Echoes of History29 Des 2025

The First Europeans In Japan

When Portuguese merchants ran aground on the Japanese isle of Tanegashima in 1543, two worlds collided - Europeans encountered Japan for the first time. For the next 50 years, Portuguese and their partners flooded into this newly discovered land aiming to spread the power of the Christian Church and sell wares that could revolutionise Japan, like the powerful gun. But in the fiery cauldron of Sengoku Japan, Portuguese missionaries were but one player in the most bloody and brutal of political games.

Assassin's Creed Shadows delves into the tensions at the heart of this culture clash. Did Buddhist and Shinto Japanese accept Christianity? Why did the Japanese see Europeans as barbaric? Were Japanese warlords like Oda Nobunaga exploited by Western traders and church leaders, or were the Europeans unwittingly being exploited by the Japanese?

Matt Lewis and Prof. Frederik Cryns, historical advisor on the hit TV show Shogun, uncover how Europeans fit into 16th century Japan’s patchwork of daimyos and the momentous impact they had on feudal Japanese warfare and society.

This episode was first published on 20th May 2024. Watch it here on YouTube.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Anisha Deva

Produced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt Lewis

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by The Flight

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.

Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(172)

The Golden Age Of Piracy: Myths vs Reality

Did pirates really bury treasure, fly the Jolly Roger and walk the plank?Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced avoids many of the clichés of pirate fiction. Yet staying true to history still includes t...

3 Jul 52min

Hattori Hanzo the Ninja Samurai

In the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows, the legendary Hattori Hanzo embodies both samurai and shinobi warriors. As history's most famous ninja, he was also a samurai: his fierce dual nature earned h...

19 Jun 40min

Life in the Pirate Republic

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced puts us in the heart of the pirate world during the Golden Age Of Piracy: the island of New Providence and its capital, Nassau. As we roam around its highly detail...

5 Jun 42min

The Secrets of Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia is a landmark that has stood for 1500 years, and that players can clamber all over in Assassin’s Creed Revelations. It is remarkable not only for its longevity, but also for its blend...

22 Mai 42min

Pirates in the Caribbean: How It All Began

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced recreates the beautiful islands of the Caribbean in stunning detail, and introduces players to some of the most famous pirates in history. Why did the Caribbean, i...

8 Mai 54min

The Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople

Assassin's Creed Revelations transports us to Constantinople, only a couple of generations after its conquest by the Ottoman Empire. It is one of history’s defining events, turning the city into the b...

27 Apr 44min

The Battles of Lexington & Concord

Assassin's Creed III gives players a unique chance to take part in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and to influence the course of history. But why did the shot heard ‘round the world, that start...

13 Apr 42min

Saladin: The Third Crusade's Greatest General?

The original Assassin’s Creed game focuses on the Assassins' efforts to bring down the Templars during the Third Crusade from 1189-1192. He encounters real figures from history, including Templar Gran...

30 Mar 57min