The Traitor Who Accidentally Saved His Nation
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2017
- What would you be willing to do to survive? Would you trade your land, your history - your soul? Today's episode looks at the story of Omura Sumitada, who was forced to make a choice. This is how a traitor accidentally saved Japan.
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The music for this video was graciously provided by Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com. It is Creative Commons, and he is no doubt unaware we're using it, but hey. I still think he's great for letting it happen.
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Thanks for watching! You're clearly one of the good ones.
Thanks to everyone who asked about our Patreon. I'll put out a full video when I get the time, but for those who want to jump the gun and get on board from the start, here's the link: www.patreon.com/rareearth
It means a huge deal that so many have asked us to start an account. I never thought anyone would watch these videos, let alone support them.
Rare Earth sooo... you are not gonna mention how american warships forced japan to open to the outsideworld?
The portugese didn`t steal any people the local warlords were selling their captured enemy for money. Similar in Africa, there were no bands of white people roaming the continent and hunting for slaves.
I'm just imagining how awkward it must be to make these documentaries, going to historical sites with people walking around, just walking through a street talking to a camera about the history of where he is.
please dont ever stop till you simply cant anymore!!! im in love with your channel!!!
Hey I have no clue about my culture in the Philippines it would be pretty cool if u made a lil series in that 7,000+ island chain
"Thanks in part to a Traitor/Trader, this is Rare Earth."
Fantastic play on words
sometimes a compromise for one is the treachery of another
filthy trader.
I do not understand pls explain.
trader and traitor share similarities...
i would elaborate but... im not going to...
Another classic illustration of how the end justifies the means....
These videoes are criminally underrated how come Netflix hasn't picked it up
Confuzzled Tomato If you like these, just wait for Cambodia. I cringe now at the Japan videos after seeing what we've been able to fix in the new season.
are you fucking kidding me im loving these japanese videos
Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth yea u got that right lol I was wondering y Japan
All this guy talks about on his channel is corruption and power. And you guys propose he'd partner up with a multimillion dollar media company? No thanks. Stay independent.
@@ascoria980 why don't you use a vpn?
*flings a chunk of lithium ore at the cameraman* This is rare earth.
Evan, your delivery of the information in this series makes for a peaceful viewing. I look forward to each episode.
This is filmed in Dejima, which is really pretty, though much smaller than I had expected. It's right around the corner from where I live in Togitsu :) 32 seconds into the video, I perked right up, "omg, he's 10 minutes away from my house!"
The slave trade of Japanese is over represented in this video it lasted little over 50 years. Omura is known as the Daimyo that opened Nagasaki to the west, not as a traitor. Even then though its not like other Daimyos were closed off, Oda Nobunaga famously mastered gun formations and even preferred to wear european armor.
Also the link between Nagasaki and Japans readiness in the 20th century is very flimsy, to the point of irrelevancy. The portuguese had Macau in China about 100 years prior.
i understand that this is meant for an audience not familiar with Japanese history. But the accusation of treason plays on modern nationalism too much. Its dangerously anacronistic.
In many ways, Japan was unaware of Western achievements until Perry forced them to open up. For instance, industrialization did not (and would likely never) arrive through a trading post, at least not at a pace that would be fast enough to enable Japan to catch up with the West.
It would also be interesting if he talked more about the Japanese persecution of Christianity during the Edo period. It is a bit outside the scope of the video, but it would be an interesting thing to talk about when discussing slavery.
It would also have been a good idea to mention the more or less caste-based nature of the Japanese society to add some contrast/context to European-style slavery.
I can imagine him being seen as nothing but a traitor in the eyes of a lot of his people, he essentially sold them out
Sure it saved them long term but those at the time if told to “change or die” would’ve certainly seen that as traitorous
But I have very little knowledge of Japanese history, just going off how I imagine a community would react
Couldnt agree more.
