Last Samurai Describes Final Days of Old Japan

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  • Опубліковано 28 лют 2024
  • If you’re struggling, consider therapy with BetterHelp #ad. Click
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    ---------------
    Extracts taken from Marquis Ito´s Experience, translated by Teizo Kuramata: archive.org/details/marquisit...
    Edited and Image Curation by Manuel Rubio - check out his amazing channel for more: @ArtandContext
    Narrated and Script Edited by David Kelly
    Music from Epidemic Sound and Artlist
    Thumbnail Art by Ettore Mazza

КОМЕНТАРІ • 910

  • @VoicesofthePast
    @VoicesofthePast  3 місяці тому +199

    If you’re struggling, consider therapy with BetterHelp #ad. Click
    betterhelp.com/voicesofthepast for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy with a credentialed professional specific to your needs.

    • @KyoushaPumpItUp
      @KyoushaPumpItUp 3 місяці тому +4

      Betterhelp? Really? They've been exposed as a scam 6 years ago!

    • @p5eudo883
      @p5eudo883 3 місяці тому +3

      Betterhelp is a scam that sells your personal data, including information that is normally protected by HIPAA. They have been exposed for this, and should absolutely not be used. They are pouring money into content creators to collect people in need to prey on. There are better, professional, genuine sources of therapy available. Betterhelp is exploitation.

    • @Carbuncle0168
      @Carbuncle0168 3 місяці тому +9

      now Japan is a colony of the USA 🎉

    • @pete8276
      @pete8276 3 місяці тому +107

      Wasn’t this shit a scam?

    • @Carbuncle0168
      @Carbuncle0168 3 місяці тому +2

      @@pete8276 many young Japanese are ending their lives because of how difficult Japanese jobs are

  • @HistoryDose
    @HistoryDose 3 місяці тому +7445

    Japan speed running from medieval to an industrial age is one of the most endlessly fascinating occurrences in history

    • @johnburke964
      @johnburke964 3 місяці тому +110

      Heck yeah History Dose

    • @atomic_wait
      @atomic_wait 3 місяці тому +437

      The Imperial government managed to consolidate power pretty quickly after the country was forcibly reopened, and looking at what had happened to China and their other neighbors they were highly motivated to not suffer the same fate at the hands of foreign interference and conquest.

    • @drgonzo305
      @drgonzo305 3 місяці тому

      Then from expansionist imperial rule to pacifist constitutional democracy all in about 100 years. They went from medieval warfare with no navy to defeating the industrialized Russian navy outright in like 60 years. People talk about Germans being efficient but they got nothing on the Japanese

    • @breakerdawn8429
      @breakerdawn8429 3 місяці тому +165

      Adapt or be colonised, that's what they saw and luckily they chose the latter.​@@atomic_wait

    • @SuLokify
      @SuLokify 3 місяці тому +126

      Their long isolation and whiplash into modernity continues to be fascinating, in my opinion.
      Especially when you compare it to how first contacts between less advanced natives and explorers have so often gone (and gone badly for the natives).

  • @alexandertran2442
    @alexandertran2442 3 місяці тому +2781

    I then realized the one recounting this is none other than Japan's first Prime Minister

    • @yichengyi
      @yichengyi 2 місяці тому +339

      Same here. In the description, I saw "Marqis Ito." Then, after about five minutes of listening further, I was like, "This sounds an awful lot like Ito Hirobumi."

    • @somedesertdude1308
      @somedesertdude1308 2 місяці тому +12

      you're

    • @yichengyi
      @yichengyi 2 місяці тому +43

      @@somedesertdude1308 "You're" what?

    • @SlimbTheSlime
      @SlimbTheSlime 2 місяці тому +39

      @@somedesertdude1308nobody even said “your”

    • @somedesertdude1308
      @somedesertdude1308 2 місяці тому +8

      @@SlimbTheSlime seethe

  • @gierokd
    @gierokd 2 місяці тому +3021

    The Englishman named "Girl" was probably actually named Joe. The character for girl (女) is pronounced じょ (or Jo). Got a good laugh from that one.

    • @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714
      @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 2 місяці тому +97

      Džo would make much more sense than girl.

    • @mastersafari5349
      @mastersafari5349 2 місяці тому +55

      Aren't you supposed to use katakana when writing a name of a foreigner in Japanese?
      My suggestion is that the Englishman's name was spelled as "ガー ル" in katakana which could be both "girl" or "Gull" converted back to English.

    • @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714
      @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 2 місяці тому +90

      @@mastersafari5349 "Aren't you supposed to use katakana when writing a name of a foreigner in Japanese?" You are. Heres my name グンタース・ミエリシュ.
      "My suggestion is that the Englishman's name was spelled as "ガー ル" in katakana which could be both "girl" or "Gull" converted back to English." Its quite likely that the japanese did not know his name properly as their writing is not one in which you confuse anything.

    • @Ciacien-ke7ot
      @Ciacien-ke7ot 2 місяці тому +46

      that satisfying moment when you've studied enough japanese to recognize that character and know it's on'yomi pronunciation. i know it's a kinda basic one, but it feels rewarding to be able to fully understand the funniness of this 😂

    • @gorgeousgentleman5390
      @gorgeousgentleman5390 2 місяці тому +24

      Joe Joe want to have an adventure

  • @DruidEnjoyer
    @DruidEnjoyer 3 місяці тому +1664

    12:22 "Someone's planning on assassinating us? Better kill ourselves!"
    That seems to be the one-size-fits-all solution to most problems Samurai had.

