Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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You can get the audiobook version of Modern Japan here:
amazon.com/Modern-Japan-Captivating-ShogunateTthrough-Countries/dp/B0C3WTBJV6

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Mention Japanese history to a non-Japanese, and the first thing that will likely come to mind is the samurai, the legendary warrior elite who ruled the country for over one thousand years. But how did they meet their end?
With their two swords, top-knot haircut, and legendary code of honor, the samurai were the absolute, unquestioned rulers of the country. That all began to change rapidly when the “black ships” of US Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Tokyo Bay in 1853.

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