A History of Japan

 After the Boshin War, the Shogunate as a form of government would cease to exist. In this episode we examine the three different warrior governments that ruled over Japan over nearly seven centuries and see what they did well, where they struggled, and why such a form of government ultimately failed. 

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In this bonus episode, we trace the origins of the samurai and their subsequent evolution to the heights of political power.

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Three samurai are credited with significant contributions to the success of the Meiji Revolution and in this episode we explore their backgrounds and experiences during the tumultuous Bakumatsu period.

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Tensions between the Bakufu and the freshly-energized Loyalists came to a head when a shogunate army was refused entry to Kyoto - then promptly fired upon. The ensuing Boshin War was largely one-sided, with Loyalists gaining repeated victories due to superior arms, tactics, and numbers.

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Things appeared grim for Choshu Domain after their defeat to western forces at the Battle of Shimonoseki. In a few short years, however, their fortunes would be completely reversed and the Bakufu would find itself politically besieged.

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After the assassination of Ii Naosuke, political violence became a new norm. The Shogunate was deeply troubled when a rebellion began in its own backyard of northern Kanto, in Mito Domain.

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After the national humiliation and subsequent economic turmoil caused by opening Japan to more foreign trade, the Bakufu desperately tried to regain a position of national authority. This culminated in the Ansei Purge initiated by the chief elder Ii Naosuke. However, the shogunate's tough actions would bring significant unexpected consequences.

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In 1853, Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry from the United States of America forced Japan to become open to foreign trade. How did he succeed where so many others had failed?

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Throughout the 1840s, various groups sought to find solutions to repeated violations of sakoku and questioned the ability of the shogunate to practically defend the country if there was an actual invasion. Many came to very different conclusions.

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Throughout the 1700s, after a series of political purges and national instability, the Joseon kingdom experienced a cultural flowering.

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