You’re vibing, discussing Sengoku battles, and then - BAM! Some guy shows up like, “Actually, Japan was unfairly treated in WWII.” Bro, we were talking about spears, not revisionist tears. Why is it always them? Can we get one history convo without someone rewriting the 20th century? Stay strong, scholars. 🏯

第二次世界大戦中の日本の都市への焼夷弾爆撃は戦争犯罪だと思いますか?

There were many resistance movements in Taiwan and Korea after Japanese annexation, how about in Okinawa?

Did the yayoi generally assimilated with the jomon? Because I believe that the yayoi were mainly rice farmers and I doubt they could wage wars.

Do you call it the Asian New Year or the Buddhist New Year or the Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year or the Lunisolar New Year when you refer to the Japanese New Year before 1873, the Korean New Year, the Vietnamese New Year, the Mongolian New Year and the Bhutanese New Year ?

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Hello everyone,

I’ve been researching the earliest chronicles about Japan written by foreigners in the 16th and 17th centuries, and I have an intriguing question. We know that authors like Luis de Guzmán, Luis Frois, João Rodrigues, Da Costa Maffei, Valignano, and Xavier produced accounts primarily focused on Christianity in Japan, but these works are not considered true "histories of Japan." Rather, they are more focused on the Christian missionary activities and can be categorized as chronicles of the Sengoku period, especially concerning the political and religious interactions of the time.

My question is whether, during the same period, any author from Spain, Portugal, or even other countries wrote a work that could be considered a "history of Japan" more centered on Japan itself, similar to Kaempfer’s History of Japan, which began a foreign historiographical tradition in Japanology that would later influence figures like Murdoch.

What particularly interests me is how authors such as Rada, Escalante, and Mendoza, who wrote about China, were able to produce more historical works compared to the Jesuits, who were much more established in Japan.

Does anyone know of any author or work that might have started a tradition similar to Kaempfer’s, but before him, in the 16th-17th centuries?

Thanks in advance.

Hello. I was wondering if anyone here knows of any good English-language books on Minamoto no Yoritomo and his time as Shogun as well as any good books on the Genpei War.

Hey guys, Im looking for some book suggestions about a certain period of japanese history. The end of the Sengoku period. For context: When I learn about history I typically like to use the shotgun approach. I consume as many different sources and media types that I can handle. For ancient Greece I read Herodotus's Histories, An illustrated guide to ancient Greece,Stephen Frys mytholgical trilogies watched Youtube videos and rewatched a few of the movies like Troy, Immortals and Played AC Odyssey.

................................................................... Perhaps not the most effective study method but it works for me and is easily digested. .............…....................................................

Id like to do the same with the new AC Shadows set in Japan. Ive grown up on Samurai movies and books but nothing substantial. Ive read Musashi, Five rings, life giving sword, a couple audio books and have seen countless movies but Id like something a little more substantial.

One of the last great swordsmen in Japan.
https://rekishinihon.com/2020/04/08/takasugi-shinsaku-choshu-han-revolutionary-and-swordsman/

By ancient I mean till the kofun period. The people of japan were brave and skilled with tactics imported from the Koreans, they were organized in Kofun. But close to China they were like barbarians and China did not respected them, they live peacefully, but not as equals. So why did China did not move to conquer Japan this time? They even send emissary campaigns. Was it because of the war in their land?

Hello, friends! Is there anyone who likes ancient Japan? (Yayoi, Kofun, Asuka) I'm studying as a hobby and some things just get me intrigued. Like Japan (Wakoku) States, I know about regions like Kinki Yamato Region , province of Izumi, even the state of Na. But is there recordings of names and localization of States/cities/kingdoms name in this era? Maybe a link. I know that there is a link about the peninsulas in Wikipedia, but its from edo Sorry if it was confusing, English is not my first language

Speaking of Hikone, I was quite curious to read of the meeting last week intended to bury the hatchet and improve relations between parties from all sides of the Sakuradamon Incident 桜田門外ノ変

Attending were representatives of Hikone City (capital of then Hikone-han), Kagoshima City (capital of then Satsuma-han), the 18th head of the Ii family (descendant of Ii Naosuke, who was also Daimyo of Hikone), the 33rd head of the Shimazu family (descendant of the Satsuma Daimyo family), and the Arimura family (descendant of one of the Ronin who carried out the attack; the one who is said to have carried off Naosuke's head).

The meeting took place in Hikone city. The proceedings started with the members paying their respects to the Ii family grave in Hikone. From there they shifted to the castle grounds where they had a signing ceremony. The mayors of the two cities signed a statement of unity and collaboration, while the members of the various families observed.

Quite an interesting slice of Japanese culture and an interesting bridge between current days and Japanese History. Here is a link to an article. Original is in Japanese but the gist is pretty easy to get for any kind of machine translation.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/otsu/20250116/2060017430.html

After japan annexed okinawa, was there mass migration from mainland Japan to replace the original Ryukyuan population?