Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans—all were part of the Japanese “renaissance”; a period between the 16th and 19th Centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace. But stability came at a price: for nearly 250 years, Japan was a land closed to the Western world, ruled by the Shogun under his absolute power and control. Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire brings to life the unknown story of a mysterious empire, its relationship with the West, and the forging of a nation that would emerge as one of the most important countries in the world.
Producer: Lyn Goldfarb, Deborah Ann DeSnoo
Himself - UC Santa Barbera
Narrator
Himself - Nikko Toshogu Shrine
Himself - Former Editor, 'Monumenta Nipponica'
Herself - Otsuma Women's University
No overview available.
3 episodes
Tokugawa Ieyasu unifies Japan and establishes a dynasty that will rule Japan for over 250 years.
Runtime: 56 minThe grandson of Ieyasu, Tokugawa Iemitsu, tightens control over Japan's warlords and expels all foreigners.
Runtime: 56 minIsolated from the West, 18th century Edo flourishes culturally and economically, becoming one of the liveliest cities in the world. But foreign forces are coming.
Runtime: 56 min