History

Sakamoto Ryoma: The Samurai Who Forged a New Japan

July 29, 2020
Featured, History, History, Video

Learn about how a low-ranking samurai, Sakamoto Ryoma, helped bring down the Shogunate - and why he lost his life for it.

When Japan Ruled the Waves: The Forgotten Colonies of Micronesia

July 13, 2020
History, History, Video

How Japan defeated the German Empire in World War I and ruled over Micronesia for three decades - before it all came crashing down.

A Japanese Art and Culture History Timeline

A look at Japan's art and culture from prehistoric times to the present - from earthenware and calligraphy on up to manga and anime.

Video: The Colonization of Hokkaido

May 7, 2020
History, History, Video

Watch our latest video - a reading by author Noah Oskow of his original essay on the history of Hokkaido and how it came to be part of Japan.

The Otsu Incident: Tsar Nicholas II’s Near-Assassination in Japan

May 6, 2020
History, History, Video

In 1891 Japan, history was nearly changed when a Japanese policeman took aim at Russian Crown Prince Nicholas II - the future czar of Russia.

Taisho Era: Five Facts About Japan’s Shortest Modern Period

The Taisho Era may have been short, but it was anything but uneventful. Learn more about this short but tumultuous era in Japanese history.

The Historical Periods of Japan

How well do you know your Japanese history? Join us for a sweeping overview of the historical periods of Japan - from the Jomon all the way up to Reiwa.

Stranded: Edo Era Castaways in the Russian Empire

In the Edo era, when setting foot on foreign soil was punishable by death, 16 castaways risked it all in an epic tale that brought two empires together.

Satsuma Rebellion: The Last Gasp of the Samurai

How Saigo Takamori led 30,000 samurai in the Satsuma Rebellion - a final, doomed mission against the modern government he helped create.