JAPANESE HISTORY & CULTURE アーカイブ

On Line Webinar September 26, on the Battle of Sekigahara

In 1994, I became apprenticed to traditional samurai armour craftsman Ogawa Nobuo, That same year, on October 21 – the date of the decisive Battle of Sekigahara, in which Tokugawa Ieyasu claimed victory and brought peace to a war-torn Japan, Ogawa Sensei and I went to the actual battlefields for the first time. In 2000, we took part in the on the 400th anniversary of the battle re-enactments in armour we had crafted ourselves.

Over the next 14 years I researched the battle, looked into its roots, the warriors who fought in it, the battle itself and the repercussions it had on Japan, as well as the modern day effects. My first book on the battle was published in 2014, another joint guide was written in conjunction with Professor Owada Tetsuo in 2019,

and later this month will see he release of my new book, available from UK publishers, Frontline Books on the Battle of Sekigahara.

This is without doubt the most detailed book in English on the subject. In a timely turn of events, the JAS, Japan Armour Society will be hosting an On Line Webinar September 26, on the Battle of Sekigahara.

I’ll be the guest speaker, covering the basics of the greatest field battle in samurai history, the Battle of Sekigahara, fought between a nation divided in two in 1600.

As well as looking at the battle itself, we’ll be looking at some of the surviving sets of armour known to have been used at Sekigahara.The lecture will be in English. Places are limited. Book now on the link provided.

MY New Book on The Battle of Sekigahara OUT SOON!

In a time of plentiful bleak news, it is a wonderful feeling to have some Good News to finally report on. My seventh book, a non-fiction account of The Battle Of Sekigahara is set to be released in September by UK based military specialist publishers, Frontline Books, an imprint of the respected Pen & Sword Publishing group.

Pre 0rders are already being accepted!

My first book on the Battle of Sekigahara was published in 2014 after nearly 15 Years of research and was at the time THE most detailed book on the battle available in English. Since then, having been made the Sekigahara Tourism Ambassador, meeting and working closely with many professors, researchers and members of the Sekigahara Board of Education has opened up new lines of research and the discovery of so many more fascinating details, and having a greater understanding of the mechanisms of the battle meant that a new version was required.

While some parts remain similar, they have been altered and updated. New information, more detail, some fascinating discoveries made related to the battle while researching other topics and warriors who took park have been included. Many of the traditional “stories” associated with the battle have been analysed and commented on. Although there are less maps and photo illustrations in this new hardback book, the quality is better, the information more interesting and far more revealing.

I hope history fans will enjoy it.

For pre order direct from the publishers, Pen & Sword imprint Frontline Books, available from September 30:
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Battle…/p/19269

Casemate will release the book in November, pre orders can be made here:
https://www.casematepublishers.com/…/the-battle-of…

Amazon is also taking pre orders, with the release date being December 7…You may wish to check your local regional Amazon for postage details etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Sekigahara…/dp/1399014137

Making a Complicated Story Simple, Understanding Sekigahara.

One of PPF’s recent projects was the creation of a video package for Gifu Prefecture designed to explain the Battle of Sekigahara to the English speaking world. The Battle of Sekigahara was the largest samurai field battle, fought on October 21, 1600, and saw the deaths of an estimated 30, 000 samurai in a six-hour close-combat skirmish.

There wasn’t a huge budget, certainly not for the grand scale movie like re-enactments I initially envisioned, and so the challenge came to be how to show and explain the complicated political history leading to the battle, how the nation came to be split into two warring factions, who took part, how and why they came together at Sekigahara, the actions and results of such a large battle, as well as introduce the key players involved. This had to be achieved in the simplest, yet informative and entertaining way.

It had to be informative, it had to meet certain standards, importantly, it had to tell the story of Sekigahara, simply, distinctly, and for an audience unfamiliar with the battle and characters involved.

I do a number of TV shows for NHK World, including Ninja Truth and Castle Quest. The production team I work with are not only very professional, but have become close friends. As such, my first thought was to secure their services in order to achieve the best possible result.

Being a history fanatic, deeply entrenched in the subject, as is often the case, I was too close to the subject matter. Thankfully, being friends, the producer and director were able to take my ideas, scripts and vision plans and help forge them into an easy to follow three-episode video package, Understanding the Battle of Sekigahara.

