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Bundle 81: Warring States Era: Portuguese Influence

As this bundle shows, one country far from Japan has left a large mark on its culture. In 1543, the first Portuguese ship drifted onto a Kyushu island, introducing guns to Japan. By the end of the Warring States era (1467–1568), Japan had more guns than any other nation. Firearms overpowered older weapons (e.g., spears), producing a lopsided victory for musketeers in one of Japan's civil wars. Portuguese missionaries and traders also brought in Christianity and a cake called castella, long a specialty of Nagasaki. The Portuguese had considerable influence there, and Nagasaki has prominent Catholic churches even now.
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菓
candy
JOK: 1047
Japan produces desserts from the world over, but its traditional confections offer the most surprises. Find out how a Japanese "sweet" may not be sweet at all and how even a fried vegetable could qualify! Also learn about the connection between 菓 and the tea ceremony, a recurring confection fair in Japan, gift cakes and gift horses, and what gods in Japan like to eat and drink.
騎
equestrian
JOK: 1133
Find out about a Japanese tradition of shooting at archery targets from galloping horses. Learn the courteous rituals samurai engaged in before killing each other. See what "white knight" means to Japanese businesspeople. Also discover a theory linking the Japanese and Mongols, a military term related to dragons, and a word relevant both to controlling a horse and to nigiri sushi.
崎
headland
JOK: 1297
Learn about a kanji that appears in many place names. Discover etymologies for both “Nagasaki” and “Miyazaki,” and see which noodle dish originated in one of these prefectures. Also examine the surnames of several celebrities, including an animator, a few authors, an entertainer whose perpetual tan inspired a new color, and a dissolute poet who wore only a tuxedo or pajamas.
漂
drift about
JOK: 1739
Drift on the sea, on land, or in the sky with 漂! Also find out how to say the following: “The boat was drifting in the ocean,” “The balloon floated off to the west,” “The aroma of coffee wafted through the room,” “Smoke from factories hung over the town,” “The mood at the conference soured,” “I wandered around the unknown street aimlessly,” and “The tide carried the boat out to sea.”
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