A History of Japan

In this episode, the Shang Dynasty falls and the Zhou Dynasty rises to take its place. But being the faction at the top is harder than it looks, and over time the Zhou suffer a gradual decline. However, the political and philosophical ideas which they nurtured continue to influence East Asian thought today. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at...

As bronze and iron implements gradually made their way to Japan from China, they began to transform the culture of the Yayoi people in some very interesting ways. In this episode, we'll explore those changes and the larger effects on the emerging Yayoi polities as well as Japan as a whole. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barn...

The early Yayoi period was largely egalitarian, with village leaders being chosen on their own merits. By the end of the period, a strict hierarchy emerged between commoners and a hereditary elite. In this episode, we'll explore the broad strokes of how this change came about, and explore the archaeology that informs our understanding. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's C...

Starting around 1000 BCE, the Yayoi people began emigrating to Japan from the Korean Peninsula. They brought something along with them that would change Japan forever: Rice Agriculture. But did they come as conquerors or friends, and how can we tell? Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Booksho...

Meet the mysterious masked stranger behind the voice, and learn when to expect season 2! Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms! 

In this bonus episode, we'll explore some of the dinosaurs that were native to Japan millions of years before humans even existed! Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms! 

The story of the biggest hoax in the history of Japanese Archaeology. WARNING: this episode talks about suicide. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online p...

The Jōmon people suffered calamities which caused many of them to abandon their western settlements and relocate to the northeast, leaving Kyushu and western Honshu relatively empty. Enter the Yayoi: the people who brought large-scale agriculture to Japan. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , B...

From creating rice and millet agriculture to forging political dynasties, China and Korea went through many important changes during the Jōmon period as well. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms! 

The Jōmon people were the best at what they did, and what they did was... pottery! The ceramics of ancient Japan are fascinating and they tell an interesting story of a people adapting to a changing world. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms! 

We shift our focus to the far north to the ancient Ainu people who lived on Hokkaido and Sakhalin, then to the far south to the ancient Ryukyuan people who live on Okinawan Islands. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms! 

We begin 35,000 years ago with the earliest known humans who lived on Japan, the paleolithic hunter-gatherers, followed by the semi-sedentary Jōmon people. Little is known for certain about either group, but I try to construct a basic outline for what their lives would have been like. Support the show  My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & N...