Statue of Kusunoki Masashige

Another famous samurai passed into legend because of his exemplary behaviour. He briefly helped the Emperor return to power in the 14th Century but the attempt was doomed to failure when the Emperor subsequently ordered him into a futile battle. He obeyed, wrote a death-poem he left with his son and marched to defeat, committing seppuku when the battle became lost.

Tokyo

November 27th 2008
Politeness and the culture clash I've been a sucker for all things Japanese since I was at school. The TV broadcast James Clavell's Shogun and Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha in rapid succession and I was rather taken with the place. So I am a little disappointed in myself that it took so long to come here. I think I know why this is though. To a large extent, writing a ... read more

Asia » Japan » Tokyo

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more

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