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Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire
Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire

Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire

★ 9.5•2004•1 Seasons•ANIME
DocumentaryWar & Politics

Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans—all were part of the Japanese “renaissance”; a period between the 16th and 19th Centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace. But stability came at a price: for nearly 250 years, Japan was a land closed to the Western world, ruled by the Shogun under his absolute power and control. Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire brings to life the unknown story of a mysterious empire, its relationship with the West, and the forging of a nation that would emerge as one of the most important countries in the world.

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Top Cast

L

Luke S. Roberts

Himself - UC Santa Barbera

Richard Chamberlain

Richard Chamberlain

Narrator

M

Michael Auslin

Himself - Nikko Toshogu Shrine

M

Michael Cooper

Himself - Former Editor, 'Monumenta Nipponica'

B

Beatrice M. Bodart-Bailey

Herself - Otsuma Women's University

Episodes

The Way of the Samurai

1. The Way of the Samurai

56m

Tokugawa Ieyasu unifies Japan and establishes a dynasty that will rule Japan for over 250 years.

Aired: 5/26/2004
The Will of the Shogun

2. The Will of the Shogun

56m

The grandson of Ieyasu, Tokugawa Iemitsu, tightens control over Japan's warlords and expels all foreigners.

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Reviews (0)

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Aired: 5/26/2004
The Return of the Barbarians

3. The Return of the Barbarians

56m

Isolated from the West, 18th century Edo flourishes culturally and economically, becoming one of the liveliest cities in the world. But foreign forces are coming.

Aired: 5/26/2004