History of Japan

Isaac Meyer
  • 4.7 (634)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
History of Japan

This podcast, assembled by a former PhD student in History at the University of Washington, covers the entire span of Japanese history. Each week we'll tackle a new topic, ranging from prehistoric Japan to the modern day.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    Episode 560 - The Otaku, Part 2

    For our first episode of 2025: "otaku culture" as a phenomenon began to emerge, in part, as a reaction against the crass commercialism of postwar Japan. Yet now, it is entirely a part of the fabric of that commercialism. How did that happen? We'll explore it by looking at two fascinating phenomena: the dojin market known as Comiket and the transformation of Tokyo's neighborhood of Akihabara. Show notes here.

    36 min

  2. 12/27/2024

    Episode 559 - The Otaku, Part 1

    Our last episode of 2024 is also the first episode in a series on one of Japan's most distinctive cultural phenomenons: otaku culture. This week: is the idea of being an "otaku" older than we think?  Show notes here.

    37 min

  3. 12/20/2024

    Episode 558 - The Hack

    This week, the story of an Edo period writer whose primary claim to fame was producing decent ripoffs of people far more famous and talented than him. What does a career like that tell us about the book market in premodern Japan--and more importantly about what we as people tend to look for in the things we read? Show notes here.

    35 min

  4. 12/13/2024

    Episode 557 - The Gods March Overseas, Part 3

    This week: Taiwan was the first overseas territory annexed by Japan with a large existing population. So how did the government's policies on religion--and especially Shinto--help shape the nature of Japanese colonial rule there? And how did those policies evolve as Taiwan's own place in the empire changed? Show notes here.

    38 min

  5. 12/06/2024

    Episode 556 - The Gods March Overseas, Part 2

    This week: how does the history of Shinto intersect with the colonization of Hokkaido? What role does Shinto's transition from religion to "cultural institution" play in the process that has made that island indisputably a part of Japan itself? Show notes here.

    36 min

  6. 11/22/2024

    Episode 555 - The Gods March Overseas, Part 1

    What even is religion, when you get down to it? Why do we treat religion the way that we do? And when our modern notions of religion came up against an empire whose very legitimacy was based on a religious myth, how did those tensions play out? Show notes here.

    39 min

  7. 11/15/2024

    Episode 554 - Laying on Hands, Part 2

    This week is a continuation of our exploration of the history of reiki. How did Takata Hawayo, a poor woman from Hawaii's Nikkei community, become the foundational figure of one of the most popular New Age practices in the world? And in the end, what sense can we make of the history of a practice founded on pseudoscientific medical claims? Show notes here.

    41 min

  8. 11/08/2024

    Episode 553 - Laying on Hands, Part 1

    This week: the origins of one of the most popular pseudo-medical traditions out there. Where does reiki, the notion that one can manipulate energy in the human body using their hands to heal people, come from? And why does studying the history of practices like this matter? Show notes here.

    37 min
See All (570)

4.7
out of 5
634 Ratings

About

This podcast, assembled by a former PhD student in History at the University of Washington, covers the entire span of Japanese history. Each week we'll tackle a new topic, ranging from prehistoric Japan to the modern day.

Information

  • Creator
    Isaac Meyer
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2025
  • Episodes
    570
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    History of Japan

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada