Samurai Archives Japan History Podcast

We’ve moved!

samuraiarchives — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 03:14:56 +0000

We’ve moved from Podbean to a new host - you can find all episodes at http://www.samuraipodcast.com. See you there!

EP65 Parades and Processions of Edo Japan P2

samuraiarchives — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:55 +0000

In February, 2013 the University of Hawaii Art Gallery held an exhibit entitled “Picturing the Ryukyus: Images of Okinawa in Japanese Artworks from the UH Sakamaki/Hawley Collection”, which included a symposium titled “Interpreting Parades and Processions of Edo Japan”. Previously, we heard the audio of Travis’s presentation. In part two, travis continues his talk about both his presentation and the overall symposium.

Follow Travis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/toranosukev

Travis’ Blog: http://chaari.wordpress.com/

The presentations and papers from February are now available online: http://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/edoparades/symposium_papers

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EP64 Parades and Processions of Edo Japan P1

samuraiarchives — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:06:40 +0000

In February, 2013 the University of Hawaii Art Gallery held an exhibit entitled “Picturing the Ryukyus: Images of Okinawa in Japanese Artworks from the UH Sakamaki/Hawley Collection”, which included a symposium titled “Interpreting Parades and Processions of Edo Japan”. Last week we heard the audio of Travis’s presentation. This episode and next episode, travis talks about both his presentation and the overall symposium. This is part one of two.

The presentations and papers from February are now available online: http://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/edoparades/symposium_papers

Mentioned in this podcast:

Smits, Gregory. Visions of Ryukyu: Identity and Ideology in Early-Modern Thought and Politics University of Hawaii Press (January 31, 1999) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824820371

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP63 Ryukyuan Embassy Processions

samuraiarchives — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:03:46 +0000

In February, 2013, Travis presented a lecture entitled “Ryukyuan Embassy Processions: A 1710 Edo Nobori Scroll from the Sakamaki/Hawley Collection” at the international symposium, ” Interpreting Parades and Processions of Edo Japan: History, Culture, and Foreign Relations,” which was held at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, in Honolulu, Hawaii. This is the audio of his talk, where he discusses the nobori scroll held in the University’s Sakamaki-Hawley collection. A digitized version of the scroll can be found here (2nd scroll) http://www.hawaii.edu/asiaref/okinawa/digital_archives/sakamaki_hawley.html

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Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP62 Sakoku and Misunderstanding Japan’s Long Isolation P2

samuraiarchives — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:51:32 +0000

Japan’s self imposed “isolation”, known as “sakoku”, was ostensibly in effect from the 1630’s to the 1850’s. Despite the view that Japan was completely isolated and walled off from the rest of the world, there was considerable international trade and activity happening throughout the period. This is part two of two.

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Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP61 Sakoku and Misunderstanding Japan’s Long Isolation P1

samuraiarchives — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:59:34 +0000

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Kazui, Tashiro. Foreign Relations during the Edo Period: Sakoku Reexamined Journal of Japanese Studies Vol. 8, No. 2 (Summer, 1982) http://www.jstor.org/stable/132341

Seifman, Travis. Seals of Red and Letters of Gold: Japanese Relations with Southeast Asia in the 17th Century Explorations in Southeast Asian Studies, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa. October, 2010 http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/18229

Toby, Ronald. Reopening the Question of Sakoku: Diplomacy in the Legitimation of the Tokugawa Bakufu Journal of Japanese Studies Vol. 3, No. 2 (Summer, 1977) http://www.jstor.org/stable/132115

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP60 Politics of the Edo Period P2

samuraiarchives — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:31:10 +0000

With this episode, we continue on to part two of our introduction to the politics and governmental systems of the Edo period of Japanese history.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Roberts, Luke. Performing the Great Peace: Political Space and Open Secrets in Tokugawa Japan Univ of Hawaii Pr; First Edition edition (January 31, 2012) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824835131

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Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP59 Politics of the Edo Period P1

samuraiarchives — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 07:58:22 +0000

In this episode, resident Edo period expert Travis takes us through an introduction to the politics and governmental systems of the Edo period of Japanese history. This is part 1 of 2.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Seals of Red and Letters of Gold - An Interview With Travis Seifman http://samuraiarchives.podbean.com/2011/04/25/seals-of-red-and-letters-of-gold-an-interview-with-travis-seifman/

EP49 The Sengoku Daimyo Domain as Political State P1 http://samuraiarchives.podbean.com/2012/08/18/ep49-the-sengoku-daimyo-domain-as-political-state-p1/

EP50 The Sengoku Daimyo Domain as Political State P2 http://samuraiarchives.podbean.com/2012/09/03/ep50-the-sengoku-daimyo-domain-as-political-state-p2/

Support this podcast:

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP58 An Introduction to Sankin Kotai

samuraiarchives — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 05:55:25 +0000

Sankin Kotai, or “alternate attendance” was the Tokugawa Bakufu’s policy of having regional Daimyo split their time between their home Han and the capital, Edo. In this podcast, your hosts give you a general overview of this process, why it was done, and what the purpose was behind it.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Statler, Oliver. Japanese Inn: A Reconstruction Of The Past Kessinger Publishing, LLC (September 10, 2010) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1166136787

Vaporis, Constantine. Tour of Duty: Samurai, Military Service in Edo, and the Culture of Early Modern Japan Univ of Hawaii Pr (July 31, 2008) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824832051

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP57 Principled Warfare - Modern Concepts in Medieval Warfare

samuraiarchives — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:06:23 +0000

In this episode, Nate talks about his five-part blog series Principled Warfare, where he looks at examining premodern Japanese warfare through the lens of the modern US military’s 12 Principles of Joint Operations. You can find Nate at his blog, The Sengoku Field Manual: http://sengokufieldmanual.blogspot.com/

Principled Warfare: Samurai Combat Done Right (and Wrong) http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2012/08/greetings-once-again-samurai-archives.html

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP56 The Anime Paradox - An Interview with Stevie Suan P.2

samuraiarchives — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:53:48 +0000

In part two of our talk with Stevie Suan we continue our discussion of his book “The Anime Paradox“, and the internationalization of Anime around the world.

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP55 The Anime Paradox - An Interview with Stevie Suan P.1

samuraiarchives — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:16:53 +0000

In this episode of the Samurai Archives Podcast (Part one of two), we talk to Stevie Suan, the author of the forthcoming book “The Anime Paradox“, about examining Anime through the lens of traditional Japanese theater. Stevie Suan was born in Sri Lanka but grew up in New York City. He received his M.A. in Asian Studies at the University of Hawai‛i at Mānoa, and is in the PhD program in the East Asian Languages and Literatures Department. He specializes in aesthetics, Japanese traditional theater, and Anime.

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP54 The Horse in Sengoku Warfare

samuraiarchives — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 18:01:10 +0000

In this episode, your hosts talk about the facts and misconceptions of horse warfare and cavalry in Japan, focusing on the Takeda clan. The Takeda clan is known and renowned for its cavalry, but the images of organized and disciplined cavalry charges were not the reality of mounted warfare during this period.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Conlan, Thomas. Weapons & Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior 1200-1877 AD By Thomas, D Conlan, Amber Books Ltd, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1906626073

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP53 The Takeda Clan in the 1560s

samuraiarchives — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 22:09:36 +0000

In this episode, we look at the Takeda clan during the 1560s. After Uesugi Kenshin effectively stopped Takeda Shingen in his tracks at the 4th battle of Kawanakajima in 1561, Shingen was forced to re-evaluate his goals in the region, which led to the 1560’s being a time of great change in the Takeda clan.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Kagemusha: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/B00005JLEJ

Shogun-ki: Why Kawanakajima? http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2008/09/why-kawanakajima-shingen-and-kenshins.html

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP52 Shady Ethics in the Japanese Antique Armor Trade P2

samuraiarchives — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 04:55:45 +0000

Here is part two of our talk with Japanese armor expert and antique dealer Trevor Absolon. In this episode we talk to Trevor about his experiences in the antique armor world - including the shady ethics, questionable practices, and outright fraudulent behavior that casts a shadow over the antique armor trade in Japan and the West.

