Gaijin Historian

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! The fleet sets sail tomorrow! I wanted to make sure part 1 of the Admiral Togo biography was perfect, so the relaunch kicks off officially on January 2nd. Get ready for 2 different videos dropping at once!

11/09/2025

I had the honor and utmost pleasure to attend a special presentation by Masaru Aoki, a Japanese doll conservator who specializes in the restoration of the historic 1927 Japanese Friendship Dolls.

This event put on by the Novi Public Library gave a rare up close look at Ms. Akita, who has been a part of the Detroit Children's Museum collection.

These nearly 3ft tall dolls served as ambassadors from their prefectures and cities across Japan, a reciprocated gift for the over 12,000 blue-eyed baby dolls gifted to them in 1927.

As they approach their 100th birthday, Aoki-san has been working to make sure these girls are in top shape and had completed work to restore some damage to Ms. Akita the days prior.

I look forward to sharing more information about these fascinating dolls as we approach the 100th anniversary!

08/22/2025

In part 1 of our series we looked at how Edo got fresh water into the city, and now it is time to look at how they removed their waste and handled their refuse to keep that waterway clean.

Part Two: How Ancient Japan Turned Human Waste Into Gold

💧 Support Team Water 💧I've proudly partnered with to help end the global water crisis. Your contribution can help WaterAid build sustainable, lo...

08/18/2025

We admittingly need to be better about posting to Facebook!
This month we look at the Water & Waste of Edo Japan.

Part 1: How did Japan get clean water to 1 million people without a single modern pipe? And what did they do to keep these waterways free of debris, waste, and other health concerns.

https://youtu.be/UkRa2kumHNo?si=EDLa5qntJ5V97V64

In Part 2 we will look at waste removal, and drainage.

💧 Support Team Water 💧I've proudly partnered with to help end the global water crisis. Your contribution can help WaterAid build sustainable, lo...

07/15/2025

Discover the incredible true story of Lady Myobu, a cat in Heian Japan who was granted a noble title by Emperor Ichijō.
This short history video explores the unique role of cats in ancient Japan, from their origins as rare imports from China to their status as treasured pets of the Imperial Court.
Learn how a cat could wield enough power to outrank the humans tasked with her care!

Discover the incredible true story of Lady Myobu, a cat in Heian Japan who was granted a noble title by Emperor Ichijō.This short history video explores the ...

07/01/2025

Ever wondered about the iconic samurai topknot, the chonmage? 🤔 It was far more than just a hairstyle! This unique look was deeply tied to a samurai's identity, status, and even their effectiveness in battle. In my new video, I uncover the practical and cultural reasons behind this famous look. Discover "The Secret Behind a Samurai’s Shaved Head" now on YouTube! 👇

Why did so many samurai shave their heads? Delve into the fascinating history of the iconic chonmage, or samurai topknot, and uncover a story of practicality...

06/02/2025

🔔NEW VIDEO ALERT🔔
Learn how Japan crushed the Russian Navy, solidifying itself as a powerhouse country.

The Battle of Tsushima, saw staggering losses for Russia and cemented Japan's place on the world stage. What do you find most surprising about this historic ...

05/28/2025

𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟴𝟲𝟬'𝘀 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁

In 1859, the port of Yokohama became one of the main ports for trade with America after Commodore Perry forced Japan to end it's isolationist policies.
This lead to an increase interest foreigners and a rise of a new style of wood block prints depicting foreigners called Yokohama-e.

05/01/2025

Nakahama Manjiro (AKA John Mung) Was shipwrecked on the island when he was 14 after his fishing boat got caught in a savage storm.

He was rescued by a passing American fishing vessel which took him and his friends to the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Manjiro decided he wished to stay on with the ship, and the captain took him back to America. There the boy was given the name John Mung, and he studied English, navigation, and was apprenticed to be a cooper.

He later joined the California Gold Rush, and after making 600 pieces of silver, decided to find his way back to Japan.

Due to Japan's isolationist policies, it was a risky endeavor, but Manjiro bought his own ship and made the journey.

After returning, he was questioned by the government, and eventually was summoned to the Sh**un, and made a samurai.

He was instrumental in helping translate with negotiations when Commodore Perry showed up in order to open the country to trade.

Shipwrecked and rescued by a whaling ship, Nakahama Manjiro became Japan’s first accidental visitor to America. His unlikely journey from fisherman to cultur...

08/01/2023

Barbie began in Japan...kinda. She was originally manufactured there, but when she hit the market there in the 60's she was kinda a flop.

Dolls like Licca-chan who was younger looking and looked more Japanese outsold her for years until Mattel retooled Barbie to get her to fit the Japanese demographic.

It still took many years for Barbie to catch on. With the demographic becoming more metropolitan in taste she finally gained a foothold.

Barbie is now one of Japan's top-selling dolls.

01/11/2023

In this video, we recount the time our President, George H.W. Bush, puked on Japan's Prime Minister. From Nikkei stocks to nuclear negotiations, this is one incident you'll never forget.

For those of you who haven't seen it, here's the story: Our president was on a state visit to Japan and things got a little too queasy. He puked on the Japanese prime minister during a dinner party, and the rest is history...or is it? In this video, we take a look back at the event. And how comedians in Japan coined the Term "Bushing It."

The good news was he was fine and was later diagnosed with stomach flu.

shared a post on Instagram: "Don't pull a President Bush at your next dinner party.". Follow their account to see 7 posts.