History of Japan
542 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 597 ratingsThis podcast, assembled by a former PhD student in History at the University of Washington, covers the entire span of Japanese history. Each week we'll tackle a new topic, ranging from prehistoric Japan to the modern day.
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Episodes
Episode 42 - Awakening Asia
February 22, 2014 12:00 - 25 minutes - 10.2 MBThis week, we're going to discuss the Russo-Japanese War from a different angle; we're going to talk about the effect it had in generating nationalist movements around Asia and in breaking the spell of European invincibility. From Sun Yat-sen to Mohandas Gandhi, the Japanese victory resonated around the world, and helped shape the 20th century as we know it.
Episode 41 - Striking from the Shadows
February 14, 2014 21:18 - 23 minutes - 9.29 MBThis week, we're going to discuss the ninja, or at least what we can discern about them from the limited information that's out there. We'll discuss their origins, historic exploits, and the mythologization that turned them into the pop culture warriors we know and love today.
Episode 40 - Japan's Christian Century, Part 3
February 08, 2014 12:00 - 27 minutes - 11 MBThis week, we'll discuss the arrival of William Adams, the reversal of fortune for Spain and Catholicism in Asia, and the suppression of Christianity by the Tokugawa. We're also going to discuss the legacy of Japan's Christian century, and how it relates to our conception of history.
Episode 39 - Japan's Christian Century, Part 2
February 01, 2014 18:01 - 22 minutes - 8.93 MBThis week, we'll continue our discussion of Japan's Christian century with the high-point of Christian missionizing in Japan, starting with the arrival of St. Francis Xavier. Xavier's mission will mark the start of Christianity's spread through the islands, but within half a century the progress of the missionary movement will have halted and Japan's Christians and the powers that support them will be facing serious threats to their power and position.
Episode 38 - Japan's Christian Century, Part 1
January 25, 2014 12:00 - 18 minutes - 7.55 MBThis is part one of an eventual three part series on the rise and fall of Christianity in medieval Japan. This week, we'll cover the background of events in Europe and Japan, as well as the arrival of the first Portuguese traders in the country.
Episode 37 - Women Warriors
January 18, 2014 12:00 - 23 minutes - 9.29 MBThis week, we'll be tackling an oft-requested topic; women warriors in the samurai class. Contrary to what you might think, women were actually very active in the roughly 800 years that make up the dominant time of the samurai class. Today, we'll be discussing just a few of them and learning about their accomplishments during Japan's war-torn past.
Episode 36 - The Great War
January 11, 2014 17:26 - 20 minutes - 8.05 MBWe're back for the start of 2014, and to kick the year off right we're looking at this year's most significant anniversary: 1914. We'll be talking about the effects of World War I in Japan, and the ways in which it marked a turning point for Japanese policies in Asia.
Episode 35 - Christmas and New Years
December 21, 2013 12:00 - 15 minutes - 6.31 MBFor our last podcast of 2013, I thought it'd be fun to do something light-hearted; so let's talk about traditions surrounding Christmas and New Years in Japan. We'll cover how these holidays came to be celebrated in Japan and talk a bit about the forms they take today.
Episode 34 - Japan and Okinawa, Part II
December 14, 2013 12:00 - 20 minutes - 8.26 MBThis week we'll finish up our two-parter on Japanese-Okinawan relations with a look at Okinawa during the Imperial Period. We'll be focusing heavily on the bloody Battle of Okinawa, and then wrap things up by looking at the relationship between the islands and the Japanese mainland today. This week's episode is rather more graphic and violent than usual -- I could not in good conscience whitewash the battle, but I do feel I should warn those of you who might be offended by such things to pa...
Episode 33 - Japan and Okinawa, Part 1
December 07, 2013 12:00 - 19 minutes - 7.88 MBThis week, we'll begin a two-part series on the relationship between Japan and what is now her southernmost province: Okinawa. We'll cover the founding of the Kingdom of the Ryukyus, its relationship with Japan, and finally its incorporation into the burgeoning Japanese Empire.