    • @ToastyMozart
      @ToastyMozart 3 місяці тому +264

      "Ah! But who is stupider? The man trying to kill himself, or the man trying to kill the man trying to kill himself!"

    • @ianfinrir8724
      @ianfinrir8724 3 місяці тому +45

      I mean, if it ain't broke...

    • @bricc9964
      @bricc9964 3 місяці тому +86

      You can’t assassinate someone who’s already dead.

    • @civilengineer3349
      @civilengineer3349 3 місяці тому +13

      It has something to do with their culture I guess. Perhaps the afterlife or reincarnation

    • @ianfinrir8724
      @ianfinrir8724 3 місяці тому +94

      @@civilengineer3349 It's death before dishonor. It's better to die by your own hand than suffer whatever torture/death/humiliation the enemy will do to you; it also denies the enemy their trophy. It's similar to burning your own fields so the enemy can't use them.

  • @simontoppin6844
    @simontoppin6844 2 місяці тому +1260

    "If you don't let us on the ship, we'll disembowel ourselves where we stand"
    "Erm, ok. I guess you can go then"

    • @TaxEvader08
      @TaxEvader08 2 місяці тому +72

      the Dupont approach

    • @mikicerise6250
      @mikicerise6250 2 місяці тому +84

      Used to be so easy to get a visa. 😅

    • @zandaroos553
      @zandaroos553 2 місяці тому +15

      @@TaxEvader08This man is actually Roy’s ancestor. They moved to the U.S. in search of better uncles. Read that again

    • @Jefrings
      @Jefrings 2 місяці тому +10

      ''So, how's your determination to get on this ship?''
      *Puts knife on own belly*
      ''Hum, ok sirs right this way!''

    • @John3.36
      @John3.36 2 місяці тому +24

      This was only possible because of the Christian compassion of English who valued the life of people. Unlike Japan where life was not valued and self-suicide was seen as the right thing to do.

  • @ferretyluv
    @ferretyluv 3 місяці тому +1612

    The author of this, Itoh Hirobumi, was Japan’s first prime minister and longest serving prime minister. He modeled Japan’s government on that of Prussia.
    Edit: he served in the capacity as a prime minister in the Meiji government before the title “prime minister” existed. Hence why he’s the longest serving, above Abe Shinzo.

    • @riowhi7
      @riowhi7 3 місяці тому +127

      The military sure, it incorporated a lot of German systems and ideas. It's government however seemed to be much more influenced by the United Kingdom, not Prussia or Germany.

    • @tiffanybatcheller-harris522
      @tiffanybatcheller-harris522 3 місяці тому +27

      Ito Hirobumi was both a samurai and a leading member of the genro. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by gunshots. 🤔

    • @thebelgfrommt
      @thebelgfrommt 3 місяці тому +27

      yeah he got assassinated by korean independence activists

    • @ferretyluv
      @ferretyluv 3 місяці тому +19

      @@riowhi7 The peerage system and bicameral legislature (house of commons and House of Lords) was based on the UK. But the constitution and absolute monarchy was based on Prussia.

    • @nomorechess
      @nomorechess 3 місяці тому +2

      ​@@ferretyluv Was Prussia during that time really an absolute monarchy?

  • @peefart1410
    @peefart1410 3 місяці тому +1239

    Next video: “last cowboy describes his finale days in old America”

    • @coolkidsman.
      @coolkidsman. 2 місяці тому +143

      Wait, aren’t cowboys still around in the usa?

    • @atompunk5575
      @atompunk5575 2 місяці тому +24

      I was gonna say 😅​@@coolkidsman.

    • @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714
      @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 2 місяці тому +188

      @@coolkidsman. Catle herders yes, frontiersmen no.

    • @salmonellafunk
      @salmonellafunk 2 місяці тому +79

      I mean that period was really only about 20-30 years in American history so itd be hard to tell who truly was the last frontiersman since they'd mostly all be from the same generation

    • @isaiahrogge
      @isaiahrogge 2 місяці тому +48

      @@coolkidsman.yeah the 1800s train robbing dueling “cowboys” didn’t really exist the old cowboys have just been romanticized. Cowboys had a bad reputation kinda like sailors used to before the “modern era” and the extreme examples fascinated the rich people… right as movies were first being made. Guys like Clint Eastwood weren’t really a thing cowboys were just people on the fringes of society looking for work

  • @Mk-qb2ny
    @Mk-qb2ny 2 місяці тому +336

    Japan transitioned to modern times in a blink of an eye. The emperor, after the decision was made to open the country up, said to his nation (paraphrasing here) on the lines of: "Go to all the world and learn everything there is to know about everything, bring it back an apply it here"

