Japan and the West: Exploration and Inspiration

Until 1853 Japan existed in virtual isolation. The earliest contacts came with European traders and missionaries. After 1639 the Dutch were the only Europeans allowed to trade with Japan. However contacts between the Dutch and Japanese were extremely limited. Various physicians working for the Dutch carried out important scientific work on Japanese wildlife and mapped the islands. During the eighteenth century controls were relaxed and an increasing number of scientific books and instruments were imported. When innovations to native technology happened, they were on a small-scale and constrained by social and economic factors. Western technologies were sometimes adapted for local circumstances. This catalogue documents the exhibition in the Science Museum Library from 24 June to 26 August 1998.