History of Japan

Japan's Sakoku policy during the Edo period is explored, revealing the nuanced foreign relations often mistaken for isolation. The influence of Dutch trade is pivotal, transforming Japanese medicine through significant texts. Tensions with Russia and encounters with the British Royal Navy expose vulnerabilities in diplomatic strategies. Finally, the role of the Tokugawa Shogunate is discussed, showcasing cultural and political changes that paved the way for Japan's modernization and future imperial ambitions.

Discover a day in the life of Tokugawa Japan as the podcast delves into urban and rural dynamics, social hierarchies, women's agency, education accessibility, entertainment options including Kabuki theater, and insights into urban nightlife and social issues of the Edo period.

Discover how Tokugawa Ieyasu established a stable political framework that lasted over 200 years. Uncover the balance of power between the shogunate and daimyo, including military regulations and economic shifts. Learn about the decline of the Red Seal system and its effects on trade. Explore the changing dynamics of power from the imperial court to the shogunate, and see how wealth shifted among merchants, creating tensions in traditional hierarchy. Finally, understand the economic struggles faced by samurai as inflation climbed.

Explore the power struggle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with a focus on alliances, land control, and the Battle of Sekigahara. Delve into the complexities of succession in Japanese history, tumultuous actions of Hideyoshi, and the rise of Ieyasu as Shogun. Discover the tensions and conflicts over Osaka Castle reconstruction, leading to a new era under Ieyasu's rule.

With Nobunaga dead, we turn our attention to one of his generals: Hashiba Hideyoshi, who would take up leadership of the former Oda lands and within the course of a decade complete Japan's reunification. What do we know about the man and motives behind Japan's greatest rags to riches story? Show notes here.

Explore the rise of Oda Nobunaga from a provincial ruler to the most powerful man in Japan, uncovering his strategic brilliance in military campaigns and alliances. Dive into the internal conflicts within the Oda clan and the complex legacy of Nobunaga as a multifaceted figure.

This week on the Revised Intro to Japanese History: the social, religious, and economic changes of the Sengoku period. Though this is an age of civil war, it's also an age of tremendous growth and change, and one that will lay the groundwork of much to come in future centuries. Show notes here.

This week, we look at the flip side of the chaos of the Sengoku era in the form of two clans that rose to prominence from obscurity during the age of civil war. The first half is focused on the Mori family of western Honshu, while the second is focused on the Date, from the island's remote north. Show notes here. 

This week on the Revised Introduction to Japanese History: our first foray into the age of civil war! We're looking to understand the conflicts of the Sengoku by examining the rapid falls from power during this time of the Yamana and Hosokawa clans.  Show notes here.

This week: the Muromachi bakufu comes crashing down, thanks to a combination of structural weaknesses and a shogun who is more interested in painting than politics. As a result, Japan enters a new age of civil war, which will radically reshape the country. Show notes here.