|
Kennin Rebellion
The Kennin Rebellion was an uprising against the Kamakura shogunate of Japan, instigated by the Jo clan under Jo Nagamochi in 1201. The initial revolt took place at the capital of Heian-kyō, but was easily crushed, whereupon the shogunate destroyed the Jo clan's remaining forces in Echigo Province. The rebellion is mainly remembered due to the participation of Hangaku Gozen, a female samurai, as commander on the rebel side. Background In the 12th century, Japan experienced a period of political change and conflict, as the powerful Taira and Minamoto clans struggled for control of the country. Their conflict also involved other families, including the Jo clan which was descended from a Taira branch and based in Echigo Province. The rivalry eventually resulted in the Genpei War of 1180–1185 during which the Taira were defeated by the Minamoto. The Jo clan fought alongside the Taira during the war. After his victory over the Taira, Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heian-kyō
Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, moving the Imperial Court there from nearby Nagaoka-kyō at the recommendation of his advisor Wake no Kiyomaro and marking the beginning of the Heian period of Japanese history. According to modern scholarship, the city is thought to have been modelled after the urban planning for the Tang dynasty Chinese capital of Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an).. It remained the chief political center until 1185, when the samurai Minamoto clan defeated the Taira clan in the Genpei War, moving administration of national affairs to Kamakura and establishing the Kamakura shogunate. Though political power would be wielded by the samurai class over the course of three different shogunates, Heian remained the site of the Imperial Court and seat of Imperial p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sankei Shimbun
The (short for ) is a daily newspaper in Japan published by the It has the seventh-highest circulation for regional newspapers in Japan. Among Japanese newspapers, the circulation is second only to ''Yomiuri Shimbun'', Seikyo Shimbun, ''Asahi Shimbun'', ''Chunichi Shimbun'', ''Mainichi Shimbun'', ''the Nikkei'', Nikkan Gendai, and Tokyo Sports. This newspaper is not actually a national newspaper, but a block newspaper whose publishing area is Kansai and Kanto. However, it was classified as a "national newspaper" by the reverse course policy of the business world (Keidanren). Corporate profile The ''Sankei Shimbun'' is part of the Fujisankei Communications Group and is 40% owned by Fuji Media Holdings. The company is also the owner of Osaka Broadcasting Corporation (OBC, Radio Osaka). History The ''Sankei Shimbun'' was created by the merger of two older newspapers: ''Jiji News'' and ''Nihon Kogyō Shimbun''. ''Jiji News'' was founded in 1882 by author, translator, and jour ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seppuku
, sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people during the Shōwa period (particularly officers near the end of World War II) to restore honour for themselves or for their families. As a samurai practice, ''seppuku'' was used voluntarily by samurai to die with honour rather than fall into the hands of their enemies (and likely be tortured), as a form of capital punishment for samurai who had committed serious offences, or performed because they had brought shame to themselves. The ceremonial disembowelment, which is usually part of a more elaborate ritual and performed in front of spectators, consists of plunging a short blade, traditionally a ''tantō'', into the belly and drawing the blade from left to right, slicing the belly open. If the cut is deep enough, it can sever the abdominal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dewa Province
was a province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. Dewa bordered on Mutsu and Echigō Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History Early period Prior to the Asuka period, Dewa was inhabited by Ainu or Emishi tribes, and was effectively outside of the control of the Yamato dynasty. Abe no Hirafu conquered the native Emishi tribes at what are now the cities of Akita and Noshiro in 658 and established a fort on the Mogami River. In 708 AD was created within Echigō Province. The area of Dewa District was roughly that of the modern Shōnai area of Yamagata Prefecture, and was gradually extended to the north as the Japanese pushed back the indigenous people of northern Honshū. Dewa District was promoted to the status of a province () in 712 AD, and gained Okitama and Mogami Districts, formerly part of Mutsu Province. A number of military expeditions were sent to the area, with ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They had high prestige and special privileges such as wearing two swords and ''Kiri-sute gomen'' (right to kill anyone of a lower class in certain situations). They cultivated the '' bushido'' codes of martial virtues, indifference to pain, and unflinching loyalty, engaging in many local battles. Though they had predecessors in earlier military and administrative officers, the samurai truly emerged during the Kamakura shogunate, ruling from 1185 to 1333. They became the ruling political class, with significant power but also significant responsibility. During the 13th century, the samurai proved themselves as adept warriors against the invading Mongols. During the peaceful Edo period (1603 to 1868), they became the stewards and chamberlains of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tainai
