History of Japan
542 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 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 386 - The Iron Road, Part 3
April 16, 2021 11:00 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MBThis week, we're talking about the rebirth of Japan's rail network in the form of Japan National Railways. Some things will stay the same (it's all the same guys in charge), some will change (a free press keeps reporting on the mistakes those guys make), and all of this will culminate in one of the most ambitious engineering projects in Japanese history: the Tokaido Shinkansen. Show notes here.
Episode 385 - The Iron Road, Part 2
April 09, 2021 11:00 - 35 minutes - 48.8 MBThis week, we're talking about the role of rail in imperial Japan, with a particular focus on the infamous South Manchuria Railway Company. How does a rail line become key to Japan's imperial ambitions in China? Show notes here.
Episode 384 - The Iron Road, Part 1
April 02, 2021 19:45 - 36 minutes - 49.4 MBThis week, we're starting off a look at the history of rail in Japan by exploring how this revolutionary technology was introduced to the country. And once it was, how would a government obsessed with strategic infrastructure like rail manage the complexities of funding and constructing something so jaw-droppingly expensive? Show notes here.
Episode 383 - Hell Hath no Fury
March 26, 2021 11:00 - 36 minutes - 49.9 MBToday, we're taking a look at a fascinating literary text from 1000 years ago, the Kagero Nikki (most commonly translated as "The Gossamer Diary"). This is the life story of a woman whose name is not known to us, and her tumultuous, borderline abusive relationship with her husband -- and a tale of how, ultimately, she is able to find peace. Show notes here.
Episode 382 - Flipping the Script
March 19, 2021 11:00 - 35 minutes - 48.8 MBThis week, we're going to stay in the Sengoku but take a step away from all this samurai action to ask: what's everybody else up to? From farmers in the countryside enjoying the fruits of a more commercialized economy (while fearing being raided by marauding armies) to merchant towns asserting their authority against warlords, it's a fascinating look into a neglected piece of the era's history. Show notes here.
Episode 381 - The Three Daughters of Azai, Part 2
March 12, 2021 12:00 - 37 minutes - 51.8 MBThis week, we cover the rest of the lives of Sugen'in, Joko'in, and Yodo-dono (and some other really fascinating incidental lives, like Hideyoshi's wife Kodai'in), and ask: what can we learn from these often overlooked narratives? Show notes here.
Episode 381 - The Three Daughters of Azai, Part 1
March 06, 2021 03:25 - 36 minutes - 50 MBThis week, we're revisiting some well-trod ground (the final decades of the 1500s and the careers of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi) but through new eyes -- focusing on the stories of Nobunaga's sister Oichi, and her three daughters Yodo-dono, Joko'in, and Sugen'in.
Episode 379 - So Close, and Yet So Far
February 26, 2021 12:00 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBThis week, we're starting off a month of Sengoku-themed content with a look at one of the remoter areas of Japan: Tosa province on Shikoku, now known as Kouchi Prefecture. Specifically, we'll be diving into the history of the one-time lords of the area, the Chosokabe family, who rose from minor status to lords of all of Shikoku in two generations, and were then annihilated in the very next. Show notes here.
Episode 378 - A Star is Born
February 19, 2021 12:00 - 36 minutes - 49.7 MBThis week, we're talking about the birth of the idol industry in Japan. What are idols, how are they made famous, and what does all of this say about the nature of consumer culture in modern Japan? Show notes here.
Episode 377 - The Black Mist Scandal
February 12, 2021 12:00 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBThis week, we're taking a look at one of the greatest scandals in the history of Japanese baseball, when the black mist of yakuza-driven sports gambling wracked Japan's national pastime. Show notes here.
Episode 376 - The Nectar of the Gods
February 05, 2021 12:00 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBThis week, we're exploring the history of Japan's most famous drink: sake, or Japanese rice wine (though it turns out, 'sake' in Japanese doesn't necessarily refer to what we think of, nor is it actually a 'rice wine' in the technical sense). We're covering everything from tax laws to how to make your own sake using nothing but your own spit, so buckle up! It's gonna be a fun one. Show notes here.
