This series is about the Japanese home front in and around Sasebo, Japan during World War II. It is not a condemnation or critique of actions taken by either side during the war but rather a look at the civilian…
Osaka Castle: Home of Toyotomi
It is 1583. Oda Nobunaga has been assassinated, and Nobunga’s right hand man, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, has avenged his death and is in the process of consolidating his own power. Of course, the aspiring ruler needed a palace worthy of…
The Japanese Homefront IV: From the Beginning to the End: Hario Wireless Transmitting Station and Uragashira Repatriation Center Peace Museum
This series is about the Japanese home front in and around Sasebo, Japan during World War II. It is not a condemnation or critique of actions taken by either side during the war but rather a look at the civilian…
The Ruins of Japan
As I’ve traveled around Japan, I have found a number of places referred to as “ruins”. Castle ruins, temple ruins and palace ruins are scattered all across Japan. The idea of ruins here though, are a bit different than…
The Merchants of Takayama
Over New Years this last year, the other Dave and I spent the holidays, as we often do, traveling around Japan together. This year’s main target was the stunningly beautiful village of Shirakawa-go in northern Gifu. Along the way,…
The Japanese Home Front I: Learning About the Sasebo Air Raid at the Sasebo Peace Museum (Air Raid Reference Room)
This series is about the Japanese home front in and around Sasebo, Japan, during World War II. It is not a condemnation or critique of actions taken by either side during the war but rather a look at the civilian…
David’s Top Five Tanks at the Bovington Tank Museum
Inspired by the recent Tank Museum Top 5 Tanks videos from the Mighty Jingles and Lindybeige, I’ve decided to pick my own favorite five tanks from that museum. The Tank Museum in Bovington, England, possess one the largest collections…
Genpei – Rise of the Shoguns
The court is in turmoil. The child Emperor has died, leaving no heirs. The two most powerful noble families each have their favorite successor. The head of one family serves has served as chancellor for the last twenty years after…
Consecrated in the Blood of Two Peoples: Mariveles, Corregidor and the Capas National Shrine (Part II)
Our next destination was supposed to be Corregidor, but we got side tracked in Mariveles on the way down. We were heading south to see about renting a banca, the traditional Filipino outrigger boat, which could take us out to…
Nagoya Castle: History Lost and Regained
This week, in between Mr. Krigbaum’s articles on WWII in The Philippines, I will go back to talking about castles here in Japan. Nagoya Castle is a grand reconstructed castle a couple of hours south of Tokyo by shinkansen with…