HISTORY
Mount Fuji Eruption: The 1707 Disaster and Next Big One
What happened the last time the famed Mt. Fuji erupted? Learn about the Hoei Eruption, and the great crisis it caused during…
tokugawa
HISTORY
HISTORY
How the Samurai Saw the U.S. Civil War
When the U.S. Civil War broke out in 1861, samurai still ruled Japan. How did the samurai - recently forced into trade…
FOOD
Tsukudani: The Fishy Preserves that Saved a Shogun
June 29th is "Tsukudani Day," a minor holiday for the fish-and-seaweed dish. It's also the food that saved shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu's life.
HISTORY
How Odaiba Got its “O”: A Brief Tokyo History
The island of Odaiba is one of Tokyo's major landmarks. Not long ago, however, it didn't even exist. Discover Tokyo history rising…
FEATURED
The Disappearance of Meiji: Why it’s Hard to Find Tokyo’s Recent Past
In Tokyo, the recent past is often obscured beneath endless concrete. Take a journey through the city's history to discover why.
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,…
BOOK REVIEWS
Is James Clavell’s Shogun Accurate History – Or Pure Fiction?
UJ staff writer Dr. Nyri Bakkalian reads and critiques James Clavell's epically long-winded 1975 novel "Shogun" so you don't have to.
HISTORY
A Forgotten Tohoku “Tree War” and an Enduring Rivalry
To this day, a rivalry exists between the northern Japanese prefectures of Aomori and Iwate. And its source? A bunch of trees.