The Reign of Emperor Kōnin
With Empress Shōtoku gone, the court quickly acted to remove Dōkyō and his cronies from power, then turned their eyes toward the critical issue of succession. Their choice for the next Tennō was the e...
15 Feb 202119min
The Reign of Empress Shōtoku
New reign, new name. Empress Kōken returns to the Chrysanthemum Throne as Empress Shōtoku and sets about removing potential rival claimants and showing favor to Dōkyō, the priest who had healed her ye...
11 Feb 202121min
Fujiwara Troubles
The conflict between Fujiwara Nakamaro and retired Empress Kōken comes to a head as both sides make their opening moves in a dangerous game that resulted in open rebellion. Can Fujiwara Nakamaro find ...
8 Feb 202115min
The Short But Eventful Reign of Emperor Junnin
With his chosen sovereign now placed securely on the throne, Fujiwara Nakamaro probably thought he was about to enjoy the height of his political influence. There was only one problem: the former sove...
4 Feb 202116min
Tachibana Troubles
Dissatisfied with the new status quo, Tachibana Naramaro decides to take matters into his own hands and overthrow his cousin Fujiwara Nakamaro. Will he succeed in this power grab against the increasin...
1 Feb 202127min
Emperor Shōmu's Big Moves
Desperate to find a solution to the many troubles which had plagued his realm since he took the throne, Emperor Shōmu commissioned new temples to be constructed across the Kansai region and attempted ...
28 Jan 202121min
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
