By: AJ Witte In the world of “Yotsuya Kaidan,” where social standing and family background play a crucial role in determining one’s position in society, “A woman’s socioeconomic position, turn, was determined by her family’s social standing” (Yonemoto 3). Marcia Yonemoto in her book The Problem of Women in Early Modern Japan writes about how […]
Category: hst267
Introduce an Image: Tokugawa Tomb at Nikko
By; AJ Witte Tokugawa Tomb at Nikko This is a photo of a shrine which through my research seems to be the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu (Japan Guide). There is what seems to be a small shrine which I would assume holds various personal items or maybe even his Ieyasu’s ashes, sitting atop a set […]
American Capitalism’s Echo’s of the Ie System: Week 14
By: AJ Witte This past week we learned about many different things regarding life and aesthetics in the Tokugawa era. However, one of the most interesting things that we read about was the concept of ie as it pertains to the development of the close knit corporation like families seen throughout the Tokugawa period. I […]
The Perks of Isolation: Week 13
By: AJ Witte The Edict of 1635, also Known as the “Sakoku Edict,” marked a significant turning point in Japan’s relations with the outside world. By ordering the closing of Japan’s borders to foreigners, the Tokugawa Shogunate effectively cut off the country from the rest of the world for over two centuries. While this policy […]
The Greatest Rivalry in the Sengoku Period
By: AJ Witte If there is anything that I enjoy more than anything in the world it would be video games. Among the vast genres of video games that have piqued my interest, history based strategy games are definitely among them. Total War: Shogun 2 is a real-time strategy game which focuses on the onin […]
The Importance of the Boring in Zen Buddhism: Week 11
By: AJ Witte This past week we delved into much of what many would consider to be “Japanese art”. This is to say that we have arrived at what often comes to mind when the words Japanese art is thrown around, images of descending geese, cherry blossoms, very ornate yet simple building and room designs. […]
To Flex or Not to Flex in Muromachi Japan: Week 10
By; AJ Witte This past week we took a look at various writings and artforms which arose during the Muromachi period of Japan. One of the major readings from this week which stood out to me was the Kenmu code, a code which arose from the ever growing warrior population of Kyoto. This arose because […]
The Importance of Spirituality in Warfare: Week 9
By: AJ Witte This past week our readings and discussions have been dominated by the Mongol empire and their conquest of most of the known world. What really felt like the most interesting topic to me was the importance of religion in ancient warfare and the psychology surrounding it. In one of our readings, we […]
A Samurai’s Loadout: Show and Tell #3
By: AJ Witte The Genpei war was a civil conflict during the late Heian period between the Minamoto and the Taira clans for control over Japan. This war eventually led to the political downfall of the Taira clan and the rise to power and creation of the first shogunate, the Kamakura Shogunate. During this time […]
A Look Into The Tale of Heike: Week 8
By: John Witte For this week before our spring break, we were tasked to read various famous passages and scenes from The Tale of Heike. The passages in particular which struck me as important were the opening chapter which told the story of Gio and a very popular dancer Hotoke, and the death of Kiyomori. […]
