Japanese history

We try to strike it rich with a tour of an Edo-era gold mine and a gold panning workshop

Okay, so the mine might be closed…but maybe we can make bank on gold dust!

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Nephew receives SD card after his uncle passes away, finds treasure trove of gems from the past

Over 16,000 newly discovered photos show the beauty and hardships of old Japan. 

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Wear a Japanese warlord’s armor as a watch by supporting this crowdfunding campaign

Can they raise the funds to make this traditional masterpiece of an accessory?

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Japanese Twitter realizes that talking about the NES now is the same as old men talking about WW2

Oh crap. Has it really been that long?

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We eat Japan’s oldest sweet, available at only one store in all of Japan

Edo period confectionery store learnt the secret recipe from a monk on a mountain in Kyoto. 

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Crowdfunded samurai sword-inspired kitchen knives now available for general sale

Now anyone can pretend to use Oda Nobunaga’s sword to cut onions!

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Japanese video shows what life was like in Tokyo and Mt Fuji over 100 years ago

Famous sites like Ueno Park and Sensoji temple look amazingly like they do today, but the people look entirely different.

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Edo-Period Japanese book depicts U.S. history in hilariously awesome illustrations

It may not be historically accurate, but it’s one-hundred percent real!

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Japan once had a sightseeing cable car at Shibuya Station 【Video】

People used to travel on a ropeway between department store rooftops overlooking today’s scramble crossing.

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Why is “Akihabara” shortened to “Akiba?” The historical reason may surprise you

Yeah, wait a minute. Why isn’t it shortened to “Akiha” instead?

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This Valentine’s Day, wow your special someone with boozy samurai warlord chocolates!

They’re tasty, pretty, educational, AND contain liquor, so they’re guaranteed to please!

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Finger Dance Makeup: Shiseido reveals the history of Japanese makeup through finger dance【Video】

From Heian Period ladies to today’s modern girls, Shiseido finds a unique way to showcase dramatic changes in beauty trends over the years.

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Top 20 castles to visit in Japan in 2017

Experience Japanese history through castles both intact and…not intact.

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Impress your Japanese history professor with this T-shirt

It could even double as a cheat sheet for your next exam!

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Japan Archives offers a (free) trip back through Japanese history via visual media

A new website looks back on 150 years of modern Japanese history in visual format.

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Everything you wanted to know about the Ainu, with photos and video【Rocketpedia】

Bear sacrifice, female tattooing and fish-skin boots are all hallmarks of Ainu culture. Join us as we learn about Japan’s indigenous people and watch an intriguing video about their way of life.

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Old postcards reveal famous Japanese tourist spots as they appeared 100 years ago

Glossy postcards of today have nothing on these atmospheric images.

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This is easily the most entertaining Japanese history video we’ve ever seen【Video】

This video might not help you ace a final, but it will definitely help you get motivated to study Japanese history.

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Kanazawa’s historic “ninja temple” is packed full of hidden rooms, pitfalls, and more

With its rich history, visitors to Japan have no lack of interesting sites to see, from imperial palaces to castles, to the seemingly endless shrines and temples all across the country. Each spot has its own particular attraction that draws tourists in for a visit, from the giant Kaminarimon lantern at Tokyo’s Sensoji Temple, to the literally thousands of torii shrine gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto.

But here’s one temple you don’t want to forget to add to your itinerary: nicknamed the “Ninja Temple“, Myouritsu Temple is not just your ordinary run-of-the-mill Buddhist sanctuary. Full of secrets and surprises, adults and children alike are sure to enjoy what this special place has to offer.

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Dine like a samurai on the night of the Ikedaya Incident at Kyoto-themed restaurant in Tokyo

If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Kyomachi, the old streets of Kyoto, there’s a special dining establishment in Tokyo that will take you there. The Kyomachi Koishigure restaurant features private dining rooms, red bridges, bamboo corridors and a running stream so you can enjoy all the traditional beauty of Kyoto without having to leave the nation’s capital.

And now, for a limited time only, the restaurant will take you back in time to the late Edo period, with a special “fair” that recreates the infamous Ikedaya Incident, a significant moment in Japan’s history when a group of masterless samurai were ambushed at Kyoto’s Ikedaya Inn.

As part of the experience, diners can enjoy a specially designed menu inside a recreation of the inn, and staff dressed as members of a sword-wielding police force who “ambush” your private room every time you place an order.

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