270px, Tulip fields in Tainai is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 28,495 in 10,821 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km2 (288/sq mi). The total area of the city was . Geography Tainai is located in northern Niigata Prefecture, bordered by Yamagata Prefecture to the east and the Sea of Japan to the west. The city area has an elongated shape from east to west along the Tainai River basin. There are number of dams in Tainai, including the Tainaigawa Dam and Tainai Dam. Surrounding municipalities *Niigata Prefecture ** Murakami ** Shibata ** Sekikawa *Yamagata Prefecture ** Oguni Climate Tainai has a Humid climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tainai is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Last Stand
A last stand is a military situation in which a body of troops holds a defensive position in the face of overwhelming and virtually insurmountable odds. Troops may make a last stand due to a sense of duty; because they are defending a tactically crucial point; to buy time to enable a trapped army, person, or group of people to escape; due to fear of execution if captured; or to protect their ruler or leader. Last stands loom large in history, as the heroism and sacrifice of the defenders exert a large pull on the public's imagination. Some last stands have become a celebrated part of a fighting force's or a country's history, especially if the defenders accomplished their goals (or in rare cases, defeated their attackers). Tactical significance A "last stand" is a last resort tactic, and is chosen because the defending force realizes or believes the benefits of fighting outweigh the benefits of retreat or surrender. This usually arises from strategic or moral considerations, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mount Yoshino
is a mountain located in the town of Yoshino in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan that is a major religious and literary site. It is renowned for its cherry blossoms and attracts many visitors every spring, when the trees are in blossom. In 2004, Mount Yoshino was designated as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name ''Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range''. Mount Yoshino is famous for having more than 30,000 sakura flowering cherry trees. These trees have inspired Japanese ''waka'' poetry and folk songs for centuries, including a ''waka'' in the 10th century poetry compilation ''Kokin Wakashū''. Yoshino is also the subject of several poems in the ''Ogura Hyakunin Isshu''. The 12th century CE Japanese Buddhist poet Saigyō writes of Mount Yoshino's cherry blossoms. Yoshino's cherry trees were planted in four groves at different altitudes, in part so they would come into bloom at different times of the spring. A 1714 account explained ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Go-Toba
was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198. This 12th-century sovereign was named after Emperor Toba, and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Toba". The Japanese word ''go'' has also been translated to mean the "second one"; and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as "Toba the Second" or as "Toba II". Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was . He was also known as Takanari''-shinnō'' He was the fourth son of Emperor Takakura, and thus grandson of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. His mother was Bōmon ''Shokushi'' (坊門殖子) (Empress Dowager Shichijō-in, 七条院), daughter of Bōmon Nobutaka (坊門信隆) of the Fujiwara clan. Consorts and children * Empress (''chūgū''): ''Fujiwara no Ninshi''/Takako (藤原任子) later Gishūmon-in (宜秋門院), Kujō ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese New Year
The is an annual festival with its own customs. Since 1873, the official Japanese New Year has been celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year, . However, some traditional events of the Japanese New Year are partially celebrated on the first day of the year on the modern Tenpō calendar, the last official lunisolar calendar which was used until 1872 in Japan. History Prior to the Meiji period, the date of the Japanese New Year had been based on Japanese versions of lunisolar calendar (the last of which was the Tenpō calendar) and, prior to Jōkyō calendar, the Chinese version. However, in 1873, five years after the Meiji Restoration, Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar and the first day of January became the official and cultural New Year's Day in Japan. Traditional food The Japanese eat a selection of dishes during the New Year celebration called , typically shortened to ''osechi.'' Many of these dishes are sweet, sour, or dried, so the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Okuyama Shōjōkan
The was a ''shōen'', or great landed estate, located in what is now the cities of Tainai and Shibata, Niigata Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan, from the end of the Heian period through the Sengoku period. A series of thirteen ruins were collectively designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1984 as the . Overview ''Shōen'' were private, tax-free, autonomous feudal manors which arose after the decay of the ''ritsuryō'' system. Hereditary landowners, often descendants of estate managers sent by the original stakeholders, commended shares of the revenue produced to more powerful leaders at the court, in return for protection of their independence and tax-free status. The foundation of the estate in the late Heian era is uncertain, but it was held by the Jō clan (城氏), who had the status of a "pioneer developer" (開発領主) and who nominally commended his revenues to one of the Five regent houses. However, after the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
