japan

Oda Nobunaga, The Fierce Warrior Who Became Japan’s First ‘Great Unifier’

Before his death in 1582, Oda Nobunaga conquered much of central Japan and laid the groundwork for the unification of the country, making him the first of three "Great Unifiers" in Japanese history.

By Wyatt Redd • Jan 5, 2025

Oda Nobunaga, The Fierce Warrior Who Became Japan’s First ‘Great Unifier’

Before his death in 1582, Oda Nobunaga conquered much of central Japan and laid the groundwork for the unification of the country, making him the first of three "Great Unifiers" in Japanese history.

By Wyatt Redd • January 5, 2025

Inside The Fascinating History Of Sumo Wrestling, From Its Ritualistic Roots To The Present Day

Although sumo wrestling is Japan's national sport today, it started as a Shinto harvest ritual more than 1,500 years ago and once even served as a form of combat training for samurai.

By Amber Morgan • Nov 17, 2024

Inside The Fascinating History Of Sumo Wrestling, From Its Ritualistic Roots To The Present Day

Although sumo wrestling is Japan's national sport today, it started as a Shinto harvest ritual more than 1,500 years ago and once even served as a form of combat training for samurai.

By Amber Morgan • November 17, 2024

44 Nostalgic Photos Of When Pokémania Took Over The World

From planes decorated with Pikachu to Pokémon-shaped noodles, these vintage images capture the pinnacle of Pokémania.

By Austin Harvey • Nov 6, 2024

44 Nostalgic Photos Of When Pokémania Took Over The World

From planes decorated with Pikachu to Pokémon-shaped noodles, these vintage images capture the pinnacle of Pokémania.

By Austin Harvey • November 6, 2024

This Ancient Skeleton Just Allowed Researchers To Finally Solve The Mystery Of How Japan’s Population Was Formed

Remains dating back 2,300 years suggest that the current genome of Japan started to form when immigrants from the Korean Peninsula mixed with the native Jomon population during the Yayoi period.

By Amber Morgan • Oct 15, 2024

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This Ancient Skeleton Just Allowed Researchers To Finally Solve The Mystery Of How Japan’s Population Was Formed

Remains dating back 2,300 years suggest that the current genome of Japan started to form when immigrants from the Korean Peninsula mixed with the native Jomon population during the Yayoi period.

By Amber Morgan • October 15, 2024

What Is Seppuku And How Was It Carried Out? Newly Translated Samurai Texts Reveal Some Surprising Answers

Four samurai texts dating back centuries have recently been translated into English, complicating Western notions about the practice of ritual suicide known as seppuku.

By Austin Harvey • Oct 2, 2024

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What Is Seppuku And How Was It Carried Out? Newly Translated Samurai Texts Reveal Some Surprising Answers

Four samurai texts dating back centuries have recently been translated into English, complicating Western notions about the practice of ritual suicide known as seppuku.

By Austin Harvey • October 2, 2024

The Heartwarming Story Behind The Hachikō Statue, The Bronze Dog That Watches Over A Tokyo Train Station

The bronze statue of Hachikō the Akita that stands outside of Shibuya Station in Tokyo memorializes the loyal dog who spent nearly 10 years waiting for a train to bring his dead owner home.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 28, 2024

The Heartwarming Story Behind The Hachikō Statue, The Bronze Dog That Watches Over A Tokyo Train Station

The bronze statue of Hachikō the Akita that stands outside of Shibuya Station in Tokyo memorializes the loyal dog who spent nearly 10 years waiting for a train to bring his dead owner home.

By Austin Harvey • September 28, 2024

Inside The Tokaimura Nuclear Accident Of 1999 And Its Grisly Aftermath

On the morning of September 30, 1999, Hisashi Ouchi, Masato Shinohara, and Yutaka Yokokawa were preparing uranium-enriched fuel at a plant near Tōkai, Japan, when they triggered a nuclear reaction that killed Ouchi and Shinohara and exposed hundreds of others to high levels of radiation.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 21, 2024

Inside The Tokaimura Nuclear Accident Of 1999 And Its Grisly Aftermath

On the morning of September 30, 1999, Hisashi Ouchi, Masato Shinohara, and Yutaka Yokokawa were preparing uranium-enriched fuel at a plant near Tōkai, Japan, when they triggered a nuclear reaction that killed Ouchi and Shinohara and exposed hundreds of others to high levels of radiation.

By Austin Harvey • September 21, 2024

44 Yōkai Images That Illustrate The Weird, Wonderful, And Sometimes Wacky World Of Japanese Folklore

Yōkai are supernatural beings like kappas, demons, and even haunted household objects that have appeared in Japanese art and folklore for centuries.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 16, 2024

44 Yōkai Images That Illustrate The Weird, Wonderful, And Sometimes Wacky World Of Japanese Folklore

Yōkai are supernatural beings like kappas, demons, and even haunted household objects that have appeared in Japanese art and folklore for centuries.

By Austin Harvey • September 16, 2024

Archaeologists Discover A 17th-Century Samurai Sword In A Cellar Beneath Berlin

Archaeologists conducting excavations in Berlin's historic Molkenmarkt area discovered an authentic 17th-century Japanese wakizashi, a type of short sword used by samurai in feudal Japan.

By Amber Morgan • Aug 26, 2024

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Archaeologists Discover A 17th-Century Samurai Sword In A Cellar Beneath Berlin

Archaeologists conducting excavations in Berlin's historic Molkenmarkt area discovered an authentic 17th-century Japanese wakizashi, a type of short sword used by samurai in feudal Japan.

By Amber Morgan • August 26, 2024

Three Shipwrecks From World War II’s Battle Of Attu Discovered Off The Coast Of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands

Known as the "forgotten battle," May 1943's Battle of Attu was the only clash during World War II that was fought in North America.

By Austin Harvey • Aug 20, 2024

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Three Shipwrecks From World War II’s Battle Of Attu Discovered Off The Coast Of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands

Known as the "forgotten battle," May 1943's Battle of Attu was the only clash during World War II that was fought in North America.

By Austin Harvey • August 20, 2024