If you ever visit Kumamoto Castle you’ll notice this statue inside without much explanation. The soldier’s name is Tanimura Keisuke and he served at the castle when it was besieged by Saigo Takamori’s rebels during the Satsuma Rebellion / Seinan…
Hoichi the Earless and Lafcadio Hearn
Centuries ago in Akamagaseki on Honshu’s southern shore, lived a blind biwa (lute) player named Hoichi at Amidaji Temple. A skilled musician, it was said his musical rendition of the tragic tale of the Battle of Dan-no-ura could move even…
Tabaruzaka: A Japanese Gettysburg
Atop a certain hilltop in Kumamoto Prefecture is a serene park, with lanes of cherry trees and azaleas on its terraced hillside. It has a commanding view of the quiet farming community in the river valley beneath it and the…