The First Europeans In Japan

When Portuguese merchants ran aground on the Japanese isle of Tanegashima in 1543, two worlds collided - Europeans encountered Japan for the first time. For the next 50 years, Portuguese and their partners flooded into this newly discovered land aiming to spread the power of the Christian Church and sell wares that could revolutionise Japan, like the powerful gun. But in the fiery cauldron of Sengoku Japan, Portuguese missionaries were but one player in the most bloody and brutal of political games.Assassin's Creed Shadows delves into the tensions at the heart of this culture clash. Did Buddhist and Shinto Japanese accept Christianity? Why did the Japanese see Europeans as barbaric? Were Japanese warlords like Oda Nobunaga exploited by Western traders and church leaders, or were the Europeans unwittingly being exploited by the Japanese?Matt Lewis and Prof. Frederik Cryns, historical advisor on the hit TV show Shogun, uncover how Europeans fit into 16th century Japan’s patchwork of daimyos and the momentous impact they had on feudal Japanese warfare and society.This episode was first published on 20th May 2024. Watch it here on YouTube.Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Hosted by: Matt LewisEdited by: Anisha DevaProduced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt LewisSenior Producer: Anne-Marie LuffProduction Manager: Beth DonaldsonExecutive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen BennettMusic by The FlightIf you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.