Category: Nara

Nara Folk Tales – BONUS

March 8, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 17: Nara Folk Tales – BONUS

Visit the Japanese Historical Text Initiative!

Special thanks to the Association for Asian Studies for granting permission for me read aloud from Tales of Earth and Wind: A Translation of Fudoki, with Introduction and Commentaries!

Selections from the Man’yoshu – BONUS

March 1, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 16: Selections from the Man’yoshu – BONUS

Visit this site to see more of the Man’yoshu’s poetry!

Check out 1000 Poems from the Manyoshu on Amazon! (not an affiliate link)

Emperor Kammu’s Big Moves

February 22, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

This site has a great rundown of the Battle of Subuse with diagrams and illustrations – http://emishi-ezo.net/Conquest/Subuse.html

Season 4, Episode 15: Emperor Kammu’s Big Moves

Emperor Kammu, artist unknown. Source: Public Domain

A scale model reconstruction of Nagaoka-Kyo’s palace and courtyard. Source: Public Domain

All that remains of Nagaoka-kyo today: a solitary pilar which serves as a memorial monument to the short-lived capital. Source: Public Domain

Miniature scale model of Heian-kyo as it existed in former times. Today it is the city of Kyoto. Source:Public Domain

Tōhoku Troubles

February 18, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 14: Tōhoku Troubles

A map of Japan with the Tohoku region highlighted. While today it is composed of six prefectures, in the Nara Period it had only two administrative divisions: Dewa and Mutsu. Source: TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Reign of Emperor Kōnin

February 15, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 13: The Reign of Emperor Kōnin

A drawing of Emperor Kōnin. Source: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Reign of Empress Shōtoku

February 11, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 12: The Reign of Empress Shōtoku

A statue of Wake Kiyomaro, the man who was sent to verify the gods’ message at Usa Hachimangu and instead risked his life by refusing to distort the oracle he was given. This statue is fairly historically accurate, right down to the Jian-style straight-bladed sword which was still common during the Nara Period. Source: by Reggaeman, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

The Usa Hachimangu Shrine as it exists today. Source: Dana + LeRoy Bunward, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fujiwara Troubles

February 8, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 11: Fujiwara Troubles

A diagram of Fujiwara Nakamaro’s failed attempt at rebellion. Source: Bamse, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Short But Eventful Reign of Emperor Junnin

February 4, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 10: The Short But Eventful Reign of Emperor Junnin

We didn’t cover the An Lushan Rebellion in depth this episode, but you can see its massive scale on this battle map. It’s not surprising, given the huge areas of land involved, that such massive casualties resulted from this affair. Source: SY, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Because his reign was so short, and because he was prevented from accomplishing much during what little time he had, Emperor Junnin was not a popular figure among Japanese artists. Thus, all I have to show you is his tomb. Source: Public Domain

Tachibana Troubles

February 1, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 9: Tachibana Troubles

Empress Kōmyō painted by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai in the early 1800s. Source: Public Domain

Empress Kōken. Source: Public Domain

Fujiwara Toyonari, who may have been part of Naramaro’s conspiracy and had to play sick to avoid being exiled to Dazaifu. Source: Public Domain

Emperor Shōmu’s Big Moves

January 28, 2021 justin-david-hebert Comments Off

Season 4, Episode 8: Emperor Shōmu’s Big Moves

Todaiji as it exists today. You can get an idea of its sheer mass by comparing its size with the people in the foreground. Source: Wiiii, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A scale model of Todaiji as it existed in Emperor Shōmu’s time. It was actually larger than the massive structure that exists today. Source: 名古屋太郎, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Daibutsu statue at Todaiji. This monument has also suffered its share of tragedy throughout history, as the original head fell off in 855 and had to be remade. Source: Public Domain

The ruins of Kuni-kyō, one of many capitals which Emperor Shōmu attempted to construct. Source: 663highland, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons