HISTORY
The Last Samurai Vendetta: The Revenge of Usui Rokuro
In 1873, the newly-minted Meiji government banned the age-old practice of kataki-uchi: blood revenge. Seven years later, the son of a murdered…
meiji era
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HISTORY
ENTERTAINMENT
Bankara: Meiji Japan’s Anti-Fashion Movement
As the era of the samurai ended and Japan rushed towards modernization, a rough-scrabble fashion movement called the Bankara rose in opposition.
HISTORY
The Last Daimyo: The Life of Hayashi Tadataka
Amidst the backdrop of World War II's start, one last survivor of the old Edo period order died. Who was Hayashi Tadataka,…
FEATURED
Coffee in Japan: A Short, Tasty History
Did you know canned coffee is a Japanese invention? Learn how coffee went from foreign luxury to everyday staple in Japan.
ENTERTAINMENT
Kwaidan: A Filmic Venture into Uncanny Japan
Eerie and beautiful, Kwaidan is the perfect introduction to the classic ghost stories of Japan. Further revelations await those who look deeper…
FOOD
Samurai Cultivator: The Birth of Modern Apple Cultivation in Japan
Apples, such as the delectable fuji, are ubiquitous in Japan. Yet cultivation of the fruit began relatively recently - during the waning…
ENTERTAINMENT
Benshi: The Voice and Color of Japanese Silent Cinema
Once, professional live narrators for silent films in Japan were bigger stars than the actual actors onscreen. This is the story of…
HISTORY
Queer Echoes: Koike Chikyoku, Unlikely Warrior Artist
The story of a little-know artist-turned-warrior during the waning days of the samurai -- and who just might have been a queer…