Samurai, shoguns, atomic fire, and anime — the island nation that reinvented itself more radically than any civilization in history.
No nation has reinvented itself as dramatically or as often as Japan. In the space of recorded history, it has been a land of imperial poets, feudal warlords, isolationist shoguns, rapid modernizers, imperial conquerors, atomic survivors, economic miracle workers, and global cultural exporters. The Heian court produced the world's first novel. The samurai created a warrior code that still shapes corporate culture. The Meiji Restoration transformed a feudal society into a modern power in a single generation. After the devastation of World War II, Japan rebuilt itself into the world's second-largest economy. And today, through anime, manga, and gaming, Japan shapes the imagination of billions. This is the story of an island nation that was never conquered — and never stopped transforming.
A curated dispatch of forgotten moments, pivotal turning points, and the stories behind the dates.