Four Roman copper coins have been unearthed at Katsuren Castle on Okinawa Island, Japan. They are the first of their kind to be discovered in the country and have been dated to 300-400 AD. How the...
The concept of hotels has been in existence since antiquity. The ancient Greeks, for example, are recorded to have developed thermal baths so that travelers could rest and recuperate after a long day...
The Djed, by its very nature, is one of the highest mysteries in the Ancient Egypt history. It was built in the core of the so-called Cheops pyramid, just off the King Chamber, perfectly integrated...
Throughout history, there are many rituals that individuals and groups participate in which could be considered strange or unusual by others. The following is a short overview of some of the uncanny...
Every place in the world has its own legends and superstitions. These led to beliefs about gods, demons, and spirits which haunt a certain location. Even toilets have their own otherworldly beings...
Most Christians believe that Jesus was born and died in the Middle East. However, there is a small group of people in Japan who believe a completely different story. Some Japanese researchers think...
The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (translated as Grass-cutting Sword or Herb-quelling Sword ) is a legendary Japanese sword. This weapon, commonly referred to simply as The Kusanagi , is one of the three...
At least 48 sword guards used by samurai warriors during the feudal era belonged to hidden Christians. The artifacts are related to the early history of 16 th and 17 th century Japan, which saw the...
Kemari is an ancient ball game that has its origins in Japan, and has some similarities to the modern sport known as association football (more commonly known as football in the UK or soccer in the...
The hwacha (which roughly translates as fire chariot ) is a type of weapon developed in Korea, and used by its army on the field of battle. This weapon is best known for its deployment during the...
The ningyo, which translates as human fish (known also as gyojin , meaning human fish , or hangyo-jin, meaning half-fish human ) is a creature in Japanese folklore that is comparable to the mermaids...
The Fiji (also spelled as ‘Feejee’) mermaid was a sideshow that gained popularity during the 19th century. The original Fiji Mermaid was displayed in 1842 by P.T. Barnum, an American showman and...
Celadon pottery (also known simply as ‘celadon’) is a type of ceramic that originated in ancient China. Celadon is well-known for its jade-like color, which it obtains due to the glaze that is...
The crossbow is a missile weapon that had a major impact on the way battles were fought in the ancient world. Prior to the widespread use of crossbows, it was the bow and arrow that was the...
It was once thought that the human habitation of the Japanese archipelago began during the Jōmon period (approximately between 13,000 and 500 BC) This view changed however, with the discovery of...
Read Part I Who knew innocent little Fluffy could be so devious? Cats’ reputations have often swayed from good to evil over the years as they have been both revered and feared around the world. One...
For 1,400 years, Kongo Gumi was a successful Japanese company involved with the construction of spectacular Buddhist temples. Until its fall in 2006, it was the world’s oldest continuously operating...
Remains of an o-kabe style building have been excavated in Takatori, Nara prefecture, Japan. Evidence suggests that the building was used for meetings by foreigners. It has been dated to the 5th...
Examples of some of the oldest kanji, or Chinese characters written in Japanese, inscribed on tiles, have gone on display to the public. They were found years ago at what scholars believe is Japan's...
The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs have announced that a star chart discovered in ancient Asuka in the country’s Nara Prefecture, is based on much older celestial observations made in China,...
A group of researchers have discovered that the chemical composition of a fragment of glass found 50 years ago at a shrine in Kyoto, Japan closely resembles that of glass found in the ruins of a...
A second ship and many artifacts from the Mongolian fleet that tried to conquer Japan in 1281 have been found on the sea floor, researchers said. Mongolian invasions in 1274 and 1281 AD ended in...
Archaeologists believe they have found the remnants of a powerful Japanese feudal leader's heavily fortified “phantom castle,” so-called because historians thought it had been destroyed in an...
The Isonokami Shrine is a Shinto shrine believed to have been built in 4 AD. Located in in the foothills of Tenri in Nara prefecture, Japan, this shrine is culturally significant for it houses...