Support this podcast:

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP51 Shady Ethics in the Japanese Antique Armor Trade P1

samuraiarchives — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 23:09:04 +0000

Joining us again is Japanese armor expert and antique dealer Trevor Absolon. In this episode we talk to Trevor about his experiences in the antique armor world - including the shady ethics, questionable practices, and outright fraudulent behavior that casts a shadow over the antique armor trade in Japan and the West. This is part one of two.

Support this podcast:

Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP50 The Sengoku Daimyo Domain as Political State P2

samuraiarchives — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 07:14:11 +0000

Contrary to popular belief, every Sengoku Daimyo didn’t see Japan as a giant game-board, or have the intention of “taking control of the realm”. Most Daimyo were simply trying to survive and maintain their own holdings. By looking at Sengoku Daimyo and Daimyo domains through the lense of International Relations Theory, your hosts contend that the concept of “taking over Japan” may have been one that evolved gradually over the decades, rather than being an actual “goal” of the Sengoku period Daimyo from the start. This episode is part two of two.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Berry, Mary E. Hideyoshi (Harvard East Asian Monographs) Council on East Asian Studies, Harvard University (January 1, 1989) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0674390261

Support this podcast:

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP49 The Sengoku Daimyo Domain as Political State P1

samuraiarchives — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 04:09:21 +0000

Mentioned in this podcast:

Arnesen, Peter. The Medieval Japanese Daimyo: The Ouchi Family’s Rule of Suo and Nagato Yale University Press (1979) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/B000PSGVY6

Berry, Mary E. Hideyoshi (Harvard East Asian Monographs) Council on East Asian Studies, Harvard University (January 1, 1989) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0674390261

Support this podcast:

Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j

Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives

Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984

Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP48 The MIS in the Pacific Theater During WWII

samuraiarchives — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 08:30:45 +0000

In this episode we move forward in time to World War Two and talk about the documentary screening we attended, MIS - Human Secret Weapon. MIS is a documentary about the US Military Intelligence Service, a top-secret program created by the US government to prepare for war with Japan, comprised of Japanese Americans who acted as translators, interrogators, spies, soldiers, and negotiators in the war against Japan during WWII. Their contribution to the war effort is immeasurable, and were credited by General MacArthur with shortening the war by two years.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The MIS documentary website: http://mis-film.com/

Support this podcast:

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Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984

Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP47 History of the Samurai Archives Website

samuraiarchives — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:39:06 +0000

In this episode, the creators of the Samurai Archives Japanese History Page (Samurai-archives.com) talk about the creation of the history website. They talk about why they did it, what they hoped to accomplish, what their expectations were with the website, why the poor design of the old Delphi forum was actually a good thing, and why Jimmy Wales and Wikipedia has utterly destroyed independent scholarship on the internet for all time.

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP46 Bathing in Medieval Japan

samuraiarchives — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:37:06 +0000

In this episode, we talk about the article “Washing off the Dust”: Baths and Bathing in Late Medieval Japan, by Lee Butler. The discussion looks into the cultural and religious aspects of bathing in medieval Japan, as well as the contemporary bath houses and hot springs of modern Japan.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Butler, Lee. “Washing off the Dust”: Baths and Bathing in Late Medieval Japan Monumenta Nipponica Vol. 60, No. 1 (Spring, 2005), pp. 1-41 http://www.jstor.org/stable/25066349

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Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

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Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP45 Japanese State and Identity During the Edo Period

samuraiarchives — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:02:28 +0000

In this episode we discuss the structure of the Tokugawa government during the Edo period. We examine if Japan was a unified nation-state, a confederacy, or a feudal system, and how much control Daimyo actually had over their own lands. We also look at how individuals may have identified with their region and Japan as a “country”.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Ravina, Mark. Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan Stanford University Press; 1 edition (August 1, 1999) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804728984

Screech, Timon. Shogun’s Painted Culture: Fear and Creativity in the Japanese States, 1760-1829 Reaktion Books (September 1, 2000) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1861890648

Support this podcast:

Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j

Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

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Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984

Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP44 Samurai Armor - An Interview With Trevor Absolon Part 2

samuraiarchives — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:12:36 +0000

In part 2 of our interview with Trevor Absolon we continue our discussion on Samurai armor. Trevor talks about the different approaches to collecting Samurai armor, advice for potential collectors, as well as comments on such things as Kawari Kabuto and armor with “battle damage”, and a whole lot more.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Toraba Japanese Samurai Armours: http://www.toraba.com

Toraba Bookstore: http://www.toraba.com/samurai-armour-books.asp

Sengoku Daimyo, Anthony J. Bryant’s website: http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/

Bryant, Anthony J. Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power Osprey Publishing (September 11, 1995) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1855323958

Support this podcast:

Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j

Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives

Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984

Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com

Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

EP43 Samurai Armor - An Interview With Trevor Absolon Part 1

samuraiarchives — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:23:46 +0000

In today’s podcast, we talk with Trevor Absolon, Japanese armor expert and dealer, author, documentary producer, and owner of Japanese armor website Toraba.com. Trevor talks about how he got into the armor business as well as what we should know about Japanese armor, some of the mythology surrounding Japanese Samurai armor, and advice for anyone interested in starting their own armor collection. Join us for this inside look into the world of Japanese armor. This episode is part one of two.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Toraba Japanese Samurai Armours: http://www.toraba.com

Toraba Bookstore: http://www.toraba.com/samurai-armour-books.asp

Sengoku Daimyo, Anthony J. Bryant’s website: http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/

Bryant, Anthony J. Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power Osprey Publishing (September 11, 1995) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1855323958

Support this podcast:

Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j

Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives

EP42 The Smithsonian Edo Period Book Digitization Project

samuraiarchives — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:49:48 +0000

In this episode, Travis discusses his experience as an intern at the Smithsonian Institute’s Freer/Sackler Galleries in the Edo period book digitization program over the summer of 2011. He talks about the digitization process, as well as about the books and their binding and production, as well as why Japan never really got into using movable type in the printing process. He also reveals a little about what it’s like in the Smithsonian’s top-secret underground storage facilities. But not too much.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The Digitization Project description page: http://www.asia.si.edu/research/curatorial/pulvererInterns.asp

The Freer/Sackler Gallery Website: http://www.asia.si.edu/

Ikegami, Eiko. Bonds of Civility Cambridge University Press (February 28, 2005) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0521601150

Screech, Timon. Sex and the Floating World Reaktion Books; Second Edition edition (November 15, 2009) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1861894325

Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan Website: http://www.bowdoin.edu/mongol-scrolls/

Travis’s Flickr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/tags/freer/

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EP41 Currency in Ancient Japan

samuraiarchives — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:38:40 +0000

In this episode, your hosts examine the development of fiat and commodity currencies in Ancient Japan and the strategies used by the ruling class to encourage the distribution of coinage, as well as methods used by the ruling class to generate wealth.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Kobata Atsushi. Coinage from the Kamakura Period through the Edo Period. Acta Asiatica 21 (1971). pp98-108.

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EP40 Samurai as Commander - Q&A with Nate Ledbetter

samuraiarchives — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:35:34 +0000

In this episode we finish off our battle of Nagashino series with an interview and Q&A with Nate Ledbetter, author of “Samurai as Commander: The Battle of Nagashino (1575) and the Military Decision-Making Process“. The focus of our interview today is the battle itself.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Higuchi Takaharu. Karyoku no Tairyô Tônyû o Kyodai na Senryoku Toshite Katsuyô. Nagashino no Tatakai. Tokyo: Gakken Publishing, 2010. Print. Pp 72-77.

Higuchi Takaharu. Saigo ni Ketteida wo Ataeta Kiba Gundan ha Sonzai Shita! Nagashino no Tatakai. Tokyo: Gakken Publishing, 2010. Print. Pp. 66-71.

