Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire 03.avi

This excellent PBS documentary series consists of three parts of 1 hour each covering Japanese history from the arrival of the Portuguese in 1543 to the arrival of Perry and the Americans in 1854. Narrated by Richard Chamberlain, interspersed with interviews of Western and Japanese academics, this fascinating show is illustrated with re-enactments and period art work. Part I covers the Momoyama period of civil war through Nobunaga to Hideyoshi and tells of the rise of Tokugawa Ieasu and ends with the siege of Osaka castle in 1615. Part II covers the Tokugawa Shogunate from 1603 to the Shimabara rebellion in 1638, which led to the closure of Japan under Ieasu's grandson. Western influence, including Christianity, is important in this period. Part III covers the period of Japanese isolation, from the time of the Dutch concession in Nagasaki harbor up to the arrival of American commodore Matthew Perry in 1854. The Samurai class declines during this period as the merchant class rises, Japanese culture flourishes, and Edo (Tokyo) becomes the largest city in the world.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Japan
• History
• Tokyo
• Osaka
• Shogun
• Samurai
• Edo
• Tokugawa

[Byron10301]

@ZephonTLucifer No dear, remember: you are an idiot first, THEN an american ....

[ZephonTLucifer]

I hate America...and IM American.

[Dzubur93]

@ZephonTLucifer all countries have made mistakes

[ZephonTLucifer]

@Byron10301 I'm an idiot for hating my countries history? No little sausage, you're a bigger idiot with zero perception.

[neverbefree1000]

japans food rocks.... abet pricey.

[BVargas78]

@Ryukikon most the people benefitted however, life in japan was no bed of roses if you were from the peasant caste, and their conditions improved. Japan also realised it could play off the great powers against each other, and it became more powerful than ever before. Though that then led to an even greater downfall, in ww2.

[Ryukikon]

didn't really like the end tone. While I do not like oppressive governments. Forcing a people by gun point to choose your ideas and give up their way of life is wrong.

[BVargas78]

My thanks also!

[RoundTop1000]

Thanks for uploading the entire documentary. The page on my Richard Chamberlain's webbiography dedicated to this documentary features your videos.

RoundTop1000