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Tag: poetry

Episode 508 – The Culture of Classical Japan, Part 2

November 10, 2023 Isaac Meyer

This week on the podcast, we’re all about literature. We’ll be exploring the varieties of poetry and prose that have…

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

Episode 447 – On a Summer Night, The First Thought of Sleep

July 22, 2022 Isaac Meyer 1 Comment

This week, we’re taking a look at the legacy of one of Japan’s most influential poets: Ki no Tsurayuki. His…

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

Episode 446 – In Days of Old, There Was a Man

July 15, 2022 Isaac Meyer 1 Comment

This week, we’re unpacking a rather odd classic of Japanese literature: the Ise Monogatari, a collection of short tales that…

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

Episode 397 – The Weeping Dream

July 2, 2021 Isaac Meyer

This week, we’re traveling the breadth of Japanese history to answer a seemingly simple question: why is it that so…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: basho, haiku, History, Japan, poetry, shiki

Episode 370 – The Poetess

December 25, 2020 Isaac Meyer 2 Comments

This week, we’re covering the life and career of a poet often overlooked despite her fame in her own lifetime:…

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

Episode 341 – The Femme Fatale

June 5, 2020 Isaac Meyer 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 328 – What a Strange Thing!

March 6, 2020 Isaac Meyer 3 Comments

This week, we’re talking about my absolute favorite poet in the history of forever: Kobayashi Issa. I promise he’s great,…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: Edo, History, issa, Japan, kobayashi, poetry

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

July 19, 2019 Isaac Meyer 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 267 – Do Not Give Up Your Life

December 8, 2018 Isaac Meyer

This week, we cover poet and political activist Yosano Akiko in her drift from icon of the political left to…

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

Episode 249 – Every Day is a Journey

July 21, 2018 Isaac Meyer

This week, we delve into the life, legacy, and style of Matsuo Basho, Japan’s most famous poet. Who was he?…

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Posted in: History of Japan Podcast, Podcasts Filed under: basho, Edo, haiku, History, Japan, poetry

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.

The History of Japan Patreon is still live, and subscribers will be able to get the weekly newsletter there as well.

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