Japanese literature: Did you mean...?

Statues of the Japanese Tanuki (or Japanese raccoon dog) are found all over Japan, especially around shrines and taverns. The Japanese have many legends about the tanuki, but they are generally believed to be playful and foolish creatures...

The main text starts at 1:18 mark. This book is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China, and considered the greatest of them all. This book is truly epic in its scope, diverse and deep characters and delivery. If you want to try the...

In which John Green teaches you about Homer's Odyssey. If it was Homer's If Homer was even real. Anyway, that stuff doesn't really matter. John teaches you the classic, by which I mean classical, epic poem, the Odyssey. The Journey of Odysseus...

In which John Green teaches you about one of the least family-friendly family dramas in the history of family dramas, Oedipus Rex. Sophocles' most famous play sees it's main character, who seems like he's got it all together, find out that...

Did you know that, according to legend, tea came from the eyelids of a monk? Green Tea in Japan has a long history, dating back to the 8th century where it began its importance in the country as a stimulant for meditating monks. In both...

In Japanese folklore the Shichifukujin are the Seven Lucky Gods who may also be known as the Seven Gods of Happiness or the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. The seven gods are in fact of diverse origin as some are originally from Buddhism, some...

A spoiler free introduction to this text. The content is intended for the students of my high school class. Though if you've stumbled across this video and have found it helpful, I'm glad to have been of use. Intro (0:00) About the...

The 'Tale of the Genji' or Genji Monogatari, written in the 11th century CE by Murasaki Shikibu, a court lady, is Japan's oldest novel and possibly the first novel in world literature. The classic of Japanese literature, the work describes...

The “Ancient Japan” initiative at Ancient History Encyclopedia arose as there is a dearth of open access and digitally curated information concerning early Japanese history available online and in English. East and Southeast Asia are arguably...

The 'horse-rider theory' is a controversial proposal that Japan was conquered around the 4th or 5th century CE by a culture from northern Asia to whom the horse was especially important. Although archaeological evidence and genetics point...