Curated Video
Japan History
New ReviewAlthough myth indicates that Japan was founded in 660 BCE by Emperor Jimmu, the first clear records concerning Japan are provided by the Chinese almost one thousand years later, in the third century CE. Since its beginnings, Japan has...
PBS
Who Is This Japanese Yōkai That Is Obsessed With Your Butt?
What looks like a reptile-amphibian hybrid, has a dish shaped skull, smells like fish, is child-like and out to steal your crops and drown your livestock? The Japanese water yokai, Kappa.
Bedtime History
History of Ninjas for Kids
Sneak into the shadows and explore the history of ninjas in ancient Japan! In this episode, we’ll learn who ninjas really were—not just the movie versions. They were skilled spies and warriors trained in secret missions. We’ll talk about...
Curated Video
Battle of Tedorigawa, 1577 AD Uesugi's Finest Hour
Battle of Tedorigawa, 1577 AD Uesugi's Finest Hour
Curated Video
The Battle of Sekingahara: Tokugawa's Rise to Power and the End of the Sengoku Period
This video details the intense power struggle in 16th century Japan, focusing on the Battle of Sekingahara where Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern Army triumphed over Ishida Mitsunari's Western Army, leading to Tokugawa's establishment as Shogun...
Curated Video
Battle of Nagashino: The Rise and Fall of the Takeda Clan
This video provides a detailed account of the historical events leading up to and during the Battle of Nagashino in 1575, a pivotal moment in Japanese history that marked the downfall of the Takeda clan and solidified ODA Nobunaga's...
Curated Video
Japanese Emperors Family Tree | 1,350 Years Ago to Present
Japanese Emperors Family Tree | 1,350 Years Ago to Present
Step Back History
Japan's Lovable Communist Revolution
After World War Two, Japan was in a really rough situation. The American occupiers tried to redesign the country from the top down, but at the same time, it had to contend with a lovable revolution bubbling from the bottom up.
Weird History
What You Didn't Know about Ninjas
Are ninjas real? While they seem like a part of Japanese folklore, they are, in fact, real. While most people think of the ancient shinobi mercenaries as nothing but stealth assassins, in reality, they were a lot more James Bond than...
Weird History
Hiroo Onada | Fought WWII 30 Years After It Ended
Who was Hiroo Onoda? Onoda was a Japanese soldier who refused to surrender long after the capitulation of Japan in WWII. For 29 extra years, Onoda continued to execute the mission that he was ordered to carry out in 1944. Stationed at...
Step Back History
Who are the Yakuza?
Japanese organized crime, known as the Yakuza are a unique and fascinating part of Japanese history and culture. Let's learn about em.
Weird History
History of the Yakuza
The Yakuza of Japan are often compared to other underground organizations like the Mafia or a Mexican drug cartel. With numerous organizations, syndicates, and participants, the yakuza are much more than that, with a history that goes...
Curated Video
Yasuke: the Forgotten African Samurai
There is a Japanese proverb which says “For a Samurai to be brave, he must have a bit of black blood.” Yasuke first appears in history in 1579 as an attendant of the Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano coming to Japan to visit the...
Weird History
Toyo & Seytsu and Executive Order 9066
Mark Takahashi talks about his family’s experience with Japanese Internment Camps during World War II. After Pearl Harbor and the issuing of Executive Order 9066, Mark's paternal and maternal grandparents, Toyo and Seytsu, were sent to...
Curated Video
Watching and Waiting | The Life & Times of Tokugawa Ieyasu
We return to the East! To Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the last shogunate and one of the three great unifiers of Japan.
Curated Video
Hashima: Japan's Abandoned Battleship Island Unveiled by Drone
Explore the abandoned Hashima Island, Japan—also known as Battleship Island—through stunning drone footage. Once a thriving coal mining hub, this eerie ghost town now stands frozen in time, its decaying concrete structures offering a...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read “Kafka on the Shore”?
Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of 2005. A short video provides insight into the many threads that form the tapestry of the prize-winning novel.
C-SPAN
On This Day: Battle of Iwo Jima
It was only eight square miles, but the island of Iwo Jima was soaked with the blood of 26,000 American and 19,900 Japanese soldiers who died fighting over it during World War II. Viewers consider the battle and its strategic importance...
National WWII Museum
Japanese Expansion Video
Learn what events contributed to Japanese imperialism and warfare, such as the invasion of Manchuria using an engaging map. Viewers study the map as they learn the timeline of events leading Japan to the height of its power during World...
National WWII Museum
The Bomb
The spectacular explosion of the first atomic weapon is documented with dramatic video footage in a short film. Using pictures and videos of the bomb's preparation, as well as its aftermath, scholars consider the ramifications of this...
TED-Ed
Zen KōAns: Unsolvable Enigmas Designed to Break Your Brain
Why do people attempt to explain the unexplainable? Scholars explore the topic by learning about ancient philosophical thought experiements known as kōans. After watching a brief yet informative video, pupils answer questions and engage...
The Great War
The Ally From The Far East - Japan in World War 1
While Japan was a major player in the Second World War, it also played a role in the first Great War. Scholars analyze the Anglo-Japanese alliance during World War I in the 30th installment of a 32-part series. Using a short video clip,...
Crash Course
Just Say Noh. But Also Say Kyogen: Crash Course Theater #11
Wigs, masks, demons, and Buddhism—what's not to love? All of these elements play a role in Japanese theater during the Middle Ages, a topic the informational video covers in depth. An engaging host shares an exhaustive overview of the...