This week we turn away from politics to discuss religion, art, and the economy during the age of the Ashikaga.…
This week: war in the Ashikaga age. Plus; the reign of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu is generally considered the zenith of Ashikaga…
This week we start a multipart series on the Muromachi period and the reign of the Ashikaga family. How did…
This week we cover the life and career of the legendary judge Oka Tadasuke, who rose from minor samurai to…
This week, we cover the fascinating tale of Sei Shonagon and the Makura no Soushi, or Pillow Book. Why is…
This week, we cover the life and work of one of Japan’s most famous authors: the 11th century courtier Murasaki…
This week, we cover the little-known “Chichibu Incident,” an uprising against the Meiji government in 1884 that saw several thousand…
Today, we cover one of the most unusual stories of WWII: the policy of saving and protecting Jews pursued by…
This week, we cover poet and political activist Yosano Akiko in her drift from icon of the political left to…
This week, we take a look at the bizarre history of a single text — Senkyou Ibun, or Strange Tidings…