Yes cinnamon roll YES
Yeah, I think he uses a very Marxist view on "traitors" and the who slave trade. But sadly that seems to be the norm with "academics" and "research".
These videos are amazing. I had the privilege of traveling around the world and out of every where i have been i enjoyed Japan the most. Words cannot describe how beautiful Japan is.
3:24. No, a Japanese person would be able to Japanesify it by spelling it with Japanese letters. Probably Dōm Bātoromu or Barutoromu.
Something you probably should've been a little more clear about: you explained very well the pressures that the country was under, at the hands of European traders and missionaries, and why the Shogun had to do what he did, but one thing you could've touched up upon more was the ferocity of the persecution of the Kirishitans (Japanese Christians). By 1600 they were perhaps the largest Christian population in the world outside of Europe, and it wasn't just religious leaders who were murdered by the regime. Huge swaths of the population were threatened with death, and many did indeed lay down their lives. Many were boiled alive, even. There were no heroes in this story, no innocent defenders or one-sided aggressors.
Anthony Rodriguez wow, that’s some incredible unheard history, I always thought the Japanese were naturally godless, and that Christians being persecuted like described in the Bible doesn’t really happen
@@evanw2195 Christians are the most persecuted people in the world, not knowing that only shows a deep ignorance of history
Who was a traitor to exactly? He was surrounded by enemies who wanted his head. He found an ally in the Portuguese and was rewarded for it. Is he a traitor because he traded with them? Is he a traitor because he left his Faith for theirs? Because he sold his women to them? Had he done nothing of the sort, his head would be presented on a plate to one of his enemies, his property long ago divided and his women raped and sold off to his enemies. The man did what he had to do to survive and survive and thrive he did
Well he might not have been a traitor by todays standards but back then by the standards of the time period he certainly was branded as such by the rest of the country.
+
savioblanc
you have no understanding of honor, gaijin. very shameful to continue living with out honor. death is better choice - (or so what the movies told me)
He was definitely seen as a traitor in the eyes of his followers.
One man's patriot is another man's traitor, I suppose. There was no organised central Japanese state at the time due to the constant civil wars and upheaval so he's not "traitor" in a way we'd understand. But it's important to note that the Japanese well understood that Christianity would be used as a tool by colonial powers to infiltrate and subjugate the population in a context that was beside its spiritual aspects. In that sense his conversion to Christianity presented a grave threat to a Japan that wished to remain free from colonial domination in the future. And bear in mind this was not a case of the lord "letting Jesus into his heart", it was a cynical trade of his soul for European gold, this is quite clear. And his court was also compelled to convert, they did not come to Jesus freely. If you convert to Christianity to survive you are still a convert "by the sword", no matter who holds the weapon.
The timing is a little enlightening as well. At the time he decided to increase his wealth by dealing with the metaphorical devil he was threatened but not under attack. It wasn't until after he crossed the political and social line of a full alliance with the Portuguese his enemies tried to destroy him in earnest. I guess becoming Christian to gain wealth is no longer seen as a sin? In fact, there is a popular American Christian doctrine ("Prosperity Gospel") that advocates finding Christ and knowing God's love through accumulating wealth.
@@helbent4 It wasn't organized, and everyone knew that it was a joke, but on paper an emperor still existed and there was (very, very technically) an overstate of Japan. It would be like if the United States had a civil war and all 50 states were fighting each other, and then all of a sudden one of them said "Peace out - we're with Mexico now". It would be a change in the dynamic.
Nice, I remember when I said, some videos back about trying to get us to know the place you are walking with maps and showing us better the surroundings, you definetlly picked that up , and the show is awesome. I can tell you guys are putting your body and brains into this. Keep rocking!
Thanks! I read every comment. As long as it is phrased constructively, chances are we'll discuss and make the changes as needed.
I found your channel a couple days ago and I absolutely love this. When I turn on the TV I never find stories i care about, but you my friend find the BEST SHIT EVER. I have been on a binge of your channel and I feel I have learned so much and gained a lot of great perspective about the world. Keep this up!!!