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EP39 The Narrative and Analysis of the Battle of Nagashino

samuraiarchives — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:03:52 +0000

In this episode, Nate gives a narrative of the events of the battle of Nagashino, and his analysis of what happened on the battlefield. Find out how the battlefield was set up, troops arrayed, and how the battle went down in the 5th month of 1575.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Elisonas, J. and Lamers, J. The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga BRILL (June 22, 2011) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/9004201629

Sadler, A.L. Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Ieyasu Tuttle Publishing (July 10, 2009) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/4805310421

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EP38 The Military Decision Making Process in Analyzing Nagashino

samuraiarchives — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 18:15:15 +0000

This episode we interview Nate about using the US Military’s Military Decision Making Process as a tool to analyze the battle of Nagashino and other sengoku period battles.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Lamers, Jeroen. Japonius Tyrannus: The Japanese Warlord Oda Nobunaga Reconsidered Hotei Publishing (November 2001) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/9074822223

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EP37 Methodology - What Do Historians DO?

samuraiarchives — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:43:47 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered what the process is behind historical research, here’s your chance to find out. Your hosts talk about different methodologies of historical research and analysis, and the pros and cons of each in looking at Japanese history.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Grossberg, Kenneth. Japan’s Renaissance - The Politics of the Muromachi Bakufu Cornell University, New York, 2001 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1885445083

Hall, John W. Government and Local Power in Japan 500-1700: A Study Based on Bizen Province ACLS Humanities E-Book, August 1, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405957

Kerr, George. Okinawa: The History of an Island People Tuttle Publishing; Revised edition (October 1, 2000) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804820872

Sadler, A.L. Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Ieyasu Tuttle Publishing (July 10, 2009) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/4805310421

Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334 Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1958) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705232

Sansom, George. A History of Japan, 1334-1615 Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1961) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705259

Sansom, George. A History of Japan, 1615-1867 Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1963) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705275

Souryi, Pierre. The World Turned Upside Down: Medieval Japanese Society (Asia Perspectives: History, Society, and Culture) Columbia University Press (August 27, 2003) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0231118430

Walker, Brett. The Conquest of Ainu Lands: Ecology and Culture in Japanese Expansion,1590-1800 University of California Press; 1 edition (February 21, 2006) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0520248341

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EP36 Samurai As Commander - The Battle of Nagashino and the Military Decision-Making Process

samuraiarchives — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:12:19 +0000

In January 2012 Nate presented his paper, “Samurai as Commander: The Battle of Nagashino (1575) and the Military Decision-Making Process” at the Japan Studies Association conference, where he re-examines the battle of Nagashino, taking into account everything that a modern military analyst would examine, challenging the conventional story of what happened on the battlefield in 1575. Convention has it that Oda Nobunaga lined up 3,000 gunners behind palisades, and cut down each advancing wave of the Takeda cavalry, winning both the battle and firmly establishing guns as the new method of warfare in japan. Nate challenges these notions and more . This is the audio of his presentation.

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EP35 2012 Japan Studies Association Conference Roundtable Part 3

samuraiarchives — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:00:21 +0000

For part 3 of our JSA coverage, Chris, Nate, Travis, and guest host Alison Rapp continue their roundtable discussion of the 18th annual Japan Studies Association conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii on the Hawaii Tokai International College campus in January, 2012.

Follow Alison Rapp on Twitter: @mnemosynekurai

Presentations mentioned:

The Impact of Internationalization of Minority Language Protectionin Japan: Insights for Ainu from Europe - Theresa Savage, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

Reforms in Japan’s Criminal Justice System - Philip Reichel, University of Northern Colorado.

Terrible Knowledge: Using Japanese Anime to Teach WWII without Traumatizing Students - Mara Miller, Independent Scholar.

What Anime Is… And What Anime Can Teach Media Educators About the Politics of Viewing Anime - Lien Fan Shen, University of Utah.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Barefoot Gen: http://amzn.to/wc1Sdi

Grave of Fireflies: http://amzn.to/zdXKNC

Mechademia http://mechademia.org/

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EP34 2012 Japan Studies Association Conference Roundtable Part 2

samuraiarchives — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:38:32 +0000

In part 2 of our Japan Studies Association conference coverage, Nate and Alison talk about their presentations, “Samurai as Commander: The Battle of Nagashino (1575) and the Military Decision-Making Process” and “Speech We Hate: An Argument for the Cessation of International Pressure on Japan to Strengthen its Anti-Child Pornography Laws” respectively, as well as discuss preparing for and presenting at academic conferences.

Follow Alison Rapp on Twitter: @mnemosynekurai

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EP33 2012 Japan Studies Association Conference Roundtable Part 1

samuraiarchives — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:51:43 +0000

In this episode, Chris, Nate, Travis, and guest host Alison Rapp have a roundtable discussion about the 18th annual Japan Studies Association conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii on the Hawaii Tokai International College campus. This episode is part one of three, and topics include the “soft power” of Hello Kitty, economic theories of roving bandits and their applicability to 16th century Japan, the give and take between Japan and China vis a vis Chinese museum exhibits, and more.

Follow Alison Rapp on Twitter: @mnemosynekurai

Presentations mentioned:

Japan’s Cute-Cool as Global Wink - Dr. Christine Yano, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The Politics of War Memory in Sino-Japanese Relations: Negotiating the Contents of War Exhibitions - Karl Gustafsson, Lund University.

Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai and Roving Bandits: Are the Farmers Really Safe? - Arthur “Trey” Fleisher, Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Singing Sustenance: An Ethnographic Account of Village Songs and Rural Sustenance in Kyushu, Japan - Eid-Ul Hasan, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

Farming in Japan: Cultural Icon Under Siege - William “Sandy” Pfeiffer, Warren Wilson College.

Living Ghosts: POWs, Japan, and Ghostly Memories - Matthew Allen, University of Wollongong.

Kamikaze, Yushukan, and the Cult of Self Sacrifice in War Memory - Rumi Sakamoto, University of Auckland.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Let the Sea Make a Noise…: A History of the North Pacific from Magellan to MacArthur By Walter A. McDougall, Harper Perennial; First Edition edition (March 30, 2004) http://tinyurl.com/873pnw2

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EP32 A Discussion of Hokusai’s Eight Views of Okinawa

samuraiarchives — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:05:45 +0000

This episode Travis talks about a conference he attended in October 2011 titled “Utopias and the Japanese Imaginary”. Travis presented his paper on Hokusai’s “Eight Views of Okinawa”, a collection of eight woodblock prints done by Hokusai, who had never actually been to Okinawa. He discusses why Hokusai chose to do a collection of prints on Okinawa, despite never having been there, what resources he used, and why.

Follow Travis on Twitter: @toranosukev

Mentioned in this podcast:

Izumisaki Bus station: http://bit.ly/zVG441

Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies: http://www.international.ucla.edu/japan/

Utopias and the Japanese Imaginary Conference: http://www.international.ucla.edu/calendar/showevent.asp?eventid=9022

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EP31 Revenge in Edo Period Popular Culture and Entertainment

samuraiarchives — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:02:06 +0000

During the Edo period, tales of revenge taken from events of the day inspired artists, play writes, and entertainers alike, and developed into an entire genre of popular culture which we examine in this podcast.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/B0002W4TOO

Kabuki 21 All about Japan’s traditional Theatre Art of Kabuki: http://www.kabuki21.com/

Benten Kozo: http://www.kabuki21.com/benten_kozo.php

Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi: http://www.kabuki21.com/ageya.php

Sukeroku: http://www.kabuki21.com/sukeroku.php

Tengajaya: http://www.kabuki21.com/tengajaya.php

Shively, D.H. Bakufu Vs. Kabuki Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 18, No. 3/4 (Dec., 1955), pp. 326-356 http://www.jstor.org/pss/2718437

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EP30 A License to Kill: Blood Revenge During the Edo Period

samuraiarchives — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:42:24 +0000

Until Kataki-Uchi, or blood revenge, was outlawed by the Meiji government in 1873, it had a long history in Japan. But it wasn’t until the Edo period where, in a move possibly unique to Japan, it became highly regulated, and laws, requirements, and restrictions were put into place to regulate vengeance. In this episode we talk about how and why revenge became regulated, and what the requirements were for someone who wanted to apply for a “license to kill” in order to take vengeance on someone who had wronged them.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Mills, D.E. Kataki-Uchi: The Practice of Blood-Revenge in Pre-Modern Japan Modern Asian Studies Vol. 10, No. 4 (1976), pp. 525-542 http://www.jstor.org/pss/311761