Episode 32 - The Way of the Sword in the Age of the Gun
November 23, 2013 19:20 - 21 minutes - 8.47 MBThis week, we're going to discuss the topic of swordsmanship and kendo in modern Japan. We'll talk about where modern traditions of swordsmanship came from, and why kendo retains such a popular grip on modern Japan.
Episode 31 - The First Shogun
November 16, 2013 18:44 - 24 minutes - 9.89 MBThis week, we're going to take a look at the man credited with one of the greatest epochal changes in Japanese history: the shift from imperial to samurai government in the late 12th century. It's time for the life and legacy of Minamoto no Yoritomo!
Episode 30 - A Review of Shogun
November 09, 2013 12:00 - 20 minutes - 8.32 MBThis week we'll be tackling our first media review and discussing by far the most influential piece of historical fiction ever written about Japan: Shogun, by James Clavell. Listen to the episode here, and be sure to give me feedback on this one so I can improve the style for future review episodes!
Episode 29 - The Great Saigo, Part 2
November 02, 2013 07:53 - 20 minutes - 8.01 MBThis week we have the second and final part of our series on Saigo Takamori, covering his rebellion against the government, his death, and his legacy. Tune in for one of the most famous stories in Japanese history!
Episode 28 - The Great Saigo, Part 1
October 26, 2013 22:17 - 22 minutes - 9.01 MBThis week, we'll begin another two-parter dealing with the life and death of Saigo Takamori, one of the great leaders of the Meiji Restoration. This week, we'll discuss his rise to public prominence and subsequent fall from grace. Next week, we'll turn to the rebellion that would end his life and his legacy in modern Japan.
Episode 27 - The Way of Yin and Yang
October 19, 2013 17:18 - 19 minutes - 7.71 MBThis week, we're discussing Onmyodo, the mystical study of divination based off of the theories of yin and yang (in-yo or on-myo in Japanese). We'll be covering the entire history of the practice, including its most famous practitioner: Abe no Seimei. We'll also be discussing the modern fate of Onmyodo and its practitioners the onmyoji.
Episode 26 - The History of Manga
October 12, 2013 19:08 - 21 minutes - 8.62 MBThis week, we're going to talk about the evolution of manga. We'll discuss the roots of the comic form in Japan, both Eastern and Western, and its rapid explosion in popularity after World War II.
Episode 25 - The Shadow Shogun
October 06, 2013 11:00 - 28 minutes - 11.5 MBThis week we will be discussing the great political wheeler and dealer of modern Japanese politics: Tanaka Kakuei. We will trace the rise of this man of the people, the heights of his power, and his eventual fall from grace, as well as discussing his political legacy. Also, there will be bizarre assassination plots involving yakuza and revenge-minded porno actors. Should be a good time.
Episode 24 - In Buddha's Name: The Rise and Fall of the Ikko Ikki, Part 2
September 22, 2013 11:00 - 25 minutes - 10.2 MBWe'll be wrapping up our discussion of the Ikko Ikki this week, as the unstoppable force of the militant wing of Jodo Shinshu meets the immovable objects of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga. What follows is a tale of treachery, war, and revenge worthy of an HBO miniseries.
Episode 23 - In Buddha's Name: The Rise and Fall of the Ikko Ikki, Part 1
September 15, 2013 11:00 - 26 minutes - 10.5 MBFor our first two-part episode, we're going to discuss the Ikko Ikki, a militant insurrection of believers in the faith of Jodo Shinshu, or True Pure Land Buddhism. We'll discuss the rise of the movement to political and military prominence during the Sengoku Era in this week's episode; next week, we'll discuss its decline and fall.
Episode 22 - The Way of the Warrior
September 08, 2013 11:00 - 22 minutes - 9.19 MBFor our first listener-submitted topic, we're tackling Bushido: the warrior code of the samurai class. We'll discuss the evolution of the bushido ideology, the role it played during the ages of warfare in Japan as well as during the Tokugawa, and its modern legacy in a post-samurai world.
