History of Japan

Isaac Meyer
  • 4.7 (652)
  • 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. 1D AGO

    Episode 583 - The Men of Chivalry, Part 3

    This week: we take a look at the genre of the yakuza movie, or ninkyo eiga, which started off as a branch of the samurai film genre before becoming very much its own thing--and, for a decade  or so in the 1960s and 1970s, dominating the Japanese box office. Show notes here.

    42 min

  2. JUN 13

    Episode 582 - The Men of Chivalry, Part 2

    This week: we take a look at postwar samurai film/jidaigeki in order to understand better the trajectory of the most influential genre in the history of Japanese film. Why did jidaigeki, a staple of pre-1945 film, storm back with a vengeance to the big screen after the end of World War II? What makes post-1945 samurai films distinctive or unique? And what about their relationship to another archetype of international film: the American Western? Show notes here.

    43 min

  3. JUN 6

    Episode 581 - The Men of Chivalry, Part 1

    This week, we're starting a history of the most famous genre in the history of Japanese film: the jidaigeki, and its related genre of the ninkyo eiga. This week: what do we know about early jidaigeki, and how do they fit into the wider history of early Japanese film? Show notes here.

    35 min

  4. MAY 30

    Episode 580 - The Kings of the Ring, Part 7

    This week: we wrap up the miniseries with the end of Akebono's career, as the first gaijin yokozuna takes his post-dohyo trajectory in a very different direction from the other yokozuna before him (or at least, from most of the other yokozuna before him). Plus some final thoughts on sumo today. Show notes here.

    40 min

  5. MAY 23

    Episode 579 - The Kings of the Ring, Part 6

    This week: Akebono becomes a yokozuna, and finds himself burdened with new expectations on and off the dohyo. Plus, a brief foray into pay and compensation for rikishi, and a final section on one of the most infamous moments of the 64th yokozuna's career. Show notes here.

    38 min

  6. MAY 16

    Episode 578 - The Kings of the Ring, Part 5

    This week: in the span of just a few years, Akebono goes from a rookie in sumo to one of its most prominent names, and alongside Konishiki one of the Americans dominating in the top division. But unlike Konishiki, he has the potential to go one step further. So, how does a guy from Waimanalo become the first non-Japanese citizen ever to claim the title of yokozuna? Show notes here.

    36 min

  7. MAY 9

    Episode 577 - The Kings of the Ring, Part 4

    This week: Chad Rowan, who will be the first non-Japanese yokozuna in history, is the subject for the rest of our episodes. How did he come to sumo? What was his early career like? And how did he come to be known by the name Akebono-the rising sun? Show notes here.

    36 min

  8. MAY 2

    Episode 576 - The Kings of the Ring, Part 3

    This week: after Taiho, the floodgates open as more non-Japanese rikishi begin to enter the sport. One of them, Takamiyama, has a good but not great career. But two of the rikishi he recruits to train under him after retirement--Konishiki Yasokichi and Akebono Taro--will change sumo forever. Show notes here.

    40 min
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4.7
out of 5
652 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
    593
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    History of Japan

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