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EP29 14 Japanese Movies You Should See Part 2

samuraiarchives — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:23:56 +0000

In part 2 of our “14 Japanese Movies You Should See” podcast, we present our top 2 choices, as well as our honorable mentions.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Flickchart: http://www.flickchart.com

Chris’s Flickchart: http://www.flickchart.com/kuuzo

Travis’s Flickchart: http://www.flickchart.com/Toranosuke

Supercar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTOflOgbsBg

Ulfuls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teGJw2rD0y8

The Yakuza Film Rundown: http://www.yakuzafilm.com

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EP28 14 Japanese Movies You Should See Part 1

samuraiarchives — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:22:50 +0000

In this episode, we take a short break from Japanese history to touch on another related interest - Japanese movies. With hundreds of Japanese movies now easily available in the West, it can be tough to filter through what is worth watching. So, we thought we’d put together a Japanese Movie podcast where we could recommend to you movies that we think you should see. Rather than recommend “the best” Japanese movies, we decided to focus on less known movies that are great for their own specific reasons that we touch on in the podcast. After all, everyone interested in Japan and Japanese movies has already seen every Kurosawa movie out there.

Since listing the movies we recommend here would defeat the purpose of the podcast, you’ll have to listen to find out our recommendations - we hope you find this both interesting and informative! If you have another movie you’d like to recommend, feel free to add a comment on the podcast blog.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Flickchart: http://www.flickchart.com

Chris’s Flickchart: http://www.flickchart.com/kuuzo

Travis’s Flickchart: http://www.flickchart.com/Toranosuke

Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show: http://www.youtube.com/show/gorgeous_tiny

Okinawa ni Furu Yuki: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxcixmxN4vM

The Yakuza Film Rundown: http://www.yakuzafilm.com

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EP27 Symposium Report - Why Ryoma Now

samuraiarchives — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:29:10 +0000

On October 11th, 2011, a symposium entitled “Why Ryoma Now?” was held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was attended by Chris and Travis. The symposium was moderated by the head of the Sakamoto Ryoma museum in Kochi prefecture, and the panel included the 9th generation head of the Sakamoto family, a descendant of Katsu Kaishu, a John Manjiro researcher, and others. In this episode of the Samurai Archives Japan History Podcast, they report on what their expectations of the symposium were, and what the symposium actually consisted of - and why the expectations didn’t match with reality.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Beasley, W. The Meiji Restoration Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1972) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804708150

Hillsborough, Romulus. Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai Ridgeback Pr (May 1999) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0966740165

Ichimujin - Official Site http://www.ichimujin.com

Japanese Castle Explorer - http://www.japanese-castle-explorer.com/

When the Last Sword Is Drawn Directed by Yôjirô Takita http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/B000BQ5J18

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EP26 A Chat With the Hosts of the Samurai Archives Podcast

samuraiarchives — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:51:24 +0000

This episode of the Samurai Archives Japan History Podcast, your hosts Nate, Chris, Travis, and Joseph talk about who they are and why they got interested in Japanese history. The hosts also comment on their interests and favorite books and historians.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Astor, Gerald. A Blood-Dimmed Tide: The Battle of the Bulge by the Men Who Fought It Dell (December 3, 1993) http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Dimmed-Tide-Battle-Fought-Library/dp/0440215749/

Conlan, Thomas D. State of War: The Violent Order of Fourteenth-Century Japan Univ of Michigan Center for; illustrated edition edition (July 2003) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1929280238

Farris, William Wayne. Japan’s Medieval Population: Famine, Fertility, and Warfare in a Transformative Age Univ of Hawaii Pr (August 1, 2009) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824834240

Farris, William Wayne. Heavenly Warriors: The Evolution of Japan’s Military, 500-1300 Harvard University Asia Center, April 15, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/067438704X

Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334 Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1958) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705232

Sansom, George. A History of Japan, 1334-1615 Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1961) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705259

Sansom, George. A History of Japan, 1615-1867 Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1963) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705275

Statler, Oliver. Japanese Inn: A Reconstruction Of The Past Kessinger Publishing, LLC (September 10, 2010) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1166136787

Toby, Ronald. State and Diplomacy in Early Modern Japan: Asia in the Development of the Tokugawa Bakufu Stanford University Press; 1 edition (December 1, 1991) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804719527

Vaporis, Constantine. Tour of Duty: Samurai, Military Service in Edo, and the Culture of Early Modern Japan Univ of Hawaii Pr (July 31, 2008) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824832051

Varley, H. Paul. Warriors of Japan: As Portrayed in the War Tales University of Hawaii Press (April 1994) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824816013

EP25 Military History Lesson: Strategy Vs Tactics, A Sengoku Example

samuraiarchives — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 21:40:54 +0000

This episode of the Samurai Archives Japanese History Podcast, we tackle a recurring question that comes up time and again: the misunderstanding of “strategy” vs. “tactics” as used in military history. Most people seem to think the words are interchangeable. However, when you’re discussing military history, it’s important to use the correct terms because they imply completely different things. This examination of the meaning and application of strategy, operations, and tactics is illustrated by both modern examples, as well as the battle of Okehazama and the battle of Nagashino.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Conlan, Thomas. Weapons & Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior 1200-1877 AD By Thomas, D Conlan, Amber Books Ltd, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1906626073

Von Clausewitz, Carl. On War Princeton University Press; 1St Edition edition (June 1, 1989) http://www.amazon.com/War-Carl-von-Clausewitz/dp/0691018545

Samurai Archives Blog: Strategical Buffoonery http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2010/06/strategical-buffoonery.html

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EP24 Intro to Japanese History P15 - Tokugawa & Toyotomi Unification

samuraiarchives — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:05:17 +0000

For our final Introduction to Japanese History series podcast, we cover the last part of the Sengoku period. We start with the assassination of Oda Nobunaga by Akechi Mitsuhide in Kyoto while all of his other generals are scattered about the country. Toyotomi (Hashiba) Hideyoshi gets back to Kyoto first and avenges Nobunaga’s death, and the unification of Japan continues under him, and then ultimately under Tokugawa Ieyasu. We cover the events and battles of this period, as well as answer some listener Q&A about the Sengoku period.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Berry, Mary E. Hideyoshi (Harvard East Asian Monographs) Council on East Asian Studies, Harvard University (January 1, 1989) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0674390261

Farris, William Wayne. Heavenly Warriors: The Evolution of Japan’s Military, 500-1300 Harvard University Asia Center, April 15, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/067438704X

Friday, Karl. Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History) Routledge; New edition edition (December 29, 2003) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0415329639

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EP23 Intro to Japanese History P14 - The Wars of Oda Nobunaga

samuraiarchives — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:40:01 +0000

From the 1550’s until his death in 1582, Oda Nobunaga was involved in constant warfare. One by one, the major Daimyo of his era - the Imagawa, the Takeda, the Asai and Asakura and others - fell before his armies. This episode, we give a concise history of Nobunaga’s ambition to unify the country under his rule, from the pivotal battle of Okehazama that first put him on the national stage, to his betrayal at the hands of Akechi Mitsuhide.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Lamers, Jeroen. Japonius Tyrannus: The Japanese Warlord Oda Nobunaga Reconsidered Hotei Publishing (November 2001) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/9074822223

Neilson, David Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan PhD Dissertation University of Oregon, 2007 http://gradworks.umi.com/32/85/3285619.html

Yoshikawa, Eiji. Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan Kodansha Amer Inc; 1st edition (September 1992) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/4770026099

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EP22 Intro to Japanese History P13 - Sengoku Daimyo Who’s Who

samuraiarchives — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:22:09 +0000

For the 13th episode of our Introduction to Japanese History series, we present a “Who’s Who” of Daimyo of the later Sengoku period. We cover the big names of the Sengoku, the Daimyo that anyone who has an interest in the Samurai would have heard of, and is a primer for those who are new to the Samurai. Introduced in this podcast are Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, and others.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Lamers, Jeroen. Japonius Tyrannus: The Japanese Warlord Oda Nobunaga Reconsidered Hotei Publishing (November 2001) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/9074822223

