The First Western Encounter with Japan

In the mid-1500s, the first Portuguese men, Antonio Mota, Francisco Zimoto, and Antonio Pechutu, made their way to Taney Goshima, an island off the southern tip of Japan. Their arrival surprised the locals, who were intrigued by their strange appearance and beards. The Portuguese traders established trade with the Japanese, and during their stay, they demonstrated the use of firearms, specifically the arquebus, to Lord Tokitaka. The impact of this demonstration was significant, as it transformed warfare in Japan. Other Portuguese merchants soon followed, and trade between Portugal and Japan escalated.