It’s the silkworm, a creepy-crawly, that played a significant role in transforming Japan into a modern nation. At the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867), raw silk made up more than 80 percent of ...

In 1859, when Japan reopened its doors after more than two centuries of isolation, goods flowed in and out of newly expanded ports. At the time, raw silk became the country's largest export ...