Neilson, David Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan PhD Dissertation University of Oregon, 2007 http://gradworks.umi.com/32/85/3285619.html

Samurai Archives Blog: The Death of Takeda Shingen - A Translation http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2011/04/death-of-takeda-shingen-translation.html

Samurai Archives Blog: Interview with John Bender, Sengoku Student and Analyst http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-with-john-bender-sengoku.html

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EP21 Intro to Japanese History P12 - The Early Sengoku Period

samuraiarchives — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:54:59 +0000

After the Onin war in the mid-late 15th century, the centralized power of the Ashikaga Shogunate collapsed, leaving the field open to anyone ambitious and powerful enough to make a grab for power. During the first half of the Sengoku period (approximately 1477-1560) there was massive consolidation as daimyo across Japan solidified their power bases and battled for land and resources. The lack of central government left individual clans to fend for themselves, and in the ensuing chaos many would rise and fall in epic battles that anyone familiar with the pop-culture representations of the Samurai in Movies and Anime would recognize.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Morillo, Stephen. Guns and Government: A Comparative Study of Europe and Japan Journal of World History, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Spring, 1995), pp. 75-106 http://www.jstor.org/pss/20078620

Neilson, David Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan PhD Dissertation University of Oregon, 2007 http://gradworks.umi.com/32/85/3285619.html

Toby, Ronald. Review: Rescuing the Nation from History: The State of the State in Early Modern Japan Monumenta Nipponica Vol. 56, No. 2 (Summer, 2001), pp. 197-237 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2668408

Samurai Archives Blog: Interview with John Bender, Sengoku Student and Analyst
http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-with-john-bender-sengoku.html

Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives

Shogun Total War - Gold Edition (Game)

Sengoku (Game)

EP20 Intro to Japanese History P11 - Prelude to the Sengoku

samuraiarchives — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 03:03:12 +0000

In this episode of our Introduction to Japanese History series, we look at the 15th century and the build up to the Onin war, and what would ultimately lead to the age of the country at war - the Sengoku period.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Durston, Diane. Old Kyoto: The Updated Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns Kodansha USA; 2 edition (April 1, 2005) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/4770029942

Grossberg, Kenneth. From Feudal Chieftain to Secular Monarch: The Development of Shogunal Power in Early Muromachi Japan Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Spring, 1976), pp. 29-49 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2384184

Grossberg, Kenneth. Japan’s Renaissance - The Politics of the Muromachi Bakufu Cornell University, New York, 2001 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1885445083

Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art Prentice Hall; 2nd edition (October 4, 2004) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0131176013

Verschuer, Charlotte Von. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s Foreign Policy 1398 to 1408 A.D.: A Translation from Zenrin Kokuhōki, the Cambridge Manuscript Monumenta Nipponica Volume 62, Number 3, Autumn 2007 https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/monumenta_nipponica/summary/v062/62.3verschuer.html

Yamamura, Kozo & Imatani, Akira. Not for Lack of Will or Wile: Yoshimitsu’s Failure to Supplant the Imperial Lineage Journal of Japanese Studies Vol. 18, No. 1 (Winter, 1992), pp. 45-78 http://www.jstor.org/stable/132707

The Samurai Archives Bookstore http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20

EP19 Intro to Japanese History P10 - The Early Muromachi Period

samuraiarchives — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:40:10 +0000

For the 10th episode in our Intro to Japanese History podcast series, we examine the events that lead to the fall of the Kamakura Shogunate. Emperor Go-Daigo, deciding he wants a return to imperial rule without a Shogunate, enlists various warrior families to support him in overthrowing the Kamakura Bakufu and the Hojo regents - however not all goes as planned as Ashikaga Takauji, his ally turned enemy, ends his dream of imperial rule and establishes the Ashikaga Shogunate. Unfortunately for the Ashikaga clan, it’s not all rainbows and lollipops for the first 60 years of the Ashikaga Shogunate, as Go-Daigo’s supporters set up an alternate imperial line and engage in decades of guerrilla and outright war on behalf of the emperor.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Arnesen, Peter. The Medieval Japanese Daimyo: The Ouchi Family’s Rule of Suo and Nagato
Yale University Press (1979) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/B000PSGVY6

Grossberg, Kenneth. From Feudal Chieftain to Secular Monarch: The Development of Shogunal Power in Early Muromachi Japan
Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Spring, 1976), pp. 29-49 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2384184

Grossberg, Kenneth. Japan’s Renaissance - The Politics of the Muromachi Bakufu
Cornell University, New York, 2001 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1885445083

Mishima, Yukio. The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Vintage; Trade Paperback Edition edition (October 4, 1994) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0679752706

Mishima, Yukio. Patriotism
New Directions; Second Edition edition (February 24, 2010) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0811218546

Morris, Ivan. The Nobility of Failure: Tragic Heroes in the History of Japan
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (September 1, 1988) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0374521204

Souryi, Pierre. The World Turned Upside Down: Medieval Japanese Society (Asia Perspectives: History, Society, and Culture)
Columbia University Press (August 27, 2003) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0231118430

Yamamura, Kozo & Imatani, Akira. Not for Lack of Will or Wile: Yoshimitsu’s Failure to Supplant the Imperial Lineage
Journal of Japanese Studies Vol. 18, No. 1 (Winter, 1992), pp. 45-78 http://www.jstor.org/stable/132707

Zollner, Reinhard. Review: The Sun Also Rises. Go-Daigo in Revolt
Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 53, No. 4 (Winter, 1998), pp. 517-527 http://www.jstor.org/stable/2385743

EP18 Intro to Japanese History P9 - The Mongol Invasions in Brief

samuraiarchives — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:41:15 +0000

Part nine of our Introduction to Japanese History series gives a brief overview of the two attempted Mongol Invasions of Japan during the 13th century, and the effect it had on the country in general, and the Hojo regents and Bakufu specifically.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Conlan, Thomas. In Little Need of Divine Intervention: Takezaki Suenaga’s Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan
Cornell Univ East Asia Program (August 2002) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/188544513X

Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334
Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1958) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705232

Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan, from Bowdoin College: http://www.bowdoin.edu/mongol-scrolls/

EP17 Intro to Japanese History P8 - The Kamakura Period

samuraiarchives — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:03:40 +0000

In part 8 of our Introduction to Japanese History podcast, we examine the early Kamakura period. Once Minamoto Yoritomo became Shogun, he began using the authority given to him by the emperor to solidify his power. Over the course of the next 20 years the Minamoto would usurp much of the power of the imperial court, only to be replaced completely by a line of puppet shoguns controlled by the Hojo Regents.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Brownlee, John. Crisis as Reinforcement of the Imperial Institution. The Case of the Jokyu Incident, 1221
Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Summer, 1975), pp. 193-201 http://www.jstor.org/pss/2383842

Mass, Jeffrey (Ed). Court and Bakufu in Japan: Essays in Kamakura History
Stanford University Press (January 1, 1995) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804724733

Mass, Jeffrey. Yoritomo and the Founding of the First Bakufu: The Origins of Dual Government in Japan
Stanford University Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2000) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804735913

Mass, Jeffrey. Lordship and Inheritance in Early Medieval Japan: A Study of the Kamakura Soryo System
ACLS Humanities E-Book (August 1, 2008) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405981

Thomas D. Conlan, Karl F. Friday. Currents in Medieval Japanese History: Essays in Honor of Jeffrey P. Mass
Figueroa Press (September 1, 2009) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1932800522

EP16 Intro to Japanese History P7 - The Minamoto and Taira

samuraiarchives — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:51:20 +0000

An important development in the history of Japan and the Heian period, was the rise of the warrior class, which would eventually bring about a true feudal system run by warriors. As more and more military responsibility was delegated to provincial warlords who were out of the sphere of influence of the capital, these warrior houses grew in power. The transition from a central government run by the Heian court to the rise of the warrior class as the controlling group began with the Taira clan, led by Taira Kiyomori, who usurped the power of the Fujiwara clan. Eventually, the only alternative for people who were at odds with the Taira clan, was to throw in their lot with the Minamoto clan of Eastern warriors, which would eventually lead to civil war.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Friday, Karl. Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History)
Routledge; New edition edition (December 29, 2003) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0415329639

