History of Japan
Isaac Meyer
This 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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 16, 2017 • 28min
Episode 222 - The Dog Shogun
This week: was Japan's 5th Tokugawa shogun really as crazy as everybody says? Spoilers: no.
Dec 9, 2017 • 30min
Episode 221 - The Monster with 21 Faces
This week, we cover a crime wave that shocked 1980s Japan, and proved that postwar society was perhaps not quite all it was cracked up to be. Also, there's a lot of poisoned candy.
Dec 2, 2017 • 30min
Episode 220 - The All Seeing Eye
This week, we investigate the great Zen master Dogen, who was something of an eccentric in his own time but remains one of the greatest Buddhist thinkers in Japanese history.
Nov 25, 2017 • 28min
Episode 219 - The Red Dawn, Part 3
Turns out, getting involved in a land war in Asia really is one of the classic blunders. This week, how did it all pan out?
Nov 18, 2017 • 28min
Episode 218 - The Red Dawn, Part 2
How did Japan fit into the broader framework of the Allied intervention? What were the Japanese trying to accomplish in Siberia? And who was even in charge of this damned thing? All that and more, this week.
Nov 11, 2017 • 27min
Episode 217 - The Red Dawn, Part 1
100 Years ago, Japan intervened in Russia to create a buffer state against the new Soviet Union. So how did that work out? We'll start answering that question this week.
Nov 4, 2017 • 26min
Episode 216 - The Scourge of the Gods, Part 7
This week: why is a military failure worth 7 episodes of our time? The legacy of the Mongol invasions of Japan, explained.
Oct 28, 2017 • 28min
Episode 215 - The Scourge of the Gods, Part 6
The 1281 invasion is at the gates (or the seawall, I suppose). How will round 2 play out?
Oct 21, 2017 • 29min
Episode 214 - Scourge of the Gods, Part 5
This week, we prepare for round two. How are the Japanese getting ready for another invasion, and how does that new invasion begin?
Oct 14, 2017 • 28min
Episode 213 - The Scourge of the Gods, Part 4
This week, we cover exciting topics like meteorology and internal Mongol family politics! But wait, there's also a bit of Zen theology dashed in to spice things up! It's an eclectic week on the podcast for sure!
