Siege of Osaka: The Last of Toyotomi & Begining of Tokugawa Era
Toyotomi Hideyori, A Wise Man In 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598, 豊臣秀吉), who had risen from a peasant to become the ruler of Japan as regent, passed away, leaving behind his five-year-old son, Hideyori (1593-1615, 豊臣秀頼). In 1600, the Battle of Sekigahara broke out between Ishida Mitsunari (1560-1600, 石田三成), a loyal vassal of the Toyotomi, and […]
Matsue Castle, Festival, and Tea Culture by Two Great Matsue Lords
Amid the chants of ‘Horan Enya’, around 100 boats, adored with performers wearing colorful splendid costumes, sail through rivers between Lake Shinji and Nakaumi Lagoon in Matsue, the capital of Shimane prefecture. The Horan-Enya Festival is one of three major Shinto boat rituals in Japan, alongside the Tenjin Festival of Osaka Tenmangu Shrine and the […]
Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Seeking a Peaceful World Even After Death
Nikko Toshogu Shrine enshrines the spirit of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who laid the foundation for a peaceful era that lasted for 260 years. After settling the turbulent era, Ieyasu's ambition was to secure lasting prosperity and national peace. He faced many adversities in his life: fourteen-year hostage and Ikko-riot of the Jodo Shinsu sect of Buddhism […]
Kenrokuen, a Scenic Garden, the Maeda Clan's Survival Strategy
Kenrokuen garden in Kanazawa is a symbol of Maeda Toshiie, Toshinaga, and Toshitsune, the great lords who protected Kaga's one million koku domain against the Tokugawa Shogunate. Thier strategy was brilliant.
Shugakuin Imperial Villa: Emperor Gomiziunoo's Villa Life
Shugakuin Imperial Villa is surrounded by a courtly atmosphere, and its beauty is beyond description. This magnificent villa was built by the 108th Emperor Gomizunoo (1596-1680, 後水尾天皇) after his abdication. Emperor Gomizunoo ascended to the throne at a young age as the Tokugawa Shogunate consolidated its solid political system in pursuit of a centralized feudal […]
Kyoto Imperial Palace, Successive Emperor's Residence
The Heian-kyo had been the center of the nation where the successive emperors resided for over 1200 years since the capital relocation from Nara in 794 by the 50th Emperor Kanmu until 1869 when Emperor Meiji moved to Tokyo, one year after the Meiji Restoration. The highlight is the beautiful Shishinden Hall with its cypress […]
Shoko Shuseikan, The Wise Lord Shimazu Nariakira Seeded a Modern Nation
Shoko Shuseikan Museum, registered as one of "Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution, encompassing Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, and Coal Mining," is a group of factories established in 1851 by Shimazu Nariakira (1809-1858, 島津斉彬), the 28th head of the Shimazu clan and the lord of Satsuma domain. With the threat of Western powers expanding into Asia becoming […]
Nagoya of Art and Culture, Tokugawa Yoshinao's Achievement
Within the Honmaru Palace of Nagoya Castle, esteemed artists of the Kano school, including Kano Tanyu (1602-1674, 狩野探幽), painted the finest sliding door paintings of tigers, pine trees, and other motifs. The 1,049 sliding door paintings survived the war and were completely restored and copied. These invaluable treasures continue to be precious gems that convey […]
Taichoro, The Most Beautiful Guest Room Admired by the Korean Envoy
The view from Taichoro at Fukuzen-ji Temple, a reception hall and the guest lodge for the Korean Envoy, is a dignified beauty like a picturesque landscape framed by wooden columns. This scenic vista extends to the Sensuijima and Benten-jima islands in the east, while the Shikoku Mountains are in the distance, overlooking the Seto Inland […]
Honpoji Temple, The Precursor of the Rimpa School, Hon'ami Koetsu's World of Faith and Beauty
The tender green of the trees from outside is reflected on the polished stone floor at Honpoji Temple in Kyoto. The colors shimmer on the black surface and create a tranquil atmosphere. It’s incredibly beautiful. Honpoji Temple stands as one of the temples within the Nichiren Sect of Buddhism, established by Priest Nisshin during the […]