Hall, John W. Government and Local Power in Japan 500-1700: A Study Based on Bizen Province
ACLS Humanities E-Book, August 1, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405957

McCullough, Helen. The Tale of the Heike
Stanford University Press; 1st edition (March 1, 1990) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804718032

Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334
Stanford University Press, 1958 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705232

EP15 Intro to Japanese History P6 - The Rise of the Warrior

samuraiarchives — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:45:12 +0000

In this episode of our Introduction to Japanese history series, we examine the rise of the warrior class during the Heian period. As the Heian period began, there was not a distinct warrior class, but armies were raised on an ad hoc basis when needed by the court to put down rebellions, bandits, and pirates. As the Heian period went on, provincial lords began to maintain professional warrior bands to protect their lands and legitimacy, and to go to war on behalf of the court. The court would continue to give these provincial lords legitimacy through bestowing titles and lands. But, as the Heian period went on, court control of these provincial lords and their armies began to weaken.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Friday, Karl. Hired Swords: The Rise of Private Warrior Power in Early Japan
Stanford University Press, March 1, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804726965

Friday, Karl. Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History)
Routledge; New edition edition (December 29, 2003) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0415329639

Friday, Karl. Teeth and Claws. Provincial Warriors and the Heian Court
Monumenta Nipponica Vol. 43, No. 2 (Summer, 1988), pp. 153-185 http://www.jstor.org/pss/2384742

Hall, John W. Government and Local Power in Japan 500-1700: A Study Based on Bizen Province
ACLS Humanities E-Book, August 1, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405957

McCullough, Helen. The Tale of the Heike
Stanford University Press; 1st edition (March 1, 1990) http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804718032

Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334
Stanford University Press, 1958 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705232

EP14 Intro to Japanese History P5 - The Heian Period

samuraiarchives — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:22:14 +0000

Part five of our Introduction to Japanese History series covers the Heian period.
The Heian period (794AD-1185AD) is named after Heian-kyo (present day Kyoto). The Heian period is known for it’s art, literature, and poetry, as well as the spread of Tendai and Shingon Buddhism.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art
Published jointly by Prentice Hall and Harry N. Abrams, Inc. October 4, 2004 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0131176013

Ooms, Herman. Imperial Politics and Symbolics in Ancient Japan: The Tenmu Dynasty, 650-800
Univ of Hawaii Press, October 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824832353

EP13 Intro to Japanese History P4 - Asuka-Nara Part 2

samuraiarchives — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 22:26:24 +0000

Continuing our Introduction to Japanese History series is part 2 of our Asuka-Nara podcast.
The Asuka-Nara period (538AD-794AD) is known for it’s classic art and architecture, the introduction of Buddhism, and the Taika reforms and Ritsuryo system. Japan adopted many Chinese style institutions, began to form a national government, and started to assert itself internationally in East Asia.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Brown, Delmer (Editor). The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol. 1: Ancient Japan
Cambridge University Press, July 30, 1993 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0521223520

Farris, William Wayne. Heavenly Warriors: The Evolution of Japan’s Military, 500-1300
Harvard University Asia Center, April 15, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/067438704X

Friday, Karl. Hired Swords: The Rise of Private Warrior Power in Early Japan
Stanford University Press, March 1, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804726965

Hall, John W. Government and Local Power in Japan 500-1700: A Study Based on Bizen Province
ACLS Humanities E-Book, August 1, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405957

Ooms, Herman. Imperial Politics and Symbolics in Ancient Japan: The Tenmu Dynasty, 650-800
Univ of Hawaii Press, October 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824832353

Sansom, George. A History of Japan to 1334
Stanford University Press, 1958 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0804705232

EP12 Intro to Japanese History P3 - Asuka-Nara Part 1

samuraiarchives — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:40:14 +0000

Continuing our Introduction to Japanese History podcast series, we will examine the Asuka-Nara period over two episodes. The Asuka-Nara period (538AD-794AD) is known for it’s classic art and architecture, the introduction of Buddhism, and the Taika reforms and Ritsuryo system. Japan adopted many Chinese style institutions, began to form a national government, and started to assert itself internationally in East Asia.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Hall, John W. Government and Local Power in Japan 500-1700: A Study Based on Bizen Province
ACLS Humanities E-Book, August 1, 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1597405957

EP11 Intro to Japanese History P2 - Yayoi and Kofun Periods

samuraiarchives — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:41:59 +0000

For part two of our Introduction to Japanese History series, we’ll be covering the Yayoi period which was a sharp change from the culture of the Jomon period, where there was a massive influx of NE Asians into the Japanese archipelago. This was followed by the Kofun period, where Japan began to slowly consolidate and unify into a confederacy. The name of the Kofun period comes from the huge keyhole shaped burial mounds known as “Kofun”.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Edwards, Walter. Event and Process in the Founding of Japan: The Horserider Theory in Archeological Perspective
Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Summer, 1983), pp. 265-295 http://www.jstor.org/pss/132294

Farris, William Wayne. Heavenly Warriors: The Evolution of Japan’s Military, 500-1300
Harvard University Asia Center, April 15, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/067438704X

Hudson, Mark. Ruins of Identity: Ethnogenesis in the Japanese Islands
Univ of Hawaii Press, March 2006 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824821564

Ikegami, Eiko. Bonds of Civility: Aesthetic Networks and the Political Origins of Japanese Culture
Cambridge University Press, February 28, 2005 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0521601150

Imamura, Keiji. Prehistoric Japan: New Perspectives On Insular East Asia
Routledge, October 24, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1857286170

EP10 Intro to Japanese History P1 - Prehistory

samuraiarchives — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:22:34 +0000

For part one of our Introduction to Japanese History series, we’ll be starting at the beginning of the earliest history of the Japanese archipelago and the changes that took place in culture and technology from the Paleolithic period to the Jomon period, which takes us from prehistory to approximately 300BC.

Mentioned in this podcast:

http://japanesearchaeology.com/

Aikens, C. Prehistory of Japan (Studies in Archaeology)
Academic Pr, September 1982 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0120452804

Barnes, Gina. The Rise of Civilization in East Asia
Thames & Hudson, July 1, 1999 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0500279748

Batten, Bruce. Gateway to Japan: Hakata in War And Peace, 500-1300
Univ of Hawaii Press, March 2006 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824830296

Hudson, Mark. Ruins of Identity: Ethnogenesis in the Japanese Islands
Univ of Hawaii Press, March 2006 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824821564

Imamura, Keiji. Prehistoric Japan: New Perspectives On Insular East Asia
Routledge, October 24, 1996 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/1857286170

EP09 Maritime Defense of Nagasaki During the Edo Period

samuraiarchives — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:28:24 +0000

After Japan closed its borders and kicked the Christian missionaries out of Japan, it was forced to undertake a national maritime defense to protect against any potential foreign threats. In this podcast, we examine the defense of the port of Nagasaki, from the political and military structure to the actual defenses constructed at the port. We also examine the successes and failures that occurred in Nagasaki, starting with the torching of a Portuguese ship and execution of most of its sailors in 1640, to the drastic failure to defend the port against the British Navy ship Phaeton in 1808.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Arima, Seiho. The Western Influence on Japanese Military Science, Shipbuilding, and Navigation
Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 19 No. 3/4 Sophia University, 1964 http://bit.ly/jlBTDw

Wilson, Noell. Tokugawa Defense Redux: Organizational Failure in the Phaeton Incident of 1808
Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol. 36 No. 1, Society for Japanese Studies, 2010 http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/journal_of_japanese_studies/v036/36.1.wilson.pdf

EP08 Samurai Behaving Badly - Deceit and Deception

samuraiarchives — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 02:52:13 +0000