Episode 374 - The First Frontier, Part 5
January 29, 2021 12:00 - 36 minutes - 50.3 MBThis week, we're wrapping up our history of the colonization of Hokkaido with a look at the impact of the American occupation on the island, as well as some final thoughts on the modern history of the Ainu and their political organizing. Show notes here.
Episode 374 - The First Frontier, Part 4
January 22, 2021 12:00 - 38 minutes - 52.4 MBThis week, we're talking about Hokkaido in the early 20th century, and in particular the stark problems created by the island's rapid colonization: its badly unequal economy and the question of what role the Ainu were now to play in their own homeland. Show notes here.
Episode 373 - The First Frontier, Part 3
January 15, 2021 12:00 - 39 minutes - 53.7 MBThis week, we're looking at the early decades of Japan's colonization of Hokkaido, and the means by which the island was radically remade within the span of a single lifetime. Show notes here.
Episode 372 - The First Frontier, Part 2
January 08, 2021 12:00 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBThis week: how did the threat of Western imperialism change the relationship between mainland Japan and Hokkaido, and help set the stage for Japan's eventual colonization of the island? Show notes here.
Episode 371 - The First Frontier, Part 1
January 01, 2021 17:23 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBThis week, we're starting a multi-part series on the history of one of Japan's major islands, and its first colonial frontier: Hokkaido. Today, we'll talk about the early centuries of history between the Japanese and the Ainu, the aboriginal people of Hokkaido. Show notes here.
Episode 370 - The Poetess
December 25, 2020 12:00 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBThis week, we're covering the life and career of a poet often overlooked despite her fame in her own lifetime: the shopkeeper's daughter-turned-nun-turned-haiku master, Kaga no Chiyo. Show notes here.
Episode 369 - The Wandering Brush
December 18, 2020 12:00 - 36 minutes - 50.2 MBThis week, we're taking a deep dive into a distinctly Japanese literary genre (zuihitsu, or 'wandering brush') by looking at two of its most famous exemplars: the Hojoki, or Record of a Hut, and Tsurezuregusa, or Essays in Idleness. What lasts forever in this world? How should we strive to live? What should we do when confronted with gamblers on a losing streak? All this and more, coming up! Show notes here.
Episode 368 - The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
December 11, 2020 12:00 - 35 minutes - 48.7 MBThis week, we're talking about one of the most famous stories in Japanese history: the bamboo princess Naotake no Kaguyahime and her absolute wrecking ball-esque demolition of Japan's stupidest and most eligible bachelors before she returns back to her home on the moon. Who says classical literature isn't fun? Show notes here.
Episode 367 - Everything and Nothing
December 04, 2020 12:00 - 35 minutes - 48.4 MBThis week, we're talking about one of Japan's territorial disputes: the bitter debate over ownership of the Senaku Islands/Diaoyu Islands/Pinnacle Rocks. Where do these competing claims over a bunch of uninhabited islands in the middle of nowhere come from? And what has their impact been on Sino-Japanese relations?
Episode 366 - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Part 2
November 27, 2020 12:00 - 37 minutes - 51.1 MBThis week, we cover Sorge's career in Tokyo, and explore just how he was able to convince so many people that he was exactly what he was not -- a loyal Nazi here to report on Japan for the benefit of Hitler's regime. Plus, some thoughts on Sorge's significance in the history of the Second World War. Show notes here.
Episode 365 - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Part 1
November 20, 2020 12:00 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBThis week, we begin our exploration of the life and career of Richard Sorge, one of the most famous spies in Japanese (and arguably world) history. We're beginning this week with the story of his recruitment and his first trip to Asia -- a two year posting in Shanghai. Show notes here.
Episode 364 - Abe, Part 4
November 13, 2020 12:00 - 39 minutes - 54 MBThis week, we outline what Abe's vision to "restore beautiful Japan" meant during his second go-round in office, why he was able to stay in office so long, and what eventually brought him down (hint: it has a lot to do with the fact that many of you are much less likely to be listening to this while commuting than you used to be). Show notes here.