    • @Dncsuxadic
      @Dncsuxadic 2 місяці тому +5

      Then they fooked with America and got sent back a 100years 😅😅😅😅

    • @brad5426
      @brad5426 2 місяці тому +63

      @@Dncsuxadic No they didn't Japanese economy thrived post-war

    • @haha-lj5sq
      @haha-lj5sq 2 місяці тому +33

      @@Dncsuxadicbro forgot about the post-war economic miracle

    • @Dncsuxadic
      @Dncsuxadic 2 місяці тому +2

      @@haha-lj5sq Because America built them back. Read your history 😂🤣😅

    • @haha-lj5sq
      @haha-lj5sq 2 місяці тому +32

      @@Dncsuxadic so you’re admitting they didn’t get sent back? Okay

  • @misfortunemate8261
    @misfortunemate8261 3 місяці тому +500

    Hirobumi Ito was a former samurai, but as a politician he was far more moderate and prudent than his fellow Samurai. Unlike Saigo, who wanted to restore the samurai way of life, and the militarist Aritomo Yamagata, Ito hoped to solve problems through international cooperation and diplomacy, Especially opposed to war with Russia. He wanted Korea to remain a buffer state with Russia rather than annex by force, but he was assassinated by a nationalistic Korean, his death ironically aided Japan's annexation of Korea.

    • @ories
      @ories 2 місяці тому +1

      rather than annex by force... how so?

    • @LuigiCotocea
      @LuigiCotocea 2 місяці тому +16

      en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itō_Hirobumi
      Sadly he got assasinated on 26 october 1909... :(

    • @Silvergalaxy7383
      @Silvergalaxy7383 2 місяці тому +9

      @@LuigiCotocea It said here he changed his mind and advocated for annexation but despite this, he was forced to resign and shortly there after killed which only accelerated Koreas annexation process

    • @massalleh5255
      @massalleh5255 18 днів тому

      Through international cooperation and diplomacy?
      But it's written he's the one who oversee the Sino-Japanese war?

  • @cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400
    @cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400 3 місяці тому +584

    Hearing him talk about america was so wholesome and flattering

    • @410cultivar
      @410cultivar 3 місяці тому +145

      Have you read or listened to the diary entry if the first samurai group to go to America? It was when america first forced them to open up.
      They were blown away by ice cubes for drinks, in the summer.
      Also that we had enough wealth to buy enough fabric, to walk on, carpet lol
      But that we are wasteful, iron and steel just laying around rusting

    • @comradecameron3726
      @comradecameron3726 3 місяці тому +42

      @@410cultivarJapan doesn’t or at least didn’t have much iron or steel in those days. But America being so big has more than enough to tear it out of the ground and leave it to rust.

    • @tek87
      @tek87 2 місяці тому +6

      Hardly hear that today...

    • @cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400
      @cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400 2 місяці тому +14

      @@410cultivar i have listened to that one, pretty comical at times. Dude lit his sleeve on fire with a cigarette cherry.

    • @manmanboyboyman9863
      @manmanboyboyman9863 2 місяці тому +31

      @@cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400 Yeah till this day japan is still obsessed with American culture. They often dress up as cowboys and read American comics, they are kinda like the reverse weeabo right now🤣🤣

  • @IndicatedGoodLife
    @IndicatedGoodLife 3 місяці тому +242

    This one is absolutely crazy. Its beautifull that these accounts still exist, wow. What a wild trip for these gentleman and what impact that they may had in turning the final tide.

  • @thebreadbringer9522
    @thebreadbringer9522 3 місяці тому +266

    These videos are a unique delight for someone fascinated by the history of more ordinary people and how they experienced it, like myself.

    • @riowhi7
      @riowhi7 3 місяці тому +33

      I mean, this guy was a member of the samurai ruling class pre-restoration and later became part of the ruling aristocracy post-restoration as the country's first Prime Minister. I would be hard pressed to call him an ordinary person, but I agree that these videos are very fascinating.

  • @connorperrett9559
    @connorperrett9559 3 місяці тому +279

    The difference between America or Europe in 1824 and America or Europe now are stark, but to think of what Japan was like in 1824 versus what it is like only 200 years later is just astounding.

    • @ijansk
      @ijansk 2 місяці тому +3

      The US. America is a continent.

    • @zeedub8560
      @zeedub8560 2 місяці тому +66

      @@ijansk North America is the continent. America is shorthand for the USA. Everybody in the world knows what country is meant when someone says "America."

    • @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714
      @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 2 місяці тому +22

      @@ijansk Ameica is the reduced form of United States of America. Just like Latvija is the reduced form of Latvijas Republika.

    • @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714
      @baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 2 місяці тому +7

      After talking to myself about it for an hour, including sheddint tiers when I said that a latvietis from 1824 would not care that with our cars he can cross the country in 6 hours hed rather walk for a week with everyone on the road saying hello, you underestiamate how much Europe has changed. It wasnt depressing in the olden days, you think northern europians are cold now it wasnt at all like this 200 years ago.

    • @GhostHax0r
      @GhostHax0r 2 місяці тому +1

      @@ijanskI’m sorry, is Europe a country then?

  • @MysticChronicles712
    @MysticChronicles712 3 місяці тому +437

    The rapid transition from the Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution in Japan is one of the most enthralling events in human history.