In the third and final of our Samurai Behaving Badly series, we examine Samurai deceit, deception, and betrayal - illustrated by a virtual rogues gallery of treacherous Samurai, including Yamato Takeru, Minamoto Yoshinaka, Akamatsu Mitsusuke, Hojo Soun, Oda Nobuhide, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Mori Motonari, the 47 Ronin, the Shinsengumi, and others.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Shogun-ki Blog The 47 Ronin: Feudal Drive-By Of Yore
http://shogun-yashiki.blogspot.com/2011/05/47-ronin-feudal-drive-by-of-yore.html

Miura, Ayako. Lady Gracia - A Samurai Wife’s Love, Strife, and Faith
IBC Publishing, Tokyo, 2004 (Translated by Susan Tsumura)
http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/4925080822

EP07 Samurai Behaving Badly - Surrender

samuraiarchives — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:09:22 +0000

Everyone is familiar with the classic image of the honorable Samurai, fearless in the face of death and ardently adhering to the tenets of Bushido, so we’ve decided give a counterpoint to this image with examples of Samurai deceit, deception, betrayal, and generally dishonorable mayhem. In the second of our Samurai Behaving Badly series, we examine the belief that Samurai would rather die than surrender - illustrated by examples from Ogasawara Nagatada, Yamanaka Shikanosuke, and Matsunaga Hisahide.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Berry, Mary Hideyoshi.
Council on East Asian Studies Harvard University, 1989 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0674390261

EP06 Samurai Behaving Badly - Disloyalty

samuraiarchives — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 04:30:16 +0000

Everyone is familiar with the classic image of the honorable Samurai, fearless in the face of death and ardently adhering to the tenets of Bushido, so we’ve decided give a counterpoint to this image with examples of Samurai deceit, deception, betrayal, and generally dishonorable mayhem. In the first of our Samurai Behaving Badly series, we examine concepts of loyalty - loyalty to clan, lord, and family, with examples of grievous disloyalty from the likes of Akechi Mitsuhide, Araki Murashige, Kobayakawa Hideaki, Mori Motonari, Sue Harukata, and the vassals of the unfortunate Besho Yoshichika.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Neilson, David Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan
PhD Dissertation University of Oregon, 2007 http://bit.ly/gglZnb

Berry, Mary Samurai Trouble: Thoughts on War and Loyalty.
The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol 64, No. 4, 2005 http://www.jstor.org/pss/25075901

Friday, Karl Bushido or Bull? A Medieval Historian’s Perspective on the Imperial Army and the Japanese Warrior Tradition.
The History Teacher, Vol 27, No. 3, 1994 http://www.jstor.org/pss/494774

EP05 The Myth of Samurai Giving Up the Gun

samuraiarchives — Mon, 30 May 2011 00:33:51 +0000

In this podcast we examine the myth of Japan’s Samurai giving up the gun during the Edo period (1603-1868). In 1979, Professor Noel Perrin wrote a book called Giving Up the Gun, Japan’s Reversion to the Sword, 1543-1879, and in this book he claims that Japan gave up the gun, or “put the genie back in the bottle” as it were, and pushes his theory to show that the contemporary nuclear arms race happening as he wrote the book could be reversed. A great thought, unfortunately in academic circles in the West and Japan, his work is not taken seriously, and the Japanese language version explicitly states that the book is not based on historical fact. Despite this, writers and scholars who do not generally focus on Japan have liberally cited his work, which has kept the myth alive. Add to that the pop-culture image of Samurai as honor-bound righteous warriors who would never do something so dishonorable as shoot an enemy from a distance, and it’s easy to see why the myth has endured.

Japan in fact didn’t “give up the gun” at all. Guns were being produced and used throughout the Edo period. It was more of an issue of guns not being necessary during this time of peace, and Samurai already being armed with swords as a matter of course anyway - why bring a bulky, long-barreled muzzle-loading single-shot arquebus to a sword duel?

Mentioned in this podcast:

Etheridge, Charles, Reinventing the Sword: A Cultural Comparison of the Development of the Sword in Response to the Advent of Firearms in Spain and Japan. (Thesis)
LA State University, 2007 http://bit.ly/lksqzU

Arima, Seiho, The Western Influence on Japanese Military Science, Shipbuilding, and Navigation
Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 19 No. 3/4 Sophia University, 1964 http://bit.ly/jlBTDw

Perrin, Noel, Giving Up the Gun, Japan’s Reversion to the Sword, 1543-1879
D. R. Godine; First Edition edition 1979 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0879237732

EP04 Guns During the Sengoku Period

samuraiarchives — Mon, 23 May 2011 07:00:42 +0000

From the 1540’s through the battle of Nagashino and on until the end of the Sengoku period (Approx. 1477-1615) , Western guns in Japan played a bigger and bigger role in war and revolutionized warfare during the 16th century.

In this podcast, your hosts examine the use and distribution of Western guns during this time with records of the numbers of guns held by Daimyo armies and deployed in battle, and how warfare changed during this period.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Baxter, James C. and Joshua A. Fogel, ed. Paul Varley Oda Nobunaga, Guns, and Early Modern Warfare Writing Histories In Japan. International Research Center for Japanese Studies Kyoto 2007 http://bit.ly/mLNUtu

The Impact of Firearms on Japanese Warfare, 1543-98 By Delmer M. Brown, The Far Eastern Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 3 (May, 1948), pp. 236-253 http://bit.ly/kJ3v7N

Neilson, David Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan PhD Dissertation University of Oregon, 2007 http://bit.ly/gglZnb

Oda Nobunaga Rekishi Gunzo Series #1 GAKKEN, 1996

Uezato, Takashi, Ryûkyû no kaki ni tsuite (On Ryukyu’s Firearms) Okinawa Bunka, No. 36, pp73-92, July 2000

Weapons & Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior 1200-1877 AD By Thomas, D Conlan, Amber Books Ltd, 2008 http://bit.ly/iTAroK

EP03 The History of Guns in Medieval Japan

samuraiarchives — Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:55 +0000

In the 3rd episode of the Samurai Archives Podcast, your hosts tackle the history of the gun in Japan prior to and including the introduction of firearms by the Portuguese in the 1540’s. Contrary to popular belief, and often overlooked by historians, guns did in fact make their way into Japan as early as the 1450’s, mainly through Ryukyu or to mainland Japan via China and Korea. Although they remained more of an oddity or curio until they were mass produced beginning in the 1540’s, there are accounts of them in Japan long before the introduction by Western traders, which we present to you in this episode. And, for anyone who has ever wondered what the difference is between a musket, matchlock, and arquebus, we’ll give you a concise explanation of the types of firearms in question.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Weapons & Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior 1200-1877 AD
By Thomas, D Conlan, Amber Books Ltd, 2008 http://bit.ly/iTAroK

Uezato, Takashi, Ryûkyû no kaki ni tsuite (On Ryukyu’s Firearms)
Okinawa Bunka, No. 36, pp73-92, July 2000

Oda Nobunaga Rekishi Gunzo Series #1
GAKKEN, 1996

EP02 The Battle of Nagashino and Its Context in the Military Revolution P2

samuraiarchives — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:07 +0000

This is part 2 of 2 of our Battle of Nagashino podcast.

Few battles in Japanese history are as hyped or misunderstood as the Battle of Nagashino. For over 400 years, an iconic image of the modern forces of Oda Nobunaga, using Western guns to destroy the traditional Takeda cavalry, held sway over interpretations by both Japanese and Western historians.

The Battle of Nagashino took place on 29 June, 1575. The campaign occurred in Mikawa province, in the vicinity of Nagashino Castle, hence the name. However, the main engagement that came to be known as the Battle of Nagashino took place at Shitaragahara, approximately three kilometers from Nagashino Castle.

