asian ports such as Siam, Patani, Kochin, Batavia, Banten and more. Trade with
Manila was one of the important trades to gain Chinese silk and other goods though
after the incident of San Felipe and the succeeding martyrdom of Franciscans and
the Jesuits, the country gradually limited its trade with the Dutch and Chinese and
closed the country completely in 1639.
Manzaicho is one of the !rst six towns constructed in the 1571 and belonged to
the feudal samurai of this town, Takashima Shigeharu, who was baptized and
converted into Catholic. There are several artifacts found from this site, which
include a cross made of tin and iron and wooden rosaries.
Kozencho was built by a Catholic merchant Suetsugu Kozen who often travelled
to Xiamen and traded there. It is said that he was guided by the famous Wako
Wanzhi during the time of trade ban with Japan. He was the father of Suetsugu
Heizo who owned a ship and acted as a powerful merchant in the Red Seal Trade.
Kozen appears in Luis Frois’ History of Japan as “Cosme Kozen” in the late 16th
century. From this site, several porcelains similar or identical to those from Zócalo
area in Mexico City were excavated. Most of the pieces are from the late 16th
century to 17th and 18th century.