A massive cache of 100,000 ancient coins has been unearthed during construction activities in central Japan’s Maebashi City, including a rare example of the ‘Ban Liang’, China’s inaugural unified...
In ancient Japan , where the art of battle was predominantly a male domain, a remarkable shift in tradition unfolded, highlighting the tenacity of women in the face of adversity. Takeko Nakano and...
Samurai , driven by the need to prove their loyalty and valor to their shogun masters, often resorted to a gruesome practice – the collection of human heads. The severed heads served as tangible...
Kendo, the practice of Japanese swordsmanship, is one of the most popular martial arts today. Yet few people fully appreciate this sport’s fascinating origins and what its evolution can tell us about...
Medieval Japan , often romanticized for its samurai culture, had a dark side characterized by brutal punishment and oppression. Peasants faced a grim fate in a society dominated by samurai overlords...
Within the captivating tapestry of Japanese history , a fascinating link emerges between Samurai culture and the realm of real indigo. Tucked away in Tokushima, Japan, a region steeped in tradition,...
Amazingly, a fancy pair of bonsai scissors can cost an eyewatering $26,000. How? It turns out that the secret to making the best bonsai scissors in the world lies in an ancient method of sword-making...
Medieval Japan may be known for its honor, duty, and bravery, but there was also a darker side to the Samurai clans who ruled the era. Punishments for crimes were brutal and oppressive, with extreme...
It’s always a lot of fun to imagine what would happen if history’s greatest warriors had ever clashed. Medieval Knights vs Spartans. Vikings vs the Roman Legion. But there’s one epic clash which isn’...
The clash between the Mongols and Samurai took place between two legendary classes of warriors. Contrary to popular belief, Samurai did not engage in single combat dueling against the Mongols...
When we think of Buddhism today, we think of pacifism, being at one with the world, love for one’s neighbor and nature, and other aspects of peaceful living. Modern Buddhist monks are devoted to...
Besides perhaps the gun, no other weapon has been as heavily romanticized as the sword. For millennia, we’ve been using the sword to settle debates, both personal quarrels in the form of duels, and...
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if there was a parallel world in which the ancient Japanese Edo period existed today, where the modern world and the Shoguns could converge? With the...
We have likely all seen the stereotypical image of a knight in shining armor , but there is more to the world of armory than the steel plate armor we are often exposed to. Armor came in innumerable...
It’s likely that if you’ve ever seen a Hollywood action film you’ve probably heard of jujutsu. Thanks to films like The Matrix and the John Wick franchise, jujutsu is more in the public eye than ever...
Helmets of the ancient world could be dazzling, terrifying, intimidating or sometimes simply practical. Here we look at 12 incredible helmets from across the ancient world. A Japanese Samurai helmet...
Now this is family dedication – a hotel that has been passed down 52 generations of one Japanese family over more than 13 centuries! The hot spring Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan hotel in Japan’s Yamanashi...
Throughout time, there are a few instances where the weather became a determining factor in the outcome of a battle. The Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 AD have often been cited as salient...
Coming in an infinite number of shapes and colors, seashells have been used as a medium of exchange for centuries in a variety of locations, such as many Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean islands, as...
Standing at the spearhead of many of history's greatest battles were battalions of grotesque weapon wielding, combat-trained children, as ready and willing as their parents to die for their city-...
After analyzing artifacts collected from three locations in the Saitama Prefecture, which is located just north of Tokyo, a Japanese archaeologist has announced findings that shed new light on the...
In ancient Japan, the Samurai utilized a wide range of weaponry other than swords, bows, and spears. These weapons were used in places where swords were not allowed to be carried, for self-defense...
The Heian period, which lasted from the 8 th to the 12 th centuries AD, is considered to be the last division of Japan’s classical era. This period began with the establishment of a new imperial...
It has always baffled historians why domestic Japanese winemaking ceased in mid-17th century AD. But now, new research suggests that in 1627 AD a Japanese “war” was waged against Christians in Japan...