We continue our discussion of the battle of Nagashino and the “Military Revolution” theory adopted by many Western historians including Delmer Brown and Geoffrey Parker. We also look at the primary and secondary sources for the battle of Nagashino, and look into the history of guns in Japan, and their importance in Japanese warfare of the time.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The Impact of Firearms on Japanese Warfare, 1543-98 By Delmer M. Brown, The Far Eastern Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 3 (May, 1948), pp. 236-253 http://bit.ly/kJ3v7N

Guns and Government: A Comparative Study of Europe and Japan By Stephen Morillo, Journal of World History, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Spring, 1995), pp. 75-106 http://bit.ly/kYF2Dp

The Military Revolution: Military Innovation and the Rise of the West, 1500-1800 By Geoffrey Parker, Cambridge University Press http://amzn.to/lmlBxU

EP01 The Battle of Nagashino and Its Context in the Military Revolution

samuraiarchives — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:00:58 +0000

The main forces were the Takeda, led by Takeda Katsuyori, on one side, and a partnership between Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu on the other. The Takeda were centered in Kai province, and controlled parts of Shinano, Totomi, and Suruga provinces. The Tokugawa directly bordered them in Mikawa and Totomi provinces to the south and west; they were the junior partner in an alliance with the Oda, who controlled most of central Japan from his headquarters in Mino at Gifu Castle. This included control of the Imperial capital, Kyōto.

The Takeda besieged the Tokugawa castle of Nagashino. A relief force composed of the combined armies of the Tokugawa clan and the Oda clan arrived and deployed on the Shitaragahara field. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Takeda Katsuyori decided to attack. This decision proved disastrous, as the Takeda charges were repulsed by the combined Oda and Tokugawa forces making significant use of arquebus fire from behind loosely constructed palisades. The Takeda retreated, and lost two-thirds of their force in the battle.

The Takeda ceased to be a player on the national stage, and were eventually destroyed by Nobunaga and Ieyasu in 1582. The removal of the Takeda threat enabled Oda Nobunaga to concentrate on other threats to his consolidation of power around the Imperial capital of Kyoto. This sequence of events is universally accepted as fact, and is used by Western historians to support the “Military Revolution” theory - that gunpowder was the driving force of change and modernization in the world.

This podcast is part one of two on the battle of Nagashino. Your hosts are Chris, Travis and Nate. Nate is currently researching the battle for graduate school, and is the facilitator of the podcast. We’ll take you through the biases in the sources, the “accepted” history of the battle of Nagashino, and where this all fits in the context of the Military Revolution theory.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The Military Revolution: Military Innovation and the Rise of the West, 1500-1800 By Geoffrey Parker, Cambridge University Press http://amzn.to/lmlBxU

Seals of Red and Letters of Gold - An Interview With Travis Seifman

samuraiarchives — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:00:03 +0000

In this podcast, originally recorded in April 2010, Joseph (Author of the Ancient Japan Blog: http://japanesearchaeology.com) and Chris interview Travis Seifman about his recently published article Seals of Red and Letters of Gold: Japanese Relations with Southeast Asia in the 17th Century, which can be found here: http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/18229.

The paper is a version of his M.A. dissertation in Japanese Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and it concerns Japan’s diplomacy and trade with Southeast Asia during the 17th century.

AAS/ICAS Conference Wrap-up Part 2

samuraiarchives — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:00:25 +0000

Your intrepid hosts Chris, Nate, and Travis are back for part 2 of the AAS/ICAS (The Association for Asian Studies and the International Convention of Asia Scholars) Conference wrap-up. This time they examine the themes and concepts presented in the seminar entitled Negotiating One’s Place in Japan’s Long Sixteenth Century. The presentations in this Sengoku-specific seminar included:

An Individual Paradigm for Merchant Success at the Close of the Long Sixteenth Century, Suzanne Gay
So Many Choices (And So Few Options) For Local Warriors, David Spafford
This Land is My Land: Masuda Motonaga and the Politics of Territorial Redistribution in Choshu Domain, David A. Eason
Warrior Conflicts With Their Daimyo in Early Seventeenth Century Japan, Luke S. Roberts

Books, articles, and links mentioned in this podcast:

The Moneylenders of Late Medieval Kyoto by Suzanne Marie Gay, University of Hawaii Press, 2001 http://bit.ly/faceW6
An Apology of Betrayal: Political and Narrative Strategies in a Late Medieval Memoir by David Spafford, The Journal of Japanese Studies Volume 35, Number 2, Summer 2009 http://bit.ly/gbytH1
Mercantilism in a Japanese Domain: The Merchant Origins of Economic Nationalism in 18th-Century Tosa By Luke S. Roberts, Cambridge University Press, 2002 http://bit.ly/fN5qFU
The Teeth and Claws of the Buddha: Monastic Warriors and Sohei in Japanese History By Mikael S. Adolphson University of Hawaii Press, 2007 http://bit.ly/easjuD
A Dragon’s Head and a Serpent’s Tail: Ming China and the First Great East Asian War, 1592-1598 By Kenneth M. Swope University of Oklahoma Press 2009 http://bit.ly/fPikr9
Union Catalogue of Early Japanese Books: http://bit.ly/fshWk7

AAS/ICAS Conference Wrap-up

samuraiarchives — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:00:04 +0000

Travis Seifman, author of the recently published article Seals of Red and Letters of Gold - Japanese Relations with Southeast Asia in the 17th Century, and conference attendee joins Chris and Nate with part one of the AAS/ICAS (The Association for Asian Studies and the International Convention of Asia Scholars) Conference wrap-up. They go over a few more seminars that they had attended, as well as comments and reactions to the lectures, speakers, and the conference itself. The seminars and lectures mentioned in this podcast include:

Okinawa, Furusato, and the Creation of a Postwar Vision of Japaneseness, Thomas O’Leary
Celebrations of the Heart – Romantic Lit by Yuikawa Kei, Eileen B. Mikals-Adachi
Portraits of Modern Japanese Working Women – the Literature of Hayashi Mariko, Hiromi Tsuchiya Dollase
To Be Beautiful, Or Not To Be Beautiful, That Is The Question—Himeno Kaoruko’s Seikei Bijo, Satoko Kan
Who is Aiko? ~ The Absent ‘Father’ in Natsuo Kirino’s I’m Sorry, Mama., Kayo Takeuchi
“Food Imagery and Parody in 16th Century Japan: About the Shuhanron Emaki (The Illustrated Scroll of the Sake and Rice Debate)”, Claire-Akiko Brisset
“From Warming Stone to Memorial Stone: Rethinking the History of Japanese Tea Cuisine”, Eric C Rath
Wine and Eau-de-Cologne: From the Introduction of Western Food to the Birth of Yoshoku, Shoko Higashiyotsuyanagi

AAS/ICAS Conference, Day 1, Part 2

samuraiarchives — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:11:04 +0000

For the next podcast in our conference series, your hosts Nate and Chris come to you again live from the AAS/ICAS (The Association for Asian Studies and the International Convention of Asia Scholars) Conference held in Honolulu. They finish up the rundown of the Zen Buddhism and the Muromachi Shogunate seminar, and then give their comments and reactions to a Linguistics seminar and seminar on the digital archives of the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records.

Links mentioned in this podcast:

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records: http://www.jacar.go.jp/
The Pritzker Military Library: http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org/events/2009/06-11-ron-werneth.jsp

AAS/ICAS Conference, Day 1

samuraiarchives — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 06:36:12 +0000

For the first podcast in our conference series, your hosts Nate and Chris come to you live from the AAS/ICAS (The Association for Asian Studies and the International Convention of Asia Scholars) Conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii, from March 31st to April 3rd, 2011. You’ll hear reactions and comments on the first few seminars of the first day, including lectures covering Japan’s current security issues, religion and manga, and Zen Buddhism and the Muromachi Shogunate. Recorded on site at a table at the conference, sound quality is pretty much as expected - hopefully the background noise will enhance the overall experience with that “on the ground, in the trenches” feel. Consider it overall a work in progress, and enjoy!

The New Samurai Archives Podcast

samuraiarchives — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:11:10 +0000

At long last, the Samurai Archives podcast is ready to begin. At first we’ll be releasing the podcasts that cover the AAS/ICAS (The Association for Asian Studies and the International Convention of Asia Scholars) Conference held in Honolulu, which were done on-site to give coverage of the convention. Starting next month, a more regular podcast which will cover various aspects of Japanese history from Ancient Japan to Premodern. The podcast is new, and with all new things we’ll have plenty of kinks to work out, everything from choosing an intro to figuring out how far from the mics we need to be for optimum sound quality - and trust us up front, while we work out these kinks, sound quality WILL be an issue. Bear with us, we’re new at this, so be gentle with the comments, please