Dejima.

Dejima offers a rare look at Japan’s self-imposed isolation during the Edo period. Built in 1636 as a fan-shaped artificial island, this former trading post served as the country’s sole, highly controlled gateway to the Western world, housing first Portuguese and then Dutch merchants. While modern land reclamation means it is no longer surrounded by water, a meticulous reconstruction project has revived the historic district. Visitors can wander through restored warehouses, residences, and kitchens that show how foreign traders lived under strict shogunate supervision. The site functions as an open-air museum, blending traditional Japanese architecture with Western interior touches, and charting how European science, medicine, and goods first filtered into the country.