The Trade Networks of Japanese Porcelain in the Asia-Pacific Region

The Manila-Acapulco galleon trade route was established after the Spanish founded Manila City in 1571. Many Asian goods, such as silks and spices, were exported by the Spanish galleons. Many New World goods, including Mexican silver, crossed the Pacific Ocean and were brought to Asia. For instance, the cargoes sent to Acapulco from Manila included East Asian porcelain. On the other hand, in the early modern period, Japanese porcelains were exported from Nagasaki and carried throughout the world. Although, under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, Spanish galleons could not enter Nagasaki until the mid-nineteenth century, the Spanish could still get Japanese porcelains if they were brought by Chinese ships. Because Manila was one of the most important port cities of the trade network in Asia, Chinese ships imported many Chinese and Japanese porcelains to Manila. The Spanish in Manila used Japanese porcelains and exported some of them to Acapulco. These were distributed among Spanish colonial cities in the Americas. The majority of them were underglazed blue Kraak-type dishes, underglazed blue items, and overglazed enamel chocolate cups. They reflect Spanish colonial life and culture in America. Moreover, Chinese and Japanese porcelain had an influence on the ceramic industry in America.