Who is Miyamoto Musashi and why is he so well-known? The most well-known samurai in Japanese history, Miyamoto Musashi is famous for his mastery of the Japanese sword arts. Born in 1584 to a farming family, Musashi was orphaned at age 13. He petitioned to train as a swordsman and […]
Introduction to Japan’s Greatest Samurai General Tokugawa Ieyasu was a Japanese feudal lord, shogun, and military dictator who founded the Tokugawa shogunate that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868. Ieyasu was born in Okazaki Castle and his father’s side claimed descent from the Taira clan and Emperor Seiwa (850-880) while […]
Masamune-dono’s Early Life and How He Became a Samurai Warrior Masamune-dono, or Date Masamune, was born on October 22, 1567. His father was “Date Terumune” and his mother was “Mikawa Ujiko”. He became the first daimyo of the Sendai Domain in northern Honshu. The Date clan had been very successful […]
Who is Takeda Shingen? He was born in 1521 to a peasant family who lived near the city of Nagoya. Takeda Shingen was a Samurai who lived from 1521 to 1573. He was from Kai province and he eventually became the head of the Takeda clan. His father died when […]
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was one of the three great unifiers of Japan, along with his former lord, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. He rose to power by exploiting a flaw in the shogunate system. He was able to make his mark on history because of his instrumental role in bringing about […]
Oda Nobunaga was a 16th-century samurai who is revered for his contributions to the unification of Japan. Nobunaga was born in 1534 in one of the most powerful clans of samurai, the Oda clan. His father, Oda Nobuhide, had served under two shoguns (rulers) before he died when Nobunaga was […]
The Tokugawa Shogunate was a feudal Japanese military government, which existed between 1600 and 1868. At the head of the government was the Shogun. All members are referred to as members of the Tokugawa clan, and these years became known as the Edo Period. Following the Sengoku period, which was […]
Known as the medieval knights of Japan, Samurai have captured the attention of the world’s popular culture. With their fascinating ways, lifestyles, and strict code of honor, people have been captivated by their stories. The reign of the Samurai lasted for many centuries in Japan and was ingrained in the […]
The period is known as Azuchi Momoyama (安土桃山時代) spans from 1573-1603. It is the last part of the Sengoku period, which intersected with the Muromachi period. This was a significant time in Japan, as the country drew for breath after the chaos and turmoil that had ensued after the collapse […]
Ashikaga clan was the most powerful military force in the history of Japan. This clan managed to take control of Japan by using their power and cunning. The Ashikaga clan was established by the first shogun, Ashikaga Takauji. The period in which they ruled is called the Ashikaga shogunate. It […]