Hirado

Port
Hizen Province
From 1542

In 1542, Matsuura Takanobu protected Ōshio and established the foundation of a trading port; in 1550, Portuguese ships arrived and southern barbarian trade began. The Matsuura incorporated wokou (Japanese pirates) and foreign merchants, leading international trade in northwestern Kyushu.

Points of debate

Since some scholars dispute Hirado as the site of Portuguese ships' first arrival in Japan, 1542 is used—when Ōshio's protection established the port market.


Sources

Certainty: MediumHow far the account above is supported by the cited sources. It does not refer to the precision of the coordinates or the dating.


Other places in Hizen Province

See it on the 1542 map