    • @zzerutan
      @zzerutan 3 місяці тому +52

      Did you just basically reword one of the top comments? lol

    • @sonb0t
      @sonb0t 2 місяці тому +12

      @@zzerutanwas about to comment that lol

    • @princejaxisblack8789
      @princejaxisblack8789 Місяць тому +7

      bro got caught red handed in the replies 💀

    • @BurroDevelops
      @BurroDevelops Місяць тому

      ​@@princejaxisblack8789hahahahahaha

    • @BurroDevelops
      @BurroDevelops Місяць тому

      ​​@@princejaxisblack8789i get them though. The need to rewrite it shows how impressed they are. It's a human thing.

  • @15098D
    @15098D 2 місяці тому +224

    “If you don’t let me go on your ship I’m gonna kms”

    • @brad5426
      @brad5426 2 місяці тому +41

      funny to imagine the man was not expecting to hear that and was like damn bro ok

  • @clarkh4133
    @clarkh4133 3 місяці тому +116

    The narrating is articulate. Thank you for giving us all such a gift

    • @derekstaroba
      @derekstaroba 3 місяці тому +4

      Thank you for giving thanks

    • @clarkh4133
      @clarkh4133 3 місяці тому +4

      @@derekstaroba Thank you for thanking my thanks

  • @GunterThePenguinHatesHugs
    @GunterThePenguinHatesHugs 3 місяці тому +137

    _Goes to get milk for tea_
    >>>
    _Discovers we ran out of milk_
    >>>
    _Begins to unsheathe wakizashi_

  • @Makabert.Abylon
    @Makabert.Abylon 3 місяці тому +108

    One thing I didn’t understand was the part where they had $8.300 dollars and it “was very little, but enough to cover the expenses which the journey necessitated”
    $8300 which would be about $280.000 today. Sounds like that would cover a lot.

    • @suzbone
      @suzbone 3 місяці тому +10

      Right! I was like HUH???

    • @RogerTheil
      @RogerTheil 3 місяці тому +51

      He might have meant "yen" (or whatever they used then) and simply called them "dollars". This happens a lot in writing where an author will use terms for currency interchangeably, even today.

    • @vulpes7079
      @vulpes7079 3 місяці тому +38

      He said that they got that money, but the amount they carried in their pockets wasn't a big one. As in, they weren't flashy with the money and used only what was necessary

    • @vulpes7079
      @vulpes7079 3 місяці тому +27

      ​@@RogerTheil"Yen" was not the currency then. He was describing how he excanged Ryō, which were those large gold pieces used as currency and a store of wealth, into that amount of dollars, as he said.

    • @christianr4769
      @christianr4769 3 місяці тому +25

      I think he meant that they only kept small amounts in their pockets, and put the rest somewhere safer.

  • @scotbotvideos
    @scotbotvideos 3 місяці тому +51

    An upload from Voices of the Past is like a correspondence from a long lost friend.

  • @lopezalehandro1666
    @lopezalehandro1666 3 місяці тому +34

    A magnificent narration. The aesthetics of the animation are commendable.

  • @loszhor
    @loszhor 3 місяці тому +21

    Fascinating! Thanks for uploading!

  • @rentristandelacruz
    @rentristandelacruz Місяць тому +29

    And now the entire world has access to anime. Thanks to that man's efforts.

  • @patrickcosgrove2623
    @patrickcosgrove2623 3 місяці тому +42

    Brilliant storytelling and enjoyed the illustration's and photograph's of Japan. Thanks for sharing 🙏

  • @Soniti1324
    @Soniti1324 3 місяці тому +59

    Absolutely incredible video. It's fascinating to me that the Japanese perceived the US in the exact same manner pre-WW2 as they do today.
    Really great work man, awesome piece of history.

  • @PenguinofD00mxxx
    @PenguinofD00mxxx 3 місяці тому +13

    I get so excited whenever I see you upload.

  • @jesserai
    @jesserai 3 місяці тому +11

    Excellently made, thank you for your efforts.

  • @AnnatarTheMaia
    @AnnatarTheMaia 3 місяці тому +5

    This was very insightful; thank you kindly for it.

  • @campervanhelsing
    @campervanhelsing 2 місяці тому +2

    What an awesome episode. Thank you

  • @WhosThere26
    @WhosThere26 3 місяці тому +5

    This was so beautiful that it gave me shivers.

  • @zoroaster3053
    @zoroaster3053 2 місяці тому +5

    Wow, it's simply amazing. It's like time traveling.
    A video on Sassanid dynasty Persia and Tang dynasty China interacting would be absolutely insane. Love your videos man. I've been binge watching all of them. ❤

  • @afptoronto1
    @afptoronto1 3 місяці тому

    Thank you again for these videos.

  • @certainnoodlesinapasta.5265
    @certainnoodlesinapasta.5265 28 днів тому

    The illustrations are beautiful. I'm impressed.

  • @dragan5451
    @dragan5451 3 місяці тому +13

    Great work 👏

  • @deus22488
    @deus22488 3 місяці тому +10

    Thanks!

  • @anthonyfrench3169
    @anthonyfrench3169 3 місяці тому

    Thanks for the insight and thoughts of Ito Hirobumi. Great job mate

  • @Sheepybearry
    @Sheepybearry 3 місяці тому +6

    Accounts like this about the end of Tokugawa are fascinating!

