History of Japan

This week, we're beginning a new miniseries on the legends of Japan's most ancient sport: sumo. What can we learn about Japan and Japanese identity by looking at the lives of some of the most famous competitors in the national sport? We'll begin investigating that question with a look at the life of one of the greatest ever to enter the ring: Taiho Koki. Show notes here. 

For our final episode of this miniseries: Miyazaki Manabu faces down with the National Police Agency as he finds himself the prime suspect in Japan's highest profile criminal case of the 1980s. After he comes out on top, where does he go next? Why, the natural place for any high profile criminal suspect: into media, and then politics! Show notes here.

In our penultimate episode for this miniseries: Miyazaki Manabu narrowly escapes doing prison time, only to end up back in the underworld first of Osaka, and then Tokyo. And from there, he ends up square in the crosshairs of the police once again--this time as a suspect in one of the most infamous criminal cases in postwar history. Show notes here. 

This week: Miyazaki's time as a politics reporter, the end of his reporting career, and his return to the family business. How did he go, in the span of five years, from a successful reporter to a wanted criminal facing police prosecution? Show notes here. 

This week: Miyazaki Manabu's dramatic departure from the Communist Party, as his faith in the revolution wanes. What does a wannabe college revolutionary with no prospects turn to when the revolution fails to materialize? Show notes here. 

This week: Miyazaki Manabu goes from the Sodai struggle at Waseda to an active participant in the violent clashes of the late 1960s student movement, as a part of the "action corps" of the Communist Party. We'll take an up close and personal look to see: what was it like to be a radical student in the 1960s? Show notes here. 

This week on the podcast: Miyazaki Manabu faces his first battle as a college activist with the administration of his own school at Waseda University. It...does not go well.

Dive into the radical transformation of Miyazaki Manabu, who shifts from yakuza son to a fervent Communist. Explore the clash of organized crime and leftist politics in 1960s Japan during the fierce security treaty protests. Discover the plight of the Burakumin community in Kyoto, facing systemic discrimination and social exclusion. Witness the rise of student activism amidst the tumult of the Vietnam War, revealing a youth awakening and their quest for equality in a rapidly changing society.

Dive into the remarkable life of Miyazaki Manabu, a young scion of a Yakuza family navigating post-war Japan. Explore his struggle between familial expectations and revolutionary ideals taught by his radical tutor. Discover how political unrest and student activism shape his journey, especially during a transformative protest against the U.S. Mutual Security Treaty. This fascinating narrative challenges traditional historical perspectives, revealing the complexities of legacy and change.

Dive into the overlooked roles of women in Edo period riots and their challenges against a male-dominated society. Explore how Neo-Confucianism shaped women's lives and the intriguing story of Sogoro, a peasant martyr whose legacy ignites discussion of vengeance and resistance. Discover the complexities of women's involvement in peasant rebellions and the emotional intricacies of their loyalties. The uniqueness of female leadership in these protests offers a striking contrast to their portrayal in Western revolutions, shedding light on women's political agency.