Author, Researcher and Lecturer with a Passion for History, Music and Japan
On 1 April – no, this was not a hoax! – a new era was announced in Japan. The Reiwa era will begin on 1 May when the present crown prince Naruhito succeeds his father Emperor Akihito who will finally be granted his wish to abdicate. In former times it…
Yoshida Shôin, having taken over the family school Shôka Sonjuku, taught like no other. Soon more and more young men came to study with him. He let them choose freely what they wanted to study and treated them as equals, giving each one individual attention. Although a scholar himself, Shôin…
On 8 July 1853 a frightening sight met the eyes of the people of Shimoda village, at the entrance into the bays of Sagami and Tokyo. Far out at sea, several ships seemed to be on fire. Moreover, they were coming closer. The fire, it turned out, was just smoke…