In the early centuries of the Christian era, the peninsula's advantageous position made it an ideal way-station for trade with Bengal and southern India, and attracted Indianized colonies from the Mekong valley of Indochina.
The peninsula was well-placed to benefit from trade and travel at the beginning of the Christian period.
Large cities like Edo, Osaka, and Nagoya and Kanazawa, which were huge in comparison with European cities of the time, brought to them many merchants,