Korea, located 70 miles across the Japan Sea from Japan, was a major transmitter of continental culture, technology and knowledge to Japan. Although China was the center of civilization in East Asia and a major influence on Japan, much of that influence came to Japan through Korea. The Japanese invaded Korea unsuccessfully in the 1590s and made Korea an unhappy colony from 1910 to 1945. Korean diplomatic missions traveled along the Nakasendo in the Edo period.
