Thank you very much for your`s opinions. My name is Kris, I live in Poland, Europe. For a dozen or so years I have been a collector of swords and other weapons from old Japan. The history of Japan has become my passion, especially the time of the Koto sword, until the end of the Sengoku Jidaji era. For several years I have been building a website "The tale of Japan and the samurai sword", a collection of basic knowledge about the history of the sword and the history of Japan. This is a project aimed at beginner collectors of Nihonto and people interested in old Japan. I am constantly looking for materials, stories about the fates of interesting characters, less known in historical studies. That's how I came across Samurai History & Culture. For me, Heike Monogatari perfectly shows those times.
We share the same name, with different spelling,...I'm Chris too. Your name is shared with the Indonesian and Javanese sword called the Kris! Your web site sounds interesting. Very glad to have you as a member of this Samurai History & Culture site.
In my opinion, the word "Brutal" cannot be used here, rather the word "Destiny". Toyotomi Hideyoi's destiny was death. Since the times of the legendary Emperor Jinmu, a descendant of the goddess Amaterasu, Japan has been a world ruled by dictators, despots. Let's remember that these are terms created by our civilization, describing a system of government in which violence is a tool. It was normal, neither bad nor good. Our civilization opened the doors to democracy, a system unknown in the world at that time. In order to learn and understand the history of the Yamato state, the history of Japan in the times of the Koto sword (the real sword of war), the history of Japan in the times of the Tokugawa shoguns - the times of the Shinto and Shinshinto swords (the "jewelry" sword), one cannot look from the perspective of our civilization, our understanding of good and evil. This is of course my own opinion. Moving back to those times, I try to free myself from our system of values. Only the strongest could provide Japan with peace after hundreds of years of civil wars, a strong central authority. The fate of the weaker ones who stood on the other side was death.
"The Jetavana Temple bells ring the passing of all things. Twinned sal trees, white in full flower, declare the great man's certain fall. The arrogant do not long endure: They are like a dream one night in spring. The bold and brave perish in the end: They are as dust before the wind." [Heike Monogatari]
Excellent comments, Krzysztof San,...and I do agree that we should always consider history from the perspective of the times. That is something even modern historians often fail to do. I believe that by saying "Brutal", Helly San was saying he enjoyed the article, (like saying "That's BAD! when you mean "good") rather than "brutal" being the case at hand. Again, thank you for your comments, and look forward to hearing more from you.
Ever since I read Sekigahara book, I couldn't imagine that another campaign could generate a better book, but for months I've been thinking that even though other prestigious authors have partially covered this event, NO ONE better than you, with the knowledge, the specialty in castles and the pertinent geographical positioning, to write the definitive record of this!!! Please, take into account your historical and geographical advantage! We deserve a book in the style of yours, about these campaigns.
Thank you for the vote of confidence. I was supposed to have had one book in English and another in Japanese at the publishers last year, but have been so busy, neither are completed! Have you read my book on Todo Takatora? That one also mentions the Winter and Summer Sieges of Osaka in a bit of detail.
Yes, of course! I am a faithful reader! I have always wanted to ask you for an article with more context about the call for Amnesty that Todo Takatora made to professional shinobi on behalf of the Shogunate so that they would be legalized, giving way - I believe - to modern evolution as state employees.
Thank you very much for your`s opinions. My name is Kris, I live in Poland, Europe. For a dozen or so years I have been a collector of swords and other weapons from old Japan. The history of Japan has become my passion, especially the time of the Koto sword, until the end of the Sengoku Jidaji era. For several years I have been building a website "The tale of Japan and the samurai sword", a collection of basic knowledge about the history of the sword and the history of Japan. This is a project aimed at beginner collectors of Nihonto and people interested in old Japan. I am constantly looking for materials, stories about the fates of interesting characters, less known in historical studies. That's how I came across Samurai History & Culture. For me, Heike Monogatari perfectly shows those times.
We share the same name, with different spelling,...I'm Chris too. Your name is shared with the Indonesian and Javanese sword called the Kris! Your web site sounds interesting. Very glad to have you as a member of this Samurai History & Culture site.
In my opinion, the word "Brutal" cannot be used here, rather the word "Destiny". Toyotomi Hideyoi's destiny was death. Since the times of the legendary Emperor Jinmu, a descendant of the goddess Amaterasu, Japan has been a world ruled by dictators, despots. Let's remember that these are terms created by our civilization, describing a system of government in which violence is a tool. It was normal, neither bad nor good. Our civilization opened the doors to democracy, a system unknown in the world at that time. In order to learn and understand the history of the Yamato state, the history of Japan in the times of the Koto sword (the real sword of war), the history of Japan in the times of the Tokugawa shoguns - the times of the Shinto and Shinshinto swords (the "jewelry" sword), one cannot look from the perspective of our civilization, our understanding of good and evil. This is of course my own opinion. Moving back to those times, I try to free myself from our system of values. Only the strongest could provide Japan with peace after hundreds of years of civil wars, a strong central authority. The fate of the weaker ones who stood on the other side was death.
"The Jetavana Temple bells ring the passing of all things. Twinned sal trees, white in full flower, declare the great man's certain fall. The arrogant do not long endure: They are like a dream one night in spring. The bold and brave perish in the end: They are as dust before the wind." [Heike Monogatari]
Excellent comments, Krzysztof San,...and I do agree that we should always consider history from the perspective of the times. That is something even modern historians often fail to do. I believe that by saying "Brutal", Helly San was saying he enjoyed the article, (like saying "That's BAD! when you mean "good") rather than "brutal" being the case at hand. Again, thank you for your comments, and look forward to hearing more from you.
Perfect from both of you. anachronism is probably the biggest mistake any historian can commit and yet we see hundreds doing it.
Its not rare to see people using the words "evil, bad, cruel" for a lot of people from this context (Nobunaga, Shingen, Masamune, Kondo are examples).
Its not easy to not do it and that is the different between people who only knows history and the ones who truly learned - like you.
Great as always. Looking forwad to see a book about the Osaka campaign.
Brutal!!! This excellent article got me headfirst into the conflict! Literally! What a tragedy for the Toyotomi.
Glad you enjoyed it,...If I was to go into the details of the actual fighting, it would become a book!
Ever since I read Sekigahara book, I couldn't imagine that another campaign could generate a better book, but for months I've been thinking that even though other prestigious authors have partially covered this event, NO ONE better than you, with the knowledge, the specialty in castles and the pertinent geographical positioning, to write the definitive record of this!!! Please, take into account your historical and geographical advantage! We deserve a book in the style of yours, about these campaigns.
Thank you for the vote of confidence. I was supposed to have had one book in English and another in Japanese at the publishers last year, but have been so busy, neither are completed! Have you read my book on Todo Takatora? That one also mentions the Winter and Summer Sieges of Osaka in a bit of detail.
Yes, of course! I am a faithful reader! I have always wanted to ask you for an article with more context about the call for Amnesty that Todo Takatora made to professional shinobi on behalf of the Shogunate so that they would be legalized, giving way - I believe - to modern evolution as state employees.
Great idea,...I'll start working on that! Thank you!