Meow Meow Japanese History

You can't have a revolution without muscle, and nobody during the Bakumatsu had more muscle than Saigo Takamori. See how the big brother of the Meiji restoration helped take down the Shogunate!

Whether or not Abe no Seimei had actual supernatural powers might be in doubt, but his status as a superstar of Heian Kyoto can't be denied. Learn about the onmyoji who would go on to be called the Merlin of Japan.

Sakamoto Ryoma's thirst for adventure put him at the center of the action during the fall of the shogunate. And how can you have high adventure in the 1800s without your own ship?

Factional disputes always a concern with politics, but when it escalates into total chaos, it can spell the downfall of a government. And as the strength of the Ashikaga shogunate was sapped by conflicts within, it would set a stage for century long tumult of the Sengoku period...

There are burial mounds that still stand in Japan in modern times as monuments to important cats of the ancient past. Learn all about them in in this episode.

Get a look at Murasaki Shikibu's classical literary romance epic, and see how she had the court of Heian Japan on pins and needles waiting for each new installment.

The Maeda clan were loyal subjects of the Oda and Toyotomi clans as they exerted influence over Sengoku Japan. This episode is all about one of it's most notable figures, and doting husband, Maeda Toshiie!

There are a lot of smart cats throughout history, but it takes a lot to be deified as a god of learning! Learn about how the scholarly Sugawara no Michizane earned his reputation for wisdom, and how his influence extended into well after his death.

The difference between Date Masamune and other Sengoku warlords? He made it look good. This time we're going to see exactly how the One-Eyed Dragon tried to unify Japan!

The Shinsengumi were famously fierce fighters, and it's said Okita Soji was the the best among them. This is his story, from days training in the Shieikan dojo, to his position as captain of the Shinsengumi's first unit.

While the cat known as Minamoto no Yoshitsune struggled under his brother's animosity, there was at least one bright spot in his dogged life: the beautiful shirabyoshi dancer, Shizuka Gozen, who was often at his side.

The Yagyu clan were famous as the stewards of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school, and even among that group of master swordcats, one name stood out from the others: the legendary samurai, Yagyu Jubei!

The Kojiki is a collection of Japan's ancient legends and early myths. In this episode, learn about how they were compiled, and sample the tales held within.

The monk known as Ikkyu had a unique perspective that left a big impact on the culture of the Muromachi period. This episode features the story of his high born origins and the intellectual rigors of studying in a temple.

Kyokutei Bakin spent 28 years telling the epic tale of Nanso Satomi Hakkenden, which numbered a total of 106 volumes upon completion. But if you're in a rush to get the broad strokes, here's a summary for you that'll take less than ten minutes!

The Kojiki, and this episode, tells the story of Yamato Takeru, an imperial prince who struggled to distinguish himself from his countless siblings and ended up becoming a legendary hero in the process.

Cats are natural born ninja, so who better to explain the kind of trouble that the historical agents of subterfuge got up to?

Despite the associations that have become attached to his name, Hattori Hanzo wasn't actually a ninja himself. But despite that, the fierce Tokugawa samurai from the ninja province of Iga proved to be a force of nature.

Kano Eitoku was a master painter, who produced painted screens for the likes of Oda Nobunaga and Ashikaga Yoshiteru. Find out what it takes for an artist to mesmerize the military monsters of the Sengoku wars!

Katsura Kotaro of Choshu and Saigo Takamori of Satsuma. These two would be the lyncpins of the Joi revolution that disposed of Tokugawa rule, but they didn't always get along.

Thanks to Sakamoto Ryoma's peacemaking, the groups trying to end the Tokugawa shogunate and restore imperial rule are now on the same page. With the Shinsengumi prowling the streets of Tokyo looking for rebels, who will come out on top?

Oda Nobunaga's conquest of Japan made him a lot of enemies. And after an attack on the Asakura clan, allies to his brother-in-law Azai Nagamasa, he inadvertently gives rise to a partnership that might spell his own doom!

When your temples are made of wood, and your elaborate religious works of art are also made of wood, fire is bad news. Thankfully a pair of sculpting aces like Unkei and Kaikei around to make up for any lost works!

The Fujiwara clan were a dominant force in the politics of Heian era Japan. So much so that even military powerhouses like the Minamoto brothers turned to them for patronage!