The Edo 江戶 period (1603–1868) was an era of national seclusion for Japan. In this time, Nagasaki was the only harbor city open to trading with foreigners. The Edo shogunate established interpreters in Nagasaki to take charge of trade with foreign merchant ships and to collect information regarding international affairs. At that time, the majority of merchant ships were from China, and the interpreters who supported the business with Chinese ships were called tōtsūji 唐通事. Nagasaki’s tōtsūji were a professional group that was formed in Japan by Chinese immigrants and thei…