鷺娘の精 (The Spirit of the Heron Maiden)
鷺娘の精 (The Spirit of the Heron Maiden) woodblock print by Taniguchi Kokyo (1864-1915), dated 1925; from my collection. Oban tate-e
The Heiji Rebellion, 1159
Heiji Monogatari Emaki (Tale of the Heiji Rebellion) Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace from the Illustrated Scrolls of the
360 year old inn closes its doors.
Sad news I found today about the closing of a famous and traditional Japanese inn. It dates way back to
The Throw Away Temple – Dumping Ground of the Yoshiwara Prostitutes.
Not far from Minowa station on the Hibiya line is a nondescript temple called 浄閑寺—Jokanji. From the street, it looks
Kyoto, Meiji Period print.
I have had this print on file for a while but was never able to find the details of it
Nishi Honganji
Nishi Honganji is the mother temple for the Jodo Shinshu sect of Japanese Buddhism established by Shinran Shonan who lived
Shikoku Pilgrimage
Shikoku is host to the famous 88 temple pilgrimage. It is said to take up to 3 months to complete
Forced Affection -Rape as the First Act of Romance in Heian Japan (an essay)
While readers of Japanese literature from the Heian and Kamakura periods often find it difficult to determine when a sexual
Cannon use during the winter siege of Osaka.
On this Day, December 16, 1614, a number of Samurai women were killed by cannon fire in Osaka Castle. 400
Ushiwakamaru defeats Kumasaka Chohan – Ukiyo-e print
Not something I have done before but I found this beautiful Ukiyo-e print with some history attached to it. It’s
A short summary of Francis Xavier and Christianity in Japan
Not a bad summary I found of Francis Xavier and Christianity in Japan. Francis Xavier, a founder of the Society
The Dutch East India Company and Japan
Maritime Asia, as I use the term, encompasses the lands in and around the Japan Sea, the East China Sea,
Kuroda clan samurai, Goto Matabei’s original armour.
Goto began serving the Kuroda clan under Yoshitaka during Hideyoshis Korean invasions. Goto continued to serve the Kuroda after Yoshitaka
Letters suggest Shikoku warlord’s link to 16th-century Honnoji Incident
Why did Akechi Mitsuhide turn against his lord? There are many theories, but no-one really knows for sure. New information
6th Century Japan and the Emergence of Buddhism.
I have a few friends who also have a passion for Japanese history. Here is a great article about the
Japanese home architecture
I’ve been interested in Japanese style architecture for a long time but recently I’ve taken an interest in traditional home
Rare account of feudal warrior’s daily life.
HIKONE, Shiga Prefecture–Fascinating tidbits from the daily lives of samurai warriors have been gleaned from a diary found four years
Hikone Castle – Shiga Prefecture. My photos and Meiji Period photos.
I visited Hikone castle in January 2015 with my friend Ohara san. It was a cold and snowy winters morning
Identifying the age of Japanese postcards
A great article about how to identify the age of Japanese postcards. How to Ascertain the Date (or Time Period)
Fukuoka: The Ancient Gateway to Japan
Fukuoka is the largest city in Kyūshū. From ancient times, the city’s proximity to the mainland has made it an
Japanese History and Culture 