I noticed the background. I wish my country would invest more into culture and beauty.
Same here man. For me my country(India) is a filth too.
Japan is a truly beautiful country
hear hear
Things will improve as people begin to see and desire change.
I mean this definitely glossed over a lot of things that are not beautiful and had some parts cherry-picked
Nice slice of Japanese history. Keep up the good work!
This series makes the world feel a bit smaller. It reminds me of something Chris Hadfield said about being in space where you don't see borders. In a small way, this makes me feel that. Thank you!
I am exhausted and my throat is dry. I have spent the last hour and a half watching your videos and I cannot stop.
This was an important little piece of history I'd never heard of. Tks CHRE.
I'm pretty sure the reason that Japan beat Russia is because of Commodore Perry threatening to bust open Japan if they didn't bust open voluntarily. Matchlock rifles from the Portuguese would've done little.
He's talking about an entirely different time period than you are, friend
Yes, and no: The video is also talking about exactly that entirely different time period when mentioning the Russo-Japanese wars.
Christopher Allen *knock knock, its the united states*
There is a whole history to Commodore Perry, the Japanese Emperor and the Mitsubishi family that is really cool to learn about. Basically the shogunate had to go and the Emperor had his own allies to get things done, one who was the Mitsubishi family and the excuse of an American gun boat to kick the shogun out. Or that is how the Japanese tell it.
Would the technology brought by Perry have found a home if the land wasn't primed by previous trading opportunities, though? I don't think it would have.
That garden around the 0:30 Mark is cool!
The Portuguese merchants were wrong to engage in slavery, but let's not pretend that they brought the idea to Japan. Being a slave sucks, regardless what race your master is.
LagiNaLangAko23 slavery is inherent to all cultures and societies. And every human alive has ancestors that were slaves and slave owners.
A lot of things are wrong. Is it wrong that when a Japanese peasant looks at his lord without the lord's consent he could get his head chopped off? Which is where Ninjas came from.
Omura may have been the worst traitor ever, but in the long run he saved Japan from being taken over by the Czarist Russians, and for Japanese, that's what it's all about.
Unfortunately, it didn't save Japan from Commodore Perry in 1853.
TheSatomonkey lol, you won because you endeavoured to assimilate the superior western technology.
The Gurkha were excellent warriors, still are in fact. Hell, they may be among the best warriors humanity has ever produced to this day.
But you know why they lost do humiliatingly to the British? Because they didn't have guns is why. They also didn't have heavy artillery nor train mounted Howitzers, which the British did.
Being proud of your heritage is all well and good, but to choke it all up to innate brilliance is preposterous
+Charles Damery
Sorry to ruin your impression but in long run, you don't need Omura to have Dejima. Do you think Japan really closed the sea without any thoughts? Or, do you really think man can close the sea in the first place? You aren't god, you can't stop ships to get wrecked and washed up in the beach. And Daimyos would try smuggling anyway and there's also trade with China. It was essential to leave a few ports remained. What Tokugawa tried was to restrict it to one place so they can keep it all inspected.
Edward Snowden says hi. :)
The Zulu, The Maori, The Moro, all of them are some of the finest warriors in the world. but all fell before the might of European technology.
Really outstanding host, camerawork and "steadycam" work. Most people don't realize just how hard it is to retain the distance between camera and talent... you guys did a great job. I like the way we get to see so much more than a static shot would have revealed.
4:37 That's Kotomine Church. Rejoice!
Thanks for sharing!
Got shown the ad for Chris Hadfield’s masterclass before this video. Hehehe
holy shit! Evan you are literally explaining the background story of every Miyazaki movie ever made in your vids. lol thanks for everything I enjoy your videos very much.
never disappointed by your docs. awesome content sir!
