Woodblock Printing to Movable Type

Video of Japanese Woodblock printing. Although this process has extremely beautiful results, it is a meticulous process that is very time consuming. The Jesuits could not print books using this method, so they had to wait almost 3 years every time they ordered books from Europe. Movable type greatly increased the impact of Jesuit teachings because they could develop teaching material for missionaries. 

Movable type arrived in Japan at the same time from 2 different sides (Jesuit Mission Press and Hideyoshi's invasion of Japan). Hideyoshi invaded Korea in 1592 and confiscated the metal type that Koreans had invented in the 12th century in order to replace woodblock printing. After the Jesuits arrived with the press, metal movable type was combined with gold (metal was malleable and made it easier to form characters).