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Tag: medieval

Episode 615 – I am Legend, Part 2

February 13, 2026 Isaac Meyer Leave a comment

This week, the Yoshitsune legend finds its legs with Heike Monogatari–one of the most epic works in Japanese history. Except…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: History, Japan, medieval, Muromachi, Samurai

Episode 614 – I am Legend, Part 1

February 6, 2026 Isaac Meyer Leave a comment

Note: I made a mistake recording this episode but did not have time to go back and fix it. It’s…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: History, Japan, Kamakura, medieval, Minamoto, Samurai

Episode 517 – The Center Cannot Hold

January 26, 2024 Isaac Meyer

This week: the Muromachi bakufu comes crashing down, thanks to a combination of structural weaknesses and a shogun who is…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Ashikaga, History, Japan, medieval, Muromachi, Sengoku

Episode 516 – From the Ashes

January 19, 2024 Isaac Meyer

This week: Go-Daigo’s regime collapses, and a second samurai government, the Muromachi bakufu, emerges. How did Ashikaga Takauji successfully establish…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Ashikaga, History, Japan, medieval, Muromachi, Samurai

Episode 515 – Slouching Towards Kyoto

January 12, 2024 Isaac Meyer

This week: the dramatic career of Emperor Go-Daigo, who brought down the Kamakura shogunate and ended Hojo rule in Japan.…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Ashikaga, History, Japan, Kamakura, Kyoto, medieval

Episode 514 – The Structure of Medieval Japan

December 29, 2023 Isaac Meyer

This week, we’re taking a look at some of the economic and social structures of Kamakura period Japan in order…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: economics, History, Japan, Kamakura, medieval

Episode 513 – The Specter of the Continent

December 22, 2023 Isaac Meyer 1 Comment

This week: why did the Mongols invade Japan? How did a seemingly invincible military machine falter in its assaults on…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: History, Hojo, Japan, Kamakura, medieval, mongols

Episode 512 – The New Buddhisms

December 15, 2023 Isaac Meyer

This week: the advent of the medieval era brings with it new strands of Buddhism that will radically remake the…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Buddhism, History, Japan, Kamakura, medieval, Nichiren, Pure Land Buddhism, religion, Zen

Episode 440 – Tipping the Balance

June 3, 2022 Isaac Meyer 1 Comment

The Jokyu Rebellion is one of the more minor conflicts in Japanese history; yet it also represents a tipping of…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: History, Hojo, Japan, Kamakura, medieval, Samurai

Episode 436 – Fist of the Buddhas, Part 1

May 6, 2022 Isaac Meyer

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

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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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Support the Facing Backward network on Patreon to get access to our bonus features, including our bonus episodes about historical fiction.

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Recent Posts

  • Episode 615 – I am Legend, Part 2
  • Episode 614 – I am Legend, Part 1
  • Episode 613 – I am a Cat
  • Episode 612 – The Final Frontier, Part 8
  • Episode 611 – The Final Frontier, Part 7
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