  • @fuferito
    @fuferito 3 місяці тому +53

    Us _Blackadder_ fans appreciate hearing of a Custom House gentleman whose name is Mr. Girl, since we'll never tire of Capt Darling.

  • @acslater017
    @acslater017 Місяць тому +27

    It’s perfectly natural to feel scared or confused when your society transforms from a medieval, pre-industrial backwater to an Empire taking on the world’s great powers. That’s why there’s Better Help.

  • @myshepspud1
    @myshepspud1 Місяць тому +1

    Love your work.

  • @arcbrush
    @arcbrush 2 місяці тому +1

    wow! such an engaging and thoughtful speech

  • @civilengineer3349
    @civilengineer3349 3 місяці тому +13

    There's something enchanting about Japan before the Meiji Restoration, a bit like Medieval Europe or even anytime in Europe before the First World War wrecked much of her

    • @VespasianJudea
      @VespasianJudea 3 місяці тому

      If you’re a gamer, like a dragon Ishin takes place during this time. It’s a fun little game.

  • @ShadyLife101
    @ShadyLife101 8 годин тому +4

    BetterHelp is not a reputable sponsor. They have a long history of shady and misleading marketing and customer service.

  • @MackerelCat
    @MackerelCat 3 місяці тому

    Fascinating. Thanks.

  • @BobWeaver3000
    @BobWeaver3000 3 місяці тому +2

    fantastic, thank you!

  • @AustereHare
    @AustereHare 2 місяці тому +3

    wow, gave me the chills. i LOVE Japan

  • @robertcrocker901
    @robertcrocker901 3 місяці тому +4

    Very interesting. Very interesting period in Japanese history-this added a lot to my knowledge of this fascinating time. The period photos added a lot.
    Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu!

  • @poorsvids4738
    @poorsvids4738 Місяць тому +2

    I love this channel

  • @level9drow856
    @level9drow856 2 місяці тому +1

    This is beautiful.

  • @colt777rulz
    @colt777rulz 3 місяці тому +12

    Beautiful! I love hearing the writings of the Japanese in these videos the most. They’re so eloquent and humble in how they write.
    Thank you Voices of the Past! This was worth the wait.

  • @Evanspar
    @Evanspar 3 місяці тому +23

    They threatened to commit suicide like an abusive ex boyfriend to get onto the ship lol.

    • @areaxisthegurkha
      @areaxisthegurkha 2 місяці тому +7

      Sounds oddly specific, but the points they made to the sailor were valid tbh.

  • @otorishingen8600
    @otorishingen8600 Місяць тому

    I knew this but it's so different to see it so well sun into a animated story
    Thank you 👍

  • @JAdams-jx5ek
    @JAdams-jx5ek 3 місяці тому +2

    Excellent. Thank you.

  • @allrequiredfields
    @allrequiredfields 3 місяці тому +61

    I'm not going to lie, I was really hoping to see something like '2:00:00' in the lower left corner 😂

  • @jebhampton6031
    @jebhampton6031 2 місяці тому +5

    1860s yup my grandpappy was in the Civil War lol he lost and ended up poor with his house burned down an having to rely on the generosity of family and friends, but the fact we are still alive means our story continues on today.

  • @EnchiladaBoredom
    @EnchiladaBoredom Місяць тому

    Beautiful art!

  • @thenotoriousgryyn342
    @thenotoriousgryyn342 2 місяці тому +1

    A Glorious Narration 👍

  • @annunakian8054
    @annunakian8054 3 місяці тому +50

    Political leaders willing to sacrifice their lives for their country...those daya are long, long gone.

    • @mirzaahmed6589
      @mirzaahmed6589 3 місяці тому +5

      That was never a thing.

    • @gracequach6769
      @gracequach6769 3 місяці тому +5

      @@mirzaahmed6589 Ever heard of Leo Ryan? Dude was a legend. I wish every politician was more like him

    • @Pickledsundae
      @Pickledsundae 3 місяці тому +4

      Zelenksy's "don't need a ride, need more bullets" comes to mind

    • @ihl0700677525
      @ihl0700677525 3 місяці тому +1

      Not really. Personal sacrifice and heroism still very much exist among the ruling class today.
      Whether leftist ideologues like Cuba's Fidel Castro, Venezuela's president Nicholas Maduro, etc, or "Liberal reformists" like Soviet premier Gorbachev, China's Deng Xiaoping, or "religious fundamentalists" like Egypt's former president Mursi, ISIS caliph Al-Baghdadi, Tibet's Dalai Lama, etc, basically those with strong conviction and idealism, those are the type who are willing to sacrifice their lives for their "country" (well, more like to their ideology and idealism).
      Anyone who are running for the highest office in the land is opening themselves to relentless attack by their opponents and by the public. So they already make quite a personal sacrifice even before they get elected.

    • @goodpuffs
      @goodpuffs 3 місяці тому +8

      ​@@Pickledsundae
      All his Ukrainian men die while he's taking all the cash from military defense contractors...

  • @CouchAlien
    @CouchAlien 3 місяці тому +3

    Perfect. Just what i needed during a late night snack 😋awesome qnd interesting video aa usal !!

