Kyūshū in Rebellion
The imperial court hoped that Fujiwara Hirotsugu would cool his heels in Kyūshū and stop undermining the Chancellor. Instead, he launched an armed rebellion with the help of the discontented locals of...
25 Jan 202118min
Prince Nagaya's Revenge
Prince Nagaya was dead, but the smallpox epidemic of 735-737 ravaged the nation and even took the lives of several high-ranking courtiers. Thus a new concept was born in Japanese history: the vengeful...
21 Jan 202119min
Emperor Shōmu's Early Years
Emperor Shomu's court was filled with rivalries and scandals among the kuge which sometimes took a violent turn. The feud between the Fujiwara Clan and Prince Nagaya would become the stuff of legend.F...
18 Jan 202119min
Tang, Silla, and Balhae
The late 600s and early 700s were a tumultuous time for continental east Asia. From the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Kingdom of Silla to the rise to power of Empress Wu Zetian and the emergenc...
14 Jan 202134min
The Age of Empresses
The Nara Period began when Empress Genmei moved the court to the new permanent capital of Heijo-kyo in the northern part of the Nara region. During the reigns of Empresses Genmei and Genshō, the Fujiw...
11 Jan 202131min
Nara Religion
An overview of the growth and development of Buddhism in the early Nara Period and the interaction of religious and political authorities.For pictures of some of the temples in question, and a statue ...
7 Jan 202122min
A Fresh Start
The Nara Period began with the court's relocation to Heijo-kyo during the reign of Empress Genmei. In this episode, we'll explore the recorded mythology from the period as well as the new capital in a...
4 Jan 202125min
The Emperors of Legend
Learn all about the legendary emperors of Japan leading up to the Asuka Period. The timeline is messy and the content often mythical, but it makes for good storytelling! Check out the supplemental po...
26 Nov 202021min