Episode 21 - The Crash
September 01, 2013 11:00 - 23 minutes - 9.6 MBFor our final outline episode, we'll be tackling the origins and effects of the real-estate bubble which devastated the Japanese economy in 1991, and which so brutally halted the story of Japanese growth. In particular, we'll be focusing on the ways in which the various problems outlined last week were brought to the fore by the economic chaos of the 1990s.
Episode 20 - Japan as Number One
August 26, 2013 03:04 - 25 minutes - 10.2 MBThis week, we'll be talking about the height of postwar Japan during the 1970s and 1980s. On the surface, it's a time of great accomplishment when the dream of catching up to the West had finally been realizing. Looking deeper, however, we find the roots of many of the problems which would bubble to the surface during the economic troubles of the 1990s.
Episode 19 - Rising from the Ashes
August 17, 2013 17:01 - 21 minutes - 8.5 MBThis week, we're going to discuss the postwar strategy that enabled Japan to revive itself after World War II. In 1952, most observers believed Japan would become a mid-rank regional power on the same order as Sweden; by 1970 it was clear that would not be the case. We're going to discuss how Japan was able to rebound from defeat so quickly, and what forces propelled the massive growth of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
Episode 18 - Enduring the Unendurable
August 11, 2013 17:07 - 27 minutes - 11 MBThis week's episode is an overview of the Allied Occupation of Japan. In just seven years (1945-1952), the Allies undertook a massive effort to overhaul Japan's politics, economy, and society. We'll discuss the ways in which they tried to do so, and briefly attempt to evaluate their success. This was a really interesting episode to write and record -- I learned a lot myself! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Episode 17 - He Who Saves One Life, Saves an Entire World
August 03, 2013 18:14 - 23 minutes - 9.58 MBThis week we're going to be taking another break from the forward march of history to discuss the life of a man named Sugihara Chiune. Sugihara worked as a bureaucrat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to World War II, and in 1940 he gave up his career in order to save thousands of Jewish refugees from the Nazis. We'l discuss who Sugihara was, what he did, why he did it, and why I think he's worth remembering.
Episode 16 - And Then the War Came
July 28, 2013 11:00 - 32 minutes - 13.1 MBWe've arrived, finally, at the Pacific War -- this week, we'll be charting the course Japan took to war, briefly summarizing the cours of said war, and then discussing how the war ended.
Episode 15 - The Homefront
July 21, 2013 11:00 - 21 minutes - 8.53 MBThis week, we'll be discussing domestic developments in Japan, and the path by which a reasonably (if not totally) liberal democracy in the 1910s and 1920s morphed into a military dictatorship in the 1930s. We'll talk about the various means by which the military grew its influence, and how it was able to use violence to cow the civilian government.
Episode 14 - The Course of Empire
July 14, 2013 11:00 - 26 minutes - 10.6 MBOur podcast this week will turn to the subject of Japanese foreign policy from the end of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895 to the middle of the war against Nationalist China in 1940. We will cover the Russo-Japanese War, the steady split of the military away from the rest of the government, and the radicalization of Japanese policy towards China, culminating in the decision to launch a foolish and counterproductive war in 1937.
Episode 13 - Take Me Out to the Shiai
June 30, 2013 04:00 - 20 minutes - 8.28 MBThis week, it's time for a story of triumph and tragedy, racism and acceptance, international relations, and most importantly: baseball!
Episode 12 - Civilization and Enlightenment
June 16, 2013 11:30 - 26 minutes - 10.8 MBThis week, we're going to cover the early Meiji Period (1868-1900 or so). We'll be covering a wide range of topics, ranging from international relations to politics to social developments. This is one of the most interesting and tumultuous periods in Japanese history, and I hope you find it as engaging as I do!
