Minamoto Yoritomo and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine: The Birthplace of Japan's Samurai Government
03/08/2023
Why did Minamoto no Yoritomo—not the military genius Yoshitsune—found Japan's first samurai government? Discover Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, where the age of the samurai began.
Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei: The 1200-Year Eternal Light of Japanese Buddhism
03/08/2023
Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei, founded by Saichō, is the “Mother of Japanese Buddhism.” Though attacked by shoguns and even Oda Nobunaga, its Eternal Light has burned for more than 1,200 years.
Why was Nagoya Castle Built? For the Iron Defense of the Tokugawa shogunate
03/08/2023
Nagoya Castle was built by a warlord, Tokugawa Ieyasu, as a solid fortress in 1612, just two years before the Winter Siege of Osaka against the Toyotomi clan. After Ieyasu's victory, Nagoya Castle kept the western lords in check in the middle of the Tokaido road connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Osaka. He was eager to […]