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I've been missing out on this series even though I've been subscribed since Sir Hadfield was in space, but wow, what an eye opener! By the way, I love the credits :D
I don't see why he should be considered a traitor. The Portuguese were in the other side of the world, and it is not like he was selling his nation for his own good. All the lords were trying to keep and increase their power, and did what they could to do so. Besides, the comparison with the Philippines is quite unfair, because that country was created by the colonization itself (like Mexico, Argentina or Brazil) , while Japan unified itself and had a united identity. So the situation was immensely different. The game that lord played was risky, but calling it treason is unfair, because it is simply the story as told by his enemies, the winners.
F. OPE It was treason, he betrayed the culture and tradition of his country for foreign protection. Even his samurai that were loyal to him had no choice but to revolt in face of his betrayal.
Except for technological differences of course.
Actually, one of the main reasons that Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu banned Christianity in Japan is because of this very idea that Christianity was a pretext for colonization. Buddhist Monks were particularly convinced that this was the motivation or so they made it seem to Toyotomi, but he rejected the argument until a Spanish ship from the Philippines was blown off course and landed in Japan. The ship captain had the audacity to demand that the Japanese repair his ship and if they didn't, well, they could colonize "this group of barbarians" just as they had colonized the Philippines and the New World before. This appeeared to suggest what the Buddhist Monks were claiming, e.g. that the Catholic conversions in Kyushu (which are estimated to be 30% of the island by that point) were designed to be part of a colonization or invasion yet to come.
@@oremfrien Yeah. As a Filipino, the Spaniards did hurt our Asian side of heritage a lot. And its the negative aspects of it that survived to this day. A fucking lot. Too bad my people were also very stubborn when the Japanese tried liberating us in 1942 to repair and undo the cultural damage Spain did for 300 years, all because of vague American promises. The Vietnamese obeyed and listened to the Japanese, and it benefited them on the long run. So did Indonesia. Japan helped the oppressed Asian peoples under European colonialism to create a strong national identity in the event the Europeans retake their colonial territories.
This is Rare Earth and I learn every fascinating things every days
"The only thing that stops a bad samurai with an arquebus is a good samurai with an arquebus" LMFAO
This series does not have enough watchers
This is like the Internet's _History Channel_ , and I love it!
love your channel !!! keep it up !!!
3:23
DOOMU BAARUTOMOLEUU
Seems pretty pronounceable.
The Japanese can't say the letter L, they pronounce it as eru
The Japanese history lectured here brings up a good point about the Armenians episode. That security doesn't just come from firepower or state of the art tactics and weapons. It comes from human nature. Saying its ok to protect you're or others rights by raping and pillaging. The "propaganda" of it being necessarily "ok" for our rights and freedom, is an anesthetic to the sins humans commit, and the sins burn into future generations until history simply repeats itself. Unless someone shows up with new stuff to help the home team stem the tides.
wow, what a great video. thanks!
Another excellent episode.
4:35 That is Kirei's church! Strangely it fits to the theme of betrayal
Goodness these are wonderful snippets of worldly and historic perspective.
Absolute gem of a channel
By the time the "Russians came knocking" which I'm guessing was the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05 the Japanese had been open to the west for about 50 years with their navy being built under British guidance and training and the Imperial Japanese forces being trained by Western Instructors. Check out the Boshin War period 1868 - 69 that's the main movement of Japan from a fuedal society to an industrialized nation ready to fight the Russians.
Awesome series, i love it.
Why shouldn't I talk about money, politics, and religion?
Because it tends to lead to arguing 90% of the time.
More like because some people are afraid of the counter-argument. Or not interested in learning something new. ;p
arguments are necesary
Because we live in a society where all opinions should be tolerated and expressed, so everything you say is wrong and unacceptable in this society because it might offend other people.....yes, intentional irony. Real answer is people really should talk about it so that you can hear other people's opinions and see different sides of things, but people nowadays say no to that
arguing is fun.
Thanks to CZcams's suggestion, I found this videos, which is very good!
