Kanazawa flourished largely because of a mutually beneficial relationship between the "daimyō" and the "chōnin". The samurai relied on merchants and artisans for goods and services, while the "chōnin" were able to thrive because of the protection that the "daimyō" provided. Coming out of the Sengoku Period, castle towns were particularly appealing because of their security and defenses. Kanazawa's growth was indicative of a larger trend in Japan from 1580 to 1700: urbanization. In those 120 years, the population of the country nearly doubled, reaching approximately 30,000,000, and the percentage of people living in urban towns of more than 10,000 residents grew more than tenfold. Kanazawa continued to grow until 1710, when the "chōnin" population reached 64,987, and the city's total reached approximately 120,000. The population then stabilized. It is important to note that much of the economic and population growth in Kanazawa, as well as in other Japanese castle towns, occurred during Japan's closed country policy ("sakoku"). Beginning in the 1630s, Japan had little or no influence from other countries. However, this phase was clearly not a sign of backwardness or decline. The growth that Japan experienced while operating under "sakoku" policy was largely possible because of castle towns such as Kanazawa. They facilitated growth in a way that did not require foreign influence, thus contributing to the success and stability of Japan at the time.