  • @johnfyten3392
    @johnfyten3392 Місяць тому

    This man's thirst for knowledge is so wholesome and admirable

  • @drewwilson8756
    @drewwilson8756 2 місяці тому +1

    What a beautiful story.

  • @KLUGYYY
    @KLUGYYY 3 місяці тому +7

    While I know it’s earlier in history, it’s good timing that you posted this with the new show from Hulu shogun coming out.

  • @SupermarketsRevil
    @SupermarketsRevil 2 місяці тому +226

    Betterhelp are scammers. Find a better sponsor.

    • @TheBlackzman
      @TheBlackzman 2 місяці тому +4

      How?

    • @JJustMax
      @JJustMax 2 місяці тому +22

      ​@@TheBlackzman they sell a lot of user info

    • @taeynv_
      @taeynv_ 2 місяці тому +9

      He didn't find them, they found him and asked him to promote them in exchange for money
      That's how youtubers make money if you didn't know

    • @Ojo10
      @Ojo10 Місяць тому +16

      Also they have been found to not have good therapists, one person said that one of their therapists were on the toilet and was very unprofessional. A lot of other people have said their therapist made their mental health worse.

    • @charlie-obrien
      @charlie-obrien Місяць тому +2

      If you want therapy go in person, if you need to save money, try a group session.
      Not all of life's problems can be solved by an app.

  • @fatbutterimp4166
    @fatbutterimp4166 2 місяці тому

    Absolutely fascinating, the growing pains of living through such a short time must have been unbearable for some…

  • @bigsarge2085
    @bigsarge2085 3 місяці тому +5

    Fascinating!

  • @BlueBaron3339
    @BlueBaron3339 3 місяці тому +42

    Difficult to watch without personal bias, sadly. My uncle was a pilot POW of the Japanese in WWII. And, although just surviving was a miracle, he was a broken man. But personal bias in an enemy we must battle daily. Thus I could not help but deeply admire this brilliant and dedicated man, caught to such a degree between two eras and two cultures that he nearly ended his own life...twice.

    • @WaterShowsProd
      @WaterShowsProd 2 місяці тому +1

      I've participated in performances and other events recounting the story of POWs forced to build The Thai-Burma Railway and have visited several areas on many occasions, watched many interviews and documentaries, and read books about what was endured. I've had descendants of POWs approach me after performances to say how moved they were. May I ask, if you know, where your uncle was held? Did he work on the railway, or was he held in another location?

    • @kn2549
      @kn2549 2 місяці тому +1

      Dont know what this has anything to do with ww2. This was more than 70 years BEFORE the events of ww2. About the same time span from the end of ww2 to present day.

    • @BlueBaron3339
      @BlueBaron3339 2 місяці тому +2

      @@kn2549 WWII represents an endpoint to the post-feudal progress of Japan that would no doubt have appalled Marquis Ito whose account is translated and narrated here. The events he recounts contributed to WWII. Not intentionally by any means. That's the poignant part.

  • @WORLDCRUSHER9000
    @WORLDCRUSHER9000 3 місяці тому +14

    Damn they really just threatened to kill themselves if they couldn't go and it worked lol

    • @buzz5969
      @buzz5969 3 місяці тому +2

      hari kari is real amigo

    • @mikicerise6250
      @mikicerise6250 2 місяці тому

      They didn't yet know that's a big red flag. 😜

  • @PeterGordon1
    @PeterGordon1 3 місяці тому +1

    what an incredible story. what an incredible life.

  • @alexigray7893
    @alexigray7893 Місяць тому

    Great video! I loved the storytelling. The unfinished photo restoration kills me though. I want to redo it all. :)

  • @darter9000
    @darter9000 3 місяці тому +8

    *unthinkingly listens to ad read
    Man, samurais say all sorts of things...

  • @deathdoor
    @deathdoor 3 місяці тому +9

    14:00 This will never not infuriate me. They insisted in fighting a civil war just to... immediately adopt all the losers policies that they complained so much and fought against.

  • @jomorken4853
    @jomorken4853 2 місяці тому

    Wow. This might be the most informative video and also a great story. What heroes. They just went straight back and convinced everyone. Maybe they all did not need convincing

  • @mattohara7736
    @mattohara7736 3 місяці тому

    Fantastic synopsis!

  • @B3FMandCProductions
    @B3FMandCProductions 3 місяці тому +18

    It's amazing that Tom Cruise said all this

    • @Survivalist-of-war
      @Survivalist-of-war 3 місяці тому +1

      Funny actually that the guy who said this was the short little non samurai dressed US army simp in that film. He went on to be the 1st prime minister.

  • @yugioht42
    @yugioht42 3 місяці тому +11

    Japan still has clans just they aren’t as powerful as they once were. The clans have some say in local governments but not much. After the Meiji restoration the clans pretty much went into trade or anything to gain wealth. Some companies were started by clans like Toyota and Honda. Modern day clan titles are purely ceremonial mostly to figure out the line of succession and who runs what in the family. The person has to earn the title through hard work too. Also marriages tend to be arranged already in these clans although these can be held off if the person has found someone that is a good match. I have a friend who is part of a major Japanese Clan and yeah your future is pretty much laid out for you and yeah you get married usually right out of college working hard in a office and rising through the ranks and by your 5th year you are a section manager or floor manager and by year 7 you’re working at HQ as a major contributor. It’s a very rough life as you constantly work to get higher with the clan head as the CEO or president.

