These shrewd leaders led their armies to multiple victories on the battlefield that put the island nation closer to unification after decades of political turmoil. Three samurais helped to unify the ...

When feudal Japan's most powerful warlord Nobunaga Oda met Yasuke, a Black slave-turned-retainer, in 1581, he believed the man was a god. Oda had never seen an African before. And like the locals in ...

This module focuses on Japan’s medieval period, including the Kamakura (1185-1333), the Muromachi (1336-1573), and the Momoyama (1573-1603) shogunates. Photograph ...

The samurai warriors of medieval Japan are among the most coopted figures in history. Their legend has been used to do everything from rally popular support for military regimes to sell French fries.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix is to launch Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan, a docu-drama about the warring kingdoms of feudal Japan that is described as a real-life Game of Thrones. The series is a ...

This 1605 drawing of a Black sumo wrestler may depict Yasuke. Illustration by Meilan Solly / Photos via Wikimedia Commons under public domain Seconds into the first episode of the Netflix anime ...

Teachers are encouraged to read “Medieval Japan: An Introductory Essay,” by historian Ethan Segal, prior to conducting this lesson. The introductory essay may also be assigned to students with ...

When feudal Japan’s most powerful warlord Nobunaga Oda met Yasuke, a black slave-turned-retainer, in 1581, he believed the man was a god. Oda had never seen an African before. And like the locals in ...