Poultry consumed by the Dutch in the Dejima trading post, Nagasaki, Japan

Abstract

Chickens, wild ducks, and geese were considered the main avifaunal food resources in early modern Japan. However, bird consumption in areas outside Edo (early modern Tokyo) has seldom been discussed. Nagasaki was the only place where trade with foreign countries occurred and where knowledge and culture from the West were introduced. Therefore, to understand bird utilisation in early modern Japan, comparing bird consumption in Nagasaki, which may have been subject to foreign influence, with that in the town of Edo might be beneficial. To elucidate bird consumption in Nagasaki, we analysed bird remains recovered from the Oranda Shokan site, which was inhabited by Dutch people in the early modern age. Our results revealed that chickens were the most frequently consumed birds throughout the Edo period (1603–1868), and those targeted for consumption included juveniles and hens. Other poultry such as domestic ducks and geese were also consumed at the site. These poultry consumption patterns are different from those observed in the town of Edo. The results of this study suggest the existence of regional differences in poultry consumption during the Edo period.