Episode 363 - Abe, Part 3
November 06, 2020 12:00 - 37 minutes - 52.2 MBThis week: how did Abe Shinzo get back into the PM's office, why did he not fall flat on his face once again once he did, and what are some of the distinguishing features of his policies? We're covering everything from LDP internal elections to macroeconomic policy to social conservatism, so buckle up -- this is gonna be a fun one. Show notes here.
Episode 362 - Abe, Part 2
October 30, 2020 11:00 - 38 minutes - 52.8 MBThis week, we chronicle Abe Shinzo's meteoric rise up the ranks of the LDP and the Koizumi cabinet, culminating in his first tenure as Prime Minister -- followed by his equally meteoric ascent back down the ranks, as his first attempt at governance will blow up in his face. Show notes here.
Episode 361 - Abe, Part 1
October 23, 2020 11:00 - 38 minutes - 52.5 MBThis week, we're starting our retrospective on the career of Japan's former Prime Minister, Abe Shinzo. We begin with a look at his family history and his career through one of the most tumultuous eras of Japan's modern politics -- the 1990s. Show notes here.
Episode 360 - A Nation in a Nation, Part 4
October 16, 2020 11:00 - 39 minutes - 54.9 MBThis week, we wrap up our look at Soka Gakkai with the history of its split from Nichiren Shoshu. Plus, we take some time to look at the various controversies surrounding the group and what they say about Soka Gakkai's position in Japanese society. Show notes here.
Episode 359 - A Nation in a Nation, Part 3
October 09, 2020 11:00 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBThis week, we're talking about some of the major projects of Ikeda's time as leader of Soka Gakkai, including both the foundation of Soka Gakkai's political party and the construction of the Sho Hondo, a grand new hall for Nichiren teachings. Show notes here.
Episode 358 - A Nation in a Nation, Part 2
October 02, 2020 11:00 - 37 minutes - 51 MBThis week, we continue our look at the history of Soka Gakkai during the tenure of Toda Josei. We'll also turn to the rise of the most influential figure in the movement today (and arguably its most influential leader ever): the third president of Soka Gakkai, Ikeda Daisaku.
Episode 357 - A Nation in a Nation, Part 1
September 25, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBThis week, we're starting a multi-episode series on one of Japan's most famous organizations: the study society-turned-religion-turned-political-party known as the Value Creation Society, or Soka Gakkai. Show notes here.
Episode 356 - Women in Edo Japan
September 18, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 49.3 MBThis week: how do historians learn about the lives of everyday people? Let's take a look at how it's done by thinking about a group of people often overlooked in histories of the Edo period even though they made up half the population: women. Show notes here.
Episode 355 - Tales of Moonlight and Rain
September 11, 2020 11:00 - 34 minutes - 47.9 MBThis week, we're talking about one of Japan's most famous collections of supernatural tales, the fantastic Ugetsu Monogatari (Tales of Moonlight and Rain) from 1776. Show notes here.
Episode 354 - Elementary, My Dear Okamoto!
September 04, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBThis week, we're talking about popular literature, with a specific focus on one of Japan's most famous pieces of detective fiction -- the Hanshichi Torimonocho. Show notes here.
Episode 353 - The Rising Sun Will Come to Us From Heaven, Part 5
August 28, 2020 11:00 - 34 minutes - 48 MBThis week, we wrap up our history of Christianity in Japan with a look at the Occupation and Postwar Eras -- and with some final thoughts on what it means to be a part of a faith viewed as "outside" the mainstream of the nation. Show notes here.
Episode 352 - The Rising Sun Will Come to Us From Heaven, Part 4
August 21, 2020 11:00 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBThis week, we'll cover the striving of Japanese Christians to be accepted as genuine patriots by the government during the pre-war era. This striving will lead to closer and closer ties between the state and religion; it will also invite danger once we get into the war years. Show notes here.
Episode 351 - The Rising Sun Will Come to Us From Heaven, Part 3
August 14, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 49.6 MBThis week, we're going to talk about the heyday of Japanese Christianity during the Imperial era: the 1870s and 1880s, when the church, finally free of government restriction, began to grow. But behind that growth lurked a dangerous reality about the religion's relationship with the state. Show notes here.
