黒船(くろふね)

くろふね
noun
black ships; foreign disruptor
culture
1. black ships
The Western naval vessels, particularly Commodore Perry's American squadron, that arrived in Japan in 1853 and forced the end of Japan's isolation policy. Named for the dark hulls of the steamships.
黒船(くろふね)が来航(らいこう)した。
The black ships arrived.
黒船(くろふね)の来航(らいこう)は日本(にほん)の歴史(れきし)を大(おお)きく変(か)えた。
The arrival of the black ships drastically changed Japanese history.
ペリーの黒船(くろふね)来航(らいこう)をきっかけに、幕府(ばくふ)は鎖国(さこく)政策(せいさく)を見直(みなお)さざるを得(え)なくなった。
Triggered by Perry's black ships, the shogunate was forced to reconsider its isolationist policy.
2. foreign disruptor; game-changing outsider
Figuratively, a powerful foreign company, product, or influence that enters Japan and disrupts an established market or industry. Used in business and media.
あの企業(きぎょう)は業界(ぎょうかい)の黒船(くろふね)だ。
That company is a disruptor in the industry.
外資系(がいしけい)コーヒーチェーンの進出(しんしゅつ)は黒船(くろふね)と呼(よ)ばれた。
The entry of a foreign coffee chain was called a 'black ship' disruption.
ネット通販(つうはん)の黒船(くろふね)が日本(にほん)に上陸(じょうりく)し、国内(こくない)の小売業(こうりぎょう)に大(おお)きな衝撃(しょうげき)を与(あた)えた。
When the 'black ship' of online retail landed in Japan, it dealt a major shock to the domestic retail industry.

One of the most iconic terms in Japanese history, now with a productive figurative meaning.

SENSE 1 (historical):
Refers to the 1853 arrival of US Commodore Matthew Perry's squadron at Uraga. The event ended over 200 years of Japanese isolation (鎖国(さこく)) and led to the opening of Japan to international trade.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (historical):

  • 黒船(くろふね)来航(らいこう) (arrival of the black ships)
  • ペリーの黒船(くろふね) (Perry's black ships)

SENSE 2 (figurative):
Widely used in business journalism to describe foreign companies that enter Japan and shake up established industries.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (figurative):

Related Words

Related: 鎖国(さこく) (national isolation)
general
Added 2026.3.3 18:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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