The Dutch merchants who traded with Japan via Nagasaki throughout the Edo period brought with them objects which used European technology. While there was a group of dedicated scholars who studied these for their scientific benefits, there was often more of a preoccupation with their novelty value and potential to provide lucrative entertainment.

Enterprising operators of side-shows copied the designs of foreign machines and charged people to view their operation. A variety of optical devices were also popular; for instance a viewing mechanism for prints, with lens, mirror, and eyepiece, which created a much more intense visual experience. Prints were designed especially for them, with both domestic and fanciful foreign views.

The clockwork mechanism was introduced to Japan in the 16th century, and came to replace older methods using candles, water or the sun. It was adapted to local time measurement, and clocks gradually became accessible to ordinary people. The system in use (adopted from China) had twelve segments named for the calendrical animals, six for day and six for night. These segments varied in length depending on the season, and several means were developed to compensate for this variation.