開港(かいこう)

かいこう
noun
opening of a port or airport
formaltransportation
1. opening of a port or airport; opening to trade
The act of opening a port to foreign or domestic trade, or the historical event of a port being opened. Often refers to the opening of Japanese ports in the Bakumatsu period.
横浜(よこはま)は1859年(ねん)に開港(かいこう)した。
Yokohama opened as a port in 1859.
開港(かいこう)以来(いらい)、この町(まち)は貿易(ぼうえき)で栄(さか)えた。
Since the port opened, this town prospered through trade.
新(あたら)しい空港(くうこう)が来年(らいねん)開港(かいこう)する予定(よてい)だ。
A new airport is scheduled to open next year.

Can also apply to airports (opening an airport for service). In Japanese history, 開港(かいこう) often refers to the forced opening of ports like 横浜(よこはま), 神戸(こうべ), 長崎(ながさき), and 函館(はこだて) after the arrival of Perry's fleet.

Common collocations

The verb form 開港(かいこう)する means "to open a port" or "to begin operations" (for airports).

Related Words

Related: 開国(かいこく) (opening a country)
Related: 鎖国(さこく) (national isolation)
Related: 黒船(くろふね) (black ships)
general
Added 2026.3.3 18:44 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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