I didn't pay attention to the channel name, and while going to subscribe I saw the update vlog and thought: "wait, I know this guy ! OMG it's the astronaut, and he's his father!" :D
This show is cool !
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amazing videography!
Omori Sumitada: *never had to stand in an airport checkout line*
Absolutely everyone else alive in the 16th century: *same*
Absolutely LOVE your T-shirt!
Amazing channel, just subscribed.
Today on Chris Hadfield's Rare Japan
MalJannie Pay for the plane tickets and we'll move countries faster. I promise. :)
Cambodia is coming out soon.
Not complaining, the videos are awesome. Just noticing a trend :)
"Trend"? That implies there's some variation but this is the common path. This is not that lol.
But I love it! :D
Having just come back 3 days ago from over a month in Japan, this has made my travels so much more fun. Even, if you're reading this, where can we get more behind the scene details of where you guys visited as I would like to do a similar "top to bottom" trip in Japan in places such as the ones you went to!!
MalJannie Because they're in Japan, and will travel to other places later.
I would totally pay your plane tickets, but I'm a broke ass student. Still enjoying your videos, nothing wrong with Japan.
Selling people into slavery totally normal for Japanese- women bound into slaves for being on the losing side of wars and their marriage system wasn't a lot higher than slavery. Their culture was changing all the time- it was their technology that was stuck in the time loop.
First of: I love the series, also ur logo looks like a lush product :')
I just found this channel. Suffice it to say: Subbed!
If you are at all interested in the religious and social persecution that he mentioned, I highly recommend the book (or movie) "Silence" By Shusaku Endo.
Sadly many ignorant called the film "Christian propaganda" without knowing the historical location of the film.
great stuff
I have a "gut" feeling you will soon discover what the future holds....
ahaaa! i got that
Awesome!
Love the opening line, lol!
amazing video as always, but i will always wait for him to stumble over walking like that
6:12 Japanese man from from the 18th century has gone in a time machine to present day to be in the background of this frame in this video
This really was a nice reminder of something in my country as well although quite different. It was a king named Don Juãn Dharmapāla who converted to christianity after 200 years of religious oppression by Portuguese colonisers. In return came a rebellion of some of the greatest war heroes of Sri Lankan history to free Sri Lanka. Don Juãn fled to Portugal after betraying the sacred 2500 year old rule that the true heir to the Sri Lankan throne must protect our native religion (Buddhism), but in return freed Sri Lanka altogether.
Oho. I just went there for vacation last july. Cool seeing it here. :p
Clocks, guns... and JESUS
I have never heard of slaves being sold from Japan. Can you give me some sources I could look into ?
0:32 is this filmed in Dejima? I live right by there! It looks exactly like Dejima to me, but I could be wrong. I'm only 32 seconds into the vid though, so maybe you'll answer later in the vid lol
1 minute in, I see you're talking about Nagasaki. Omg, you're right by where I live! Since you're in the area, check out Unzen! It's the most amazing place in all of Nagasaki prefecture. Assuming you like Ryoukan. I live in Togitsu ^_^
4:27 Yep, you're def in Dejima!
it literally opens the video with "dejima island, nagasaki" in the corner god damn weebs
fkin weebs
Pretty sure you can't be a weeb if you aren't japanese, but idk
Talk about a butterfly flapping its wings...
God I love your videos. So much history you don't hear about in the US in normal studies
those streets are probably the cleanest I have seen in my life.
3:20 Oh Yeah??? Challenge Accepted
how can he be a traitor if he became christain to save himself other japanese neibours who are robbing him all the time?
fiery shendu A traitor not in the personal sense (betraying your friends or family). He gave up trying to be loyal to customs and tradition. However selling your country's women is pretty treacherous to your flesh and blood. Denouncing your religion and doing business with foreigners, not so much. The human trafficking is unforgivable.
selling women, who otherwise would have been slaughtered by your neighbours?
