Japan Explained

Nanso Satomi Hakkenden or Eight Dog Warriors of the Satomi Clan is a masterpiece of Edo pe... more

This time, let's take a look at what Saigo did, aspired to and dreamed of in the new e... more

Saigo has returned from exile, and in Kyoto his lord, Hisamistu, fights daily with Hitoshu... more

Saigo Takamori, the Great Saigo or the Last Samurai is the ideal Japanese man and one of J... more

Happy Halloween everyone! We started this October with kitsune, and I thought it would be ... more

Kitsune – Japanese foxes, who are they? Multi-tailed shapeshifters, companions of the god ... more

This time let's have a look at the Japanese art of flower arrangement also known as Ik... more

To help me break down the many myths about sake, this time I am joined by Dick Stegewerns,... more

Continuing to uncover the truth about sake, let's see how this beverage is made, which... more

Few things in Japanese culture are covered by so many myths as sake. For example, sake is ... more

This time let's take a look at different types of travellers using the road in the 17t... more

Have you ever heard about Tokaido? If you live in Japan, I bet yes. If you’ve ever visited... more

You asked for it, so this time let's look deep into the bowl of ramen and try to figur... more

In the previous episode, we looked at the origins of ukiyo-e, the development of printing ... more

This time let's talk about art. And speaking of Japanese art, what is the first thing ... more

Why do people go to karaoke? Why in the West people prefer karaoke bars while the East is ... more

This time let's talk about Japanese curry that has a rather short 150-year long histor... more

Perry promised to come back the next year. And so he did. Now, let's check out what ha... more

In 1853 Commodore Perry came to the shores of Japan and "opened" it to the world. ... more

In the second part of Yokai Explained, I'll tell you how strict censorship made yokai ... more

We all love something cooling during the summer heat. And what can be more refreshing than... more

You've asked for it, so today let's dive into a long history of nabe hot pot cuisi... more

The second part of Michizane's story starts with his exile to the island of Kyushu, wh... more

This time I'll tell you about a scholar and a poet, a spirit, Shinto deity and bodhisa... more

The Golden Pavilion also known as Kinkaku-ji is probably one of the most famous places in ... more

There is a rather popular opinion that deer were put to roam streets of Nara as a pure tou... more

This time I'll look deep into the history of Japanese soy sauce, walk you through the ... more

In the first episode, I will address the biggest misconception about Japanese culture and ... more

Hello and welcome to Japan Explained! In this short Intro let me introduce myself and this... more