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Tag: Heian

Episode 436 – Fist of the Buddhas, Part 1

May 6, 2022 ijmeyer

This week: what does the historical record have to say about the veracity of the image of the warrior-monk, or…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Buddhism, Heian, History, Japan, Kyoto, medieval

Episode 383 – Hell Hath no Fury

March 26, 2021 ijmeyer 1 Comment

Today, we’re taking a look at a fascinating literary text from 1000 years ago, the Kagero Nikki (most commonly translated…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, literature, Women

Episode 368 – The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

December 11, 2020 ijmeyer 1 Comment

This week, we’re talking about one of the most famous stories in Japanese history: the bamboo princess Naotake no Kaguyahime…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, Kaguyahime, literature, monogatari, taketori

Episode 341 – The Femme Fatale

June 5, 2020 ijmeyer 2 Comments

This week, we’re focusing on the story of Ono no Komachi, a mysterious poet from the 800s whose poems were…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, komachi, poetry, Women

Episode 321 – The Regent

January 17, 2020 ijmeyer 2 Comments

This week, take a deep dive with me into the life of one of the regents of the Heian Era,…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Fujiwara, Heian, History, Japan, Kyoto

Episode 297 – As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams, Part 2

July 19, 2019 ijmeyer 1 Comment

This week, we round out our look at the celebrated women of Heian Japan with two very different careers: that…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, poetry, Women

Episode 296 – As I crossed a Bridge of Dreams, Part 1

July 12, 2019 ijmeyer 2 Comments

This week: the start of a two-part series on women in Heian Japan. What makes the social position of women…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, Women

Episode 287 – The Drunken Demon

May 3, 2019 ijmeyer

This week, we’re taking a look at a specific oni tale, and probably the most famous one; the story of…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, oni, raiko, shutendoji, supernatural

Episode 279 – The Prince of Thieves

March 9, 2019 ijmeyer

This week, we consider a figure who appears in two stories from the ancient collection of tales known as the…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: crime, Hakamadare, Heian, History, Japan

Episode 271 – You’re Going on the List

January 12, 2019 ijmeyer 2 Comments

This week, we cover the fascinating tale of Sei Shonagon and the Makura no Soushi, or Pillow Book. Why is…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Heian, History, Japan, Pillow, Sei, Shonagon

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About Me

My name is Isaac Meyer, and I’m a  former PhD student at the University of Washington, specializing in modern Japan (with sub-specializations in modern China, modern Europe, and international relations). Today, I work as a teacher at an independent school in the Seattle area.

I also have a tendency to go off on random historical tangents. One day, I decided to combine these two traits in podcast form, and thus was born the History of Japan Podcast!

In 2018, I decided start the Criminal Records Podcast with my wife, Demetria Spinrad. This podcast gives me the chance to talk about world history–and the weird, wonderful world of historical crime and punishment.

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Recent Posts

  • Episode 438 – From the Deep, Part 1
  • Introducing the podcast!
  • The Luddites
  • Episode 437 – The Fist of the Buddhas, Part 2
  • Episode 436 – Fist of the Buddhas, Part 1
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