FlashStorm Selling your women to foreign sexual slavery or having your women taken as booty by hostile countrymen is not the same thing. One is being intentionally evil, the other is being powerless to evil.
Don't judge his actions by your morals, judge him by the common Japanese morals of the time and you can see why he was such a traitor.
Most things don't make sense in history if you apply your own culture or modern morality on historical events.
A N I M E
N
I
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When you are so bad at betraying, you actually help the people you betray
Cool way to look at it.
I see a lot of people confused about how Omura was a traitor, but what it actually comes down to is perspective: While the Japanese fought among themselves, they never considered each other separate from their culture or religion, they all still shared it. Everyone was faithful to their own culture and religion. To trade off your own culture, and to convert to another religion and sell off your own blood (to people whom would disgracefully use these sold people for sex), that is true treason, at least from the perspective at the time. And honestly, I can't say that calling someone who sold off people of your own to be raped a traitor is something I disagree with.
Can't fight it anymore, I had to subscribe to this channel
Fun fact, that church is the inspiration for Kotomine Church from the Fate series
Please have a look at this, if you have not. This is one of the most overlooked persona of Japan. People only tend to remember and praise the beautiful side of things. While watching the movie Snowpiercer(2013) that was filmed by a Korean director, I noticed one scene that freezes out and breaking a passenger's arm is the retrospection for sacrifices from the unit 731. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731
I hate the fact that I only found your channel about 2 weeks ago! I’m pissed I’ve missed so much great content!
nice link to modern technology too
Nagasaki
Really, the firsthand accounts from traders I’ve read seem like they didn’t really look down on the Japanese all that much. The Japanese found them unruly and loud, but at least some of the Portuguese found the Japanese to be very interesting in how different their cultures were.
Awesome stuff. Two questions - Where do you get the t-shirts? How did the bad pork situation turn out? You planning to be in Aus with the 'other guy' later in August? (Ok, that's 3.)
1. Graniph, generally. But this one is from outofprint.
2. Poorly
3. Aus was scrapped due to costs. I can do a month in Laos/Vietnam for the price of the flights alone. I would absolutely love to go, but unless I can get viewership up I simply can't justify the expense. Self-funding is tough!
4:35 Looks like the Fuyuki Church from Fate/Stay Night
Well then that must be embarrassing
You might want to match speech pattern, speed, and volume when inserting an extra sound bite. =)
It distracts a little from the amazing stories you tell!
Thank you for the great episodes! ^^
Could you look more into Dutch-Japanese relations in Japan please? I am very curious now. :)
youre honestly a fashion icon
James Clavell...Shogun...cool
that awkward part when he's walking away from the cam on the end of the vid
Have a fun time in the loo Evan.
Well of course that guy never had to wait in an airport checkout line.Airplanes didn't exist back in the 16th century.
and then a guy walked passed him at the end.
I watch your videos because you sound like Wayne from Letterkenny. But I enjoy them.
Oversimplification of what ultimately the Mejji Restoration did for Japan in the 19th century
I've just watched 10 or your very interesting varied videos, but this one started with a closeup of your face?? and you are not Veratasium?? You sound exactly like him, Your use of language and style is the same. And binge watching from a small monitor you look like him!! Never mind, keep up the good work.
It sure sounds like a significant part of the plot to princess mononoke.
The Portuguese lost half the earth. But in my opinion, it is the best place to live on the earth.
best video made...grt cannel
Sometimes the short term shitty situation turns into a long term solution.
Hi Evan, I know this is an old video and you probably wont see this but I was wondering if you could share some kind of reading list. I assume that you are often inspired by something you read to make videos like these so it would be cool to follow along.
Hey dude I read every message but this is so long ago I genuinely don't remember what I'd read about it. Normally I avoid posting a bibliography simply because the people who demand it tend to just want it to argue with.
Sorry I can't help, if it's really in your wheelhouse I could research backwards and try to find some stuff, but I'm guessing you're as capable at that as I am.