It meant three full days of video shoot in the hot, sultry Japanese summer, doing segment by segment but not necessarily in the order seen, but once edited, blend together seamlessly. Further recording sessions and mixing was done in Nagoya and the end result is pretty good considering the restraints. Have a look at the clips, and enjoy.

Discover the Secret Strengths of Samurai Strongholds!

I’ll be doing a RESOBOX virtual talk show for a New York based group on samurai castles on Monday, June 16th. It can be seen world wide, all the details below! Hope to see you then.

Overview
Discover the Secret Strengths of Samurai Strongholds!

During this online discussion, you’ll learn about the many samurai castles of Japan: their defensive and offensive capabilities, innovations and features, including the usage and roles of their unique keeps, turrets, gates, moats, earthen embankments and stone walls. We’ll look at the various types of castles and find out how and why they were built, along with the changes and developments between medieval and early modern styles. And finally, discover the fates of these forts at the end of the feudal period.

Each Japanese castle is unique, and we’ll discover many of these differences, as well as seeing a range of photographs defining the features and functions of these fascinating fortresses. You may even be surprised to find out which castle is the best in all Japan! If you’ve ever wanted to visit Japan, this discussion will help you enjoy and appreciate the rich history and artistry behind these notable landmarks.

Information
DATE

Monday June 16th, 2021 8:00PM – 9:30PM EST

LOCATION

Virtual Event :
Attend from your home!

Admission

Price: $20

About the Presenter
Chris Glenn

Chris Glenn is an Australian-born bilingual radio DJ, TV presenter, narrator, lecturer, media copywriter, author and samurai history and culture researcher and historian. He was an apprentice samurai armor craftsman and is a member of the Japan Armor and Weapons Research and Preservation Society. Chris has visited and researched over 450 castles across Japan and is a member of the Japan Castle Association. He is the Sekigahara Tourism Ambassador, Nagoya City Cultural Exchange Special Ambassador, and Omi Tourism Ambassador, holds Shodan rank in Kendo, and studied Owari Yagyu Shinkage Ryu and Enmei Ryu sword fighting disciplines. Having lived in Sapporo and Tokyo for a year each, he has been a resident of Nagoya since 1993.

Enku: The Enigma of a Wandering Sculptor Monk – NHK WORLD PRIME

The NHK documentary on the life of the wandering sculptor monk, Enku, narrated by yours’ truly is now availablke On Demand, On Line….Enjoy. Incidentally, the largest collection of Enku sculptures is in Nagoya’s Arako Kanon Temple, discovered only relatively recently in 1972 inside Nagoya’s oldest remaining structure, the Tahoto pagoda.

Enku: The Enigma of a Wandering Sculptor Monk – NHK WORLD PRIME | NHK WORLD-JAPAN On Demand

Hikone Castle App Press Release

Was at National Treasure designated Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture today for the press release of the ” National Treasure Hikone Castle Explorer” App, produced by my company, PPF (Past Present Future Ltd.) and the OTB, (Omi Tourism Board) as part of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs’, Cultural Properties, Multilingual Commentary Maintenance Project.

The main features of this entertaining and informative National Treasure Hikone Castle Explorer Apps are;

• Video Presentation. In the app’s video section, I guide visitors through the castle’s many ingenious defensive features and reveal the secrets of Hikone Castle, it’s highlights and key points mostly often missed by tourists, and with the use of CG, show you how the castle looked in the days of the samurai. There are 10 video presentations in the App, and these can be enjoyed as a virtual tour of Hikone Castle at home, or watch it as you visit the castle site itself.

• Siege Game. The App contains a game where you can test your skills attacking Hikone Castle at 4 different points. As you progress, the play experience difficulty level increases. The CG used in the game is a must-see! The game can only be enjoyed within the grounds of Hikone Castle to make it an even more realistic experience.

• Map Screen. Navigate your way around Hikone Castle and read explanations of Hikone’s features and history. You can also follow Hikone Castle Museum information from the map screen.

• Samurai Helmet AR Photo. Take photos of yourself, friends and family wearing the AR samurai helmet of Hikone Castle’s first feudal lord, Ii Naomasa.

• The App is available in four languages: English, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

This app is mainly targeted at European, US and Australian tourists, so instead of simply translating from Japanese to English as is usually done, we started by creating it in English first to meet the needs and understanding of the target tourists, and later translated my written scripts into Japanese and both simplified & traditional Chinese.

As you walk around Hikone Castle you can discover, and better understand the highlights of Hikone Castle, the ingenuity of defenses