History of Japan

Latest Episodes:

Episode 265 - The House Always Wins Nov 17, 2018

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This week, we cover the life of real estate mogul and international gambling sensation Kashiwagi Akio. Who was he? How did he become an internationally famous gambler? Why was he mysteriously murdered? And how the hell does none other than Donald Trump fit into this?

Episode 264 - The Man of Legend Nov 10, 2018

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This week, we cover the story and legacy of the great warrior Kusunoki Masashige. Why does he have the unique distinction of a statue on the grounds of the emperor's palace in Tokyo? What do we actually know about him?

Special Bonus - Criminal Records: Sada Abe Nov 09, 2018

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As a surprise bonus, here's an episode of my new show Criminal Records on one of Japan's most fascinating criminal cases. Fair warning: this episode includes some graphic content!

Episode 263 - Their Eyes Were Watching the Gods, Part 2 Nov 03, 2018

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This week; Oomoto's zenith and fall from grace. Plus, what have we learned from all this?

Episode 262 - Their Eyes Were Watching the Gods, Part 1 Oct 27, 2018

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This week, we tackled the origin of one of Japan's new religious movements: Oomoto, or The Great Origin. Where did it come from, and how did the unique combination of two very different people with the right set of circumstances lead it to prominence?

Episode 261 - The City that Never Sleeps, Part 4 Oct 20, 2018

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This week, we cover postwar Tokyo as it recovers from the devastation of war in remarkable time, and take some time to think about what we've learned from the history of Japan's most central city.

Episode 260 - The City that Never Sleeps, Part 3 Oct 13, 2018

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This week: the Great Kanto Earthquake, the firebombing campaign, and Tokyo during the Occupation.

Episode 259 - The City that Never Sleeps, Part 2 Oct 06, 2018

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This week, from Edo to Tokyo: how the shogun's city became the emperor's!

Episode 258 - The City that Never Sleeps, Part 1 Sep 29, 2018

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This week, we start a look at the history of the city of Tokyo. How did the frontier fishing village of Edo go from backwater nowhere to the heart of the nation in only a few short generations?

Episode 257 - The Bookseller Sep 22, 2018

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This week, we cover the life and legacy of one of the great bridges between Japan and China -- the Christian bookseller of Shanghai, Uchiyama Kanzo.

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