Retourfloot The return fleet from Asia to the Netherlands.

Roju Literally meaning “elder” in Japanese, this was one of the highest positions in the Edo bakufu. There were originally two Roju before their numbers were increased to four. This served as a governing council of the bakufu.

Ronin A samurai who was not a vassal of a daimyo; “masterless samurai.”

Sakoku “Closed country.” A term that refers to Japan’s period of relative isolation from the 1630s to 1854.

Sankin-Kōtai Alternate attendance system in Tokugawa Japan. All daimyo were required to spend half of their time in Edo and to leave their wives and children in Edo as hostages at all times.

Sengoku Jidai The warring states period in Japan from 1467 to 1600.

Shaku Japanese measure for length: one shaku is equal to 30.3 centimeters.

Shiho Baibai “Municipal trading” system instituted for a short time in the late seventeenth century. This required that all foreign goods be sold to the Nagasaki officials, who would then sell them to Japanese merchants who would bid for them.

Shuinjo The document containing the red seal of the shogun, which allowed Japanese to trade abroad.

Shuinsen Literally “red-seal ships,” the term refers to the official shogunal seal that had to accompany all Japanese ships trading abroad in the Tokugawa period.

Staadhouder The head of a province in the Netherlands. The house of Orange were the traditional Staadhouders of Holland, and thus the most powerful political entity in the Netherlands.