Hayao Miyazaki’s films always present vibrant worlds full of lush, colorful landscapes, characters, and fantastic, even mythic adventures.
How to Create a Legend? An Analysis of Constructed Representations of Ono no Komachi in Japanese Medieval Literature
April 11, 2015 By
Although the historical figure known to us as Ono no Komachi (ca. 825–ca. 900) is considered to have been a famous and talented female court poet of the Heian Period in Japan, not much is known about her actual life.
Who Would You Have Been In Feudal Era Japan?
January 2, 2015 By
Ever watched Akira Kurosawa’s movies or Inuyasha, or maybe some other Japanese entertainment, and wondered who you would have been during the Feudal Era?
Truth, Contradiction and Harmony in Medieval Japan: Emperor Hanazono (1297-1348) and Buddhism
December 11, 2014 By
The philosophical world of medieval Japan (here the 12th through 16th centuries, though other periodizations are possible) was a rich and multifaceted one.
A First Escape from Poverty in Late Medieval Japan: Evidence from Real Wages in Kyoto (1360-1860)
September 26, 2014 By
This paper offers a first investigation of long-term trends in Japanese living standards from the mid-14th to the mid-19th century using urban daily wages and price data for a number of basic commodities.
The last man standing : causes of daimyo survival in sixteenth century Japan
September 16, 2014 By
Regional magnates, or daimyo, came to dominate the political landscape of Japan, each controlling territory on their own authority. These military strongmen established control over local warriors and cultivators and then began to challenge one another for supremacy. The result was a period of protracted civil war lasting for almost 150 years.
What Kind of Ninja Would You Have Been?
September 4, 2014 By
The Ninja had many roles in their clans: some were unarmed experts, while others used a particular weapon. Some were intelligence gatherers, and others war strategists. Still, others were Kunoichi–female ninja! Only one was the grandmaster! This test will reveal what role you might have fulfilled in an ancient clan!
Cultures of Death: Warrior Suicide in Medieval Europe and Japan
May 1, 2014 By
In the course of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the warrior elites of Japan and northwestern Europe, despite many similarities in ethos and lifestyle, developed very different cultures of death.
Legendary Samurai – Videos on Art and Warfare in Medieval Japan
January 8, 2014 By
Three videos from the Portland Art Museum
Sword and Spirit: Bushido in Practice from the Late Sengoku Era through the Edo Period
December 29, 2013 By
Bushido’s derivative word, bushi, was the original term for the upper warrior classes. The spiritual aspects of it arose from two main sources: Buddhism and Shintoism. Buddhism provided the necessary components for bravery in the face of death.
And The Angel Spake unto Harunobu: A Japanese Christian miracle story of 1591
December 21, 2013 By
The early-modern, Portuguese-sponsored Jesuit mission to Japan left behind a body of Christian literature in Japanese whose alphabetic texts have been a treasure trove for linguists, its existence a point of pride for Christian sectarians, and its content rich material for historians.
Collectivism in Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai
September 26, 2012 By
Japanese tradition has revolved for centuries around the concept that groups of people must work together to accomplish goals.
A Dis-Integrated Urban Landscape: Making Kyoto Medieval
August 25, 2012 By
To begin, we must ask the question, ‘what was ʻmedievalʼ about medieval Kyoto?’
Causes of Piracy in Medieval Japan
August 21, 2012 By
The scope of the study spans two distinct phases of piratical activity by Japanese marauders known as the wako, the first lasting from 1223 to 1265 and the second from 1350 to the early 1400s.
Stigmatization of obesity in medieval times: Asia and Europe
July 7, 2012 By
Obesity was stigmatized in medieval Japan in part, at least, because it was viewed as the karmic consequence of a moral failing in a Buddhist context. The stigma in Europe was based on the Christian deadly sin of gluttony
Near-Death Folklore in Medieval China and Japan : A Comparative Analysis
June 17, 2012 By
Medieval Chinese and Japanese literature provides numerous examples of near-death experiences, episodes in which the narrator claims to have gained personal images of the after life.
The Art of Slicing Fish and Fowl in Medieval Japan
February 28, 2012 By
In Western eyes, the delicately cut piece of food is often regarded as central to traditional Japanese cooking. The skilful use of the knife is indeed one of the most prominent features of the Japanese kitchen, and mastery of various cutting-techniques is a matter of course to the Japanese chef as well as to the ambitious homemaker.
A Neglected Chapter. Courtly Fiction of the Kamakura Period
February 20, 2012 By
The establishment of the shogun’s court in Kamakura unquestionably affected even members of the nobility who remained behind in the old Heian capital. Diaries describe the journeys made by nobles to Kamakura in order to plead at the law courts for the restitution of lands; and some traveled there simply because…
Shipwreck from Mongol Invasion fleet discovered off Japan
October 26, 2011 By
Archaeologists from the University of the Ryukyus in Japan have discovered large parts of a Mongolian/Chinese ship that was likely part of the Mongol invasion fleet that tried to invade the island in 1281. The find is the first intact wreck related to invasion attempts of Japan by the Mongolian ruler, Kublai Khan. Led by […]
The Land of the Dead – International Motifs in the Oldest Work of Japanese Literature
October 25, 2011 By
The Land of the Dead – International Motifs in the Oldest Work of Japanese Literature By Danijela Vasić Trans, No.9 (2009) Introduction: The Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) is the oldest extant work of Japanese literature. It was written in 712 AD with an aim to show the Imperial family’s legitimacy to the people and […]
Sagoromo and Hamamatsu on Genji: Eleventh-Century Tales as Commentary on Genji monogatari
September 28, 2011 By
Sagoromo and Hamamatsu on Genji: Eleventh-Century Tales as Commentary on Genji monogatari By Royall Tyler Japan Review, Vol.18 (2006) Abstract: Although avowed comment on Genji monogatari begins only in the second half of the twelfth century, late Heian fiction written under obvious Genji influence sometimes suggests how earlier readers interpreted this or that aspect of […]
14th-century Samurai battle wounds discovered by scientists
September 20, 2011 By
Films like Seven Samurai, Ran and Heaven and Earth have made Japan’s historic Samurai warriors famous But now, their skeletons have been examined in forensic detail by Japanese and British scientists. A leading British specialist in forensic anthropology has been investigating battle wounds sustained by medieval Japanese warriors almost 700 years ago. Working with Japanese […]
US company gets right to remake Kurosawa films
August 25, 2011 By
Splendent Media has signed a multiyear deal to represent worldwide rights (outside Japan) to 69 titles from filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, including 19 screenplays that were never produced. Kurosawa, who considered one of the most influential movie director’s in the history of cinema, made over thirty films in his lifetime, including several that were set in […]
A Case Study of Medieval Japan through Art: Samurai Life in Medieval Japan
August 24, 2011 By
A Case Study of Medieval Japan through Art: Samurai Life in Medieval Japan By Ethan Segal and Jaye Zola Lesson Plan for Grades 11-12 Teachers are encouraged to read “Medieval Japan: An Introductory Essay,” by historian Ethan Segal, prior to conducting this lesson. The introductory essay may also be assigned to students with advanced reading […]
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