Episode 11 - The End of an Era
June 09, 2013 11:00 - 27 minutes - 11 MBThis week, we'll be talking about the period called the Bakumatsu, or the end of the Bakufu. We'll be tracing a complex, but very interesting narrative describing how the Tokugawa went from masters of all they surveyed to defeat and destruction in a mere 15 years. Man, that sounds really gloomy. I promise there are fun bits too!
Episode 10 - A Day in the Life of Edo Japan
June 02, 2013 16:57 - 27 minutes - 11 MBThis week, I'll be talking about the life of the average city-dweller in the Edo Period. This is a very wide-ranging episode, covering everything from the schools in which young samurai were trained to the kabuki-based prostitution which those same young samurai were absolutely forbidden to patronize (not that it stopped them). I have to say, of all the episodes I've finished up to this point, I've enjoyed writing this one the most. I hope you guys like it too!
Episode 9 - Pax Tokugawa
May 26, 2013 17:31 - 22 minutes - 9.02 MBThis week we will be covering the social and political structure of Edo Japan. There's a lot of interesting material to go through, ranging from the social system (hint: it's good to be a samurai [but not as good as you might think]) to the foreign relations of the bakufu (which mainly involved making Dutch people do hilarious things for their amusement). Enjoy!
Episode 8 - The Three Unifiers
May 17, 2013 20:21 - 27 minutes - 7.85 MBThis week, we will be discussing the reunification of Sengoku Japan under the three Sengoku Unifiers -- Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. We will be discussing the trajectory of their careers and the nature of their characters. Since (spoilers) they were pretty bad people, it should make for some pretty good listening!
Episode 7 - Descent into Chaos
May 11, 2013 14:00 - 19 minutes - 8.84 MBThis week, we're going to cover the fall of the Ashikaga and the early Sengoku period (rougly 1400-1550 AD). I'll also be briefly discussing the arrival of Westerners and the rise of the militant Ikko Ikki movement. Enjoy!
Episode 6 - A New Order
May 04, 2013 14:00 - 23 minutes - 10.7 MBThis week we will cover the structure of the Kamakura bakufu, the Hojo triumph over the Mongols, the fall of the Hojo, and their replacement by the Ashikaga family. We'll also cover some cultural developments in the fields of Buddhism and Noh theater. Intrigue! Backstabbing! Performance Art! All the makings of an exciting show!
Episode 5 - Dream on a Spring Night
April 27, 2013 14:00 - 19 minutes - 8.86 MBThis week, we will be covering the fall of the Heian system, the massive Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira families, and the rise of the first shogunal government (called a bakufu) under the auspices of the brutal Minamoto no Yoritomo.
Episode 4 - The Golden Age of Heian
April 20, 2013 14:00 - 17 minutes - 8.04 MBThis week's episode will discuss the Heian Period (794-1185), one of the golden ages of Japanese history. We'll talk about the politics and culture of the period, covering the structure of government, literary styles, and why it is that I think the Tale of Genji is kind of creepy.
Episode 3 - The First Capitol
April 13, 2013 17:48 - 17 minutes - 8.12 MBToday we will be discussing the Asuka and Nara periods, and the formation of a centralized, Chinese-style government based in a permanent capitol city. There's intrigue, backstabbing, and stories about poop; should be fun!
Episode 2 - A Kingdom Called Wa
April 06, 2013 14:00 - 12 minutes - 5.85 MBIn this second episode, we discuss the earliest periods of Japanese history (the Jomon, Yayoi and Tumulus/Kofun periods), covering the years from prehistory to 538 AD. It's a long haul to cover!
Episode 1 - Introduction
March 31, 2013 19:11 - 5 minutes - 4.98 MBWelcome to our introductory episode! Today we will be covering the basic ideas behind this podcast, including: Who I am What I'm planning to do here Why you should care about history Why Japanese history is important What I need from you, my lovely and charming audience I'll be updating with new episodes every weekend (preferably Saturday, sometimes Sunday), so check back next week for more. Thanks for listening!