    • @buzz5969
      @buzz5969 3 місяці тому

      There have been Prime Ministers, some rather recent tied to Samurai bloodlines, one was the only assasinated in the last few years, Dude was still pretty hardcore against SK and China and was full of controversial matters. They truly believe in maintaining their history.

    • @user-im7tp2os9g
      @user-im7tp2os9g 2 місяці тому

      full of lies

    • @user-im7tp2os9g
      @user-im7tp2os9g 2 місяці тому

      Show me the evidence.

  • @doejohn6855
    @doejohn6855 2 місяці тому

    Excellent video. This is what I'm a patreon patron for.

  • @pebbleoverpond
    @pebbleoverpond 2 місяці тому +1

    Japan has a special place in my heart

  • @koreypenn1707
    @koreypenn1707 12 днів тому +12

    Please don’t support better help. They are not a good company

  • @gagamba9198
    @gagamba9198 3 місяці тому +11

    You ought to do some videos about contact and conflicts between Japan and Russia from the early 18th to mid 19th century. No channel covers this.

  • @baboon_bandito
    @baboon_bandito 3 місяці тому +1

    This is great! Very interesting.

  • @bethamous
    @bethamous 6 днів тому

    What an absolutely fascinating life he lived. The amount of wisdom he had to know what their weaknesses were and to love his home so much that he did what he believed was right to keep it going and not totally destroyed. Him and Ulysses grant could have had fascinating conversations.

  • @shadstyle
    @shadstyle 3 місяці тому +11

    PLEASE MORE ASIAN HISTORY CONTENT ❤️

  • @armitage1950
    @armitage1950 3 місяці тому +15

    I’m no scholar of Japanese history, but I wonder if the sudden leap from a strictly isolationist and deeply conservative society into a much more global, industrial, and burgeoning multi-cultural one was in fact a major cause in Japan’s return to those ideas after WW1. I’m told their treatment at the Versailles conference was also a contributing factor.

    • @moritamikamikara3879
      @moritamikamikara3879 3 місяці тому +17

      Don't project our modern era into the idea of modernisation.
      Multiculturalism is a 21st century concept, Japan in the Meiji and Taishou periods was no more multicultural than it is today, which is to say VERY not.
      That aside, I would argue that the speed of transition probably had little to do with this percieved flip flop on values.
      Japan remained simping for and emulating the west the whole time. First they emulated the west's liberalism, then they emulated the west's colonialism.

    • @ferretyluv
      @ferretyluv 3 місяці тому +7

      It was the military not being under civilian control. The military went out of control and decided to kill anyone they didn’t like. The army and navy also hated each other and were at odds on everything. The outcome of the Russo-Japanese War also made them cocky and assumed that as long as they just kept throwing soldiers at the problem that it’ll solve itself.

    • @jasonbrown8155
      @jasonbrown8155 3 місяці тому +3

      To think that Japan has not always been multicultural is strange. It was Yamato consolidation during edo that gave the affect of xenophobia. Okinawa and Hokkaido weren't conquered until the twilight of the edo period. Also the boshin war was an internal struggle more than an external one. Kyushu had much more contact with foreign powers than history books report.

    • @ferretyluv
      @ferretyluv 3 місяці тому +2

      @@jasonbrown8155 And there was Tsushima, who were nominally Korean vassals so they could have diplomatic contact with China and Korea.

    • @spacejunk2186
      @spacejunk2186 2 місяці тому +4

      WW1 and WW2 bled into each other from the japanese perspective.
      What ultimately lead to the japanese imperialism was an addiction to colonialism, and the military taking over the government and using the samurai mythos to create loyalty and recruits.

  • @DZC-bc2ol
    @DZC-bc2ol 2 місяці тому

    Nice I learned a lot

  • @filipe5226
    @filipe5226 19 днів тому +2

    - Hmmmm we’re gonna die
    - better now than later
    - Yep let’s go
    * ends up not dying

  • @overcomingidiocracy
    @overcomingidiocracy 3 місяці тому +11

    Have heard that the samurai class looked more like White Europeans in the past...crazy to hear an actual account stating that

    • @buzz5969
      @buzz5969 3 місяці тому

      Samurai, current day Yaks.😊

    • @tealover70
      @tealover70 2 місяці тому

      Facially?

    • @bluesdealer
      @bluesdealer 2 місяці тому

      Where did he say that?

    • @xtr.7662
      @xtr.7662 2 місяці тому

      Not really its just that beards were associated with foreigners and the ainu(barbarians) so the samurai were forbidden of having beards before that they often had them grow you can see that in paintings

  • @DeepDarkSamurai
    @DeepDarkSamurai 3 місяці тому +5

    Great resets are a real thing and it happens every single time Babylon gets involved

  • @deus22488
    @deus22488 3 місяці тому +2

    The quality of this content leaves me in awe.