Episode 350 - The Rising Sun Will Come to Us From Heaven, Part 2
August 07, 2020 11:00 - 34 minutes - 47.7 MBThis week, we're talking about Christianity during the Bakumatsu Period -- the era that saw the forced opening of Japan and the collapse of samurai government. How did debates around Christianity figure in to this turbulent time in Japanese history? Show notes here.
Episode 349 - The Rising Sun Will Come to Us From Heaven, Part 1
July 31, 2020 11:00 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBThis week, we're turning our attention to Christianity in Japan after the "Christian Century." Despite its status as a minority religion in Japan, Christianity has had a major historical impact on the country. How did this happen? We'll start this week by looking at the Christian persecutions which destroyed the communities built by European missionaries in the 1500s. Show notes here.
Episode 348 - By the Sun and Its Brightness
July 24, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 48.9 MBThis week, we cover the short yet fascinating history of Islam in Japan. What factors led to a connection between the Islamic world and Japan? Who led the efforts to build bridges between the two? And why is the history of this relationship so generally unknown? Show notes here.
Episode 347 - Blackness in Japan, Part 5
July 17, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBThis week, we wrap up the series with a look at black history during the Occupation and Postwar eras, with some final thoughts on the series as a whole. Show notes here.
Episode 346 - Blackness in Japan, Part 4
July 10, 2020 11:00 - 37 minutes - 51.9 MBThis week, we turn our attention to the black experience during the war in the Pacific, and to the fascinating story of the Pacific Movement of the Eastern World. Show notes here
Episode 345 - Blackness in Japan, Part 3
July 03, 2020 11:00 - 34 minutes - 47.5 MBThis week, we're talking about political and cultural exchange between black communities and Japan in the 20s and 30s, as well as how one prominent black leader found himself bamboozled by Japan's pro-empire propaganda in the 1930s. Show notes here.
Episode 344 - Blackness in Japan, Part 2
June 26, 2020 11:00 - 38 minutes - 30.2 MBThis week, we look at Japan's relationship with blackness and black communities in the wake of the Meiji Restoration, and at the beginnings of a movement among black people to make Japan into a champion of non-white peoples. Note: this episode includes some language that may be considered dated or offensive (though no use of slurs). Show notes here.
Episode 343 - Blackness in Japan, Part 1
June 19, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 27.6 MBThis week, we're beginning an overview of black history in Japan with a focus on the Sengoku and Edo eras, and especially the fascinating tale of Yasuke. What sources do we have for this moment of cultural contact? Show notes here.
Episode 342 - The Other Olympics
June 12, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 28.4 MBThis week, how did the 1964 Paralympics end up in Japan? Who made it happen? And why does 1964 represent an important moment in the history of disability sports in Japan? Show notes here.
Episode 341 - The Femme Fatale
June 05, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 26.3 MBThis week, we're focusing on the story of Ono no Komachi, a mysterious poet from the 800s whose poems were used to construct a fictional persona entirely separate from who she actually was. How did this happen? Why does it matter? And what can we learn from telling the history of a made up character? Show notes here.
Episode 340 - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
May 29, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 29 MBThis week, we're covering the career of one of modern Japan's spymasters: Akashi Motojiro, who attempted to build an intelligence network in Russia during the Russo-Japanese War. Why was he given this task? Did he succeed? And what lessons does his career offer in terms of the wider arc of modern Japanese history? Show notes here.
Episode 339 - Wedding Bells
May 22, 2020 13:00 - 37 minutes - 29.9 MBMawwiage is whut bwings us togethah, today! Today we're talking about the history of marriage as an institution in Japan. How has it changed and evolved? What customs and practices have governed it? And what do those practices look like today? Show notes here.
Episode 338 - Let the Games Begin, Part 3
May 15, 2020 22:55 - 38 minutes - 29.1 MBThis week, we finish our look at the Olympic movement in Japan with a series of discussions on the legacy of the 64 games, the Winter Olympics in Japan, and on the prospects for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Show notes here.
Episode 337 - Let the Games Begin, Part 2
May 08, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 28.1 MBThis week, Japan finally gets the Olympics; but what does that really mean for Japan? What does hosting really accomplish for Japan's image, and how do the games themselves unfold? Show notes here.