To Rome and Back, the Journey of Hasekura Tsunenaga -- BONUS
Near the beginning of the Edo Period, a samurai from Sendai Domain in Tohoku took a globe-spanning journey which took him across two oceans and included Mexico, Spain, France, Italy, and the Philippin...
12 Feb 202417min
The Life and Times of Miyamoto Musashi -- BONUS
While some Ronin chose to lay aside their swords and take up artisinal crafts, some found new purpose in teaching the way of the warrior to the next generation. Miyamoto Musashi embodied the twilight ...
5 Feb 202421min
Artists of the Early Edo Period -- BONUS
In this episode, we discuss the founder of Kabuki theatre Izumo Okuni, playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon, legendary sculptor Hidari Jingoro, poet Matsuo Basho, and the birth of Ukiyo-e painting. Here i...
29 Jan 202418min
Yoshimune's Gambit
After the brief reigns of Tokugawa Ienobu and his young son Ietsugu, the Bakufu selected a new shogun from the Kii Branch of the Tokugawa Clan. Tokugawa Yoshimune inherited a national government in th...
22 Jan 202428min
The Pax Edo
The Early Edo Period was a time of newfound stability for the formerly chaotic Japanese archipelago. Although the samurai were the official ruling class of the nation, however, in many ways they were ...
18 Jan 202429min
The Righteous Reign of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
The tenure of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was marked by a fervent support of Neo-Confucian reforms, some of which were extremely radical and some of which were downright wacky. It was during his reign that th...
15 Jan 202425min
Tumult and Turnover in Joseon
The Kings of Joseon were faced with many difficult decisions throughout the 1600s as their nation faced Manchurian invasion, internal military coups, and a tumultuously factional political class. Supp...
11 Jan 202431min
The Rise of the Qing Dynasty
As the Ming Dynasty faced utter collapse in the face of famines, plagues, and peasant rebellions, the Qing Dynasty of Manchuria would surge and, eventually, take its place as the ruling dynasty of Chi...
8 Jan 202426min