  • @highonlife2323
    @highonlife2323 Місяць тому +1

    please whatever you do never stop

  • @V-S7909
    @V-S7909 3 місяці тому +5

    It was quite obvious why Japan transformed faster than other asian countries. When it is compared to Korea or China, Japan had more willing to change themselves. Unlike Korea or China, Japan had a civil war ( Boshin War) that replaced their systems (Shogunate) and people who were part of it. Before the Boshin war, Shogunate was not effective modernisation and had weak diplomacy with Western powers which casued the civul war. During this process, the power was sized by people who wanted radcial reformation. During the Boshin War, they directly experienced the superiority of Western weapons which made them to choice reformation by studying the West rather than isolation from the West.
    These people began Meji restoration in 1868 to reform the nation and replicate the Western stuff as much as possible.
    Meanwhile, in Korean and China, both countries tried to modernise themselves as well. However, compared to Japan, it was more limited. Their focus was only replicating technology from the West. It meant that both countries did want reformation but tried to maintain the current systems as well and this made them slower. Due to this, people who vauled the old systems remained in power, which made the modernisation process slower, and the corruption by the current officials at that remained as well. These had limited impacts on modernisation and caused failure.
    Qing dynasty was destroyed in 1911, and Joseon (Korea) lost their sovierignity and annexed by Japan in 1910.
    The major feature of Japan walking the different paths was that people who led the country were willing to change it rather than being forced to change it like Korea and China.

    • @RogerTheil
      @RogerTheil 3 місяці тому +6

      It also probably makes a difference that China has always been rather more dogmatic, and even a bit ideological about their philosophies and government systems. And Korea was hardly ever truly sovereign and culturally tended to just try to do what China did. China has long been convinced of its own civilizational superiority, even in the face of contradicting information, and surely this slowed down their ability to adapt as quick as they could have. Japan, for how rigidly traditional and conservative as they've always have been, are also very pragmatic, generally humble, and quick to adapt in dire situations.
      They're sort of a model conservative country- traditionalist and stubborn to foreign influence, but grounded and willing to learn and adapt on the fly. Hence, they kept their strong culture and even grew their prestige while changing the country dramatically through stable reform while China suffered a long decline, humiliation, defeat, and then a totalitarian takeover that killed well over 50 million of their own people and lost most of their meaningfully traditional culture and society forever.

  • @retribusion
    @retribusion 29 днів тому +3

    Just like one piece

    • @lpop2083
      @lpop2083 24 дні тому +1

      THATS WHAT I WAS THINKING

  • @ramseyr2852
    @ramseyr2852 2 місяці тому

    What a fantastic people and group of up and coming leaders. They navigated this ancient civilization to a great power in the world and in a manner of great nobility. Well done in finding this letter from the past.

  • @bamtoday
    @bamtoday 3 місяці тому +1

    I moved to Tokyo for work and I live near to the Marquis Maeda's former home and current heritage museum. Would love to hear you ready anything from 1885-1940 from his point of view.

  • @darkmattergamesofficial
    @darkmattergamesofficial 2 місяці тому +5

    Very sad how Western culture eradicates pretty much everything it comes into contact with. The world is a more interesting place when local culture and clothing is preserved. An entire world full of people wearing suits is boring, and there is nothing inherently better about suits over kimonos. Luckily Japan has done a very good job of preserving it's culture on the whole. Much much more than other Asian nations.

    • @brad5426
      @brad5426 2 місяці тому +4

      Cultures eradicate other cultures and there's no one specific culture that elimates the latter ones. Enjoy whatever garnment you want to but suits are fashionable and still cool.

    • @kingdeespadas
      @kingdeespadas 2 місяці тому

      🇰🇵

  • @spacejunk2186
    @spacejunk2186 2 місяці тому +74

    Daily reminder that Betterhelp is unethical.

  • @illastration1
    @illastration1 14 днів тому

    'moral education of the highest type' this is what still really stands out to me today about Japan.

  • @StrangeScaryNewEngland
    @StrangeScaryNewEngland Місяць тому

    I like how the Japanese artist's version of Commodore Perry also included his 7 chins. Fine attention to detail, indeed.
    Also, great and very interesting video. Thank you!

  • @peterm2353
    @peterm2353 3 місяці тому +5

    That is Ito Hirobumi. Architect of Japan's first written constitution (the 1889 Meiji Constitution) and later first Prime Minister of Japan under that Constitution. He was murdered in Korea in the early 20th C by a Korean terrorist.

    • @lembitmoislane.
      @lembitmoislane. 3 місяці тому +4

      An person fighting for their Country’s right to exist and not be annexed is not what you claim he is. He is an freedom fighter and is bounded by his nation to fight. Such similar was the case near the same time as Eugen Schauman, who killed the russian governor-general that was aiding in the tsar’s killing of the Finnish State and Nation. If your own country was facing such an fate as early 20th century Finland or Korea, then you would realise they are not criminals and you would be compelled to do the same.

    • @stefthorman8548
      @stefthorman8548 2 місяці тому

      ​@@lembitmoislane.Look up the definition of terrorists, yes, your freedom fighter was an terrorist.

  • @Jobe-13
    @Jobe-13 2 місяці тому

    This is so cool

  • @fyodor_ivanovich
    @fyodor_ivanovich 2 місяці тому +4

    Pretty disappointing that you’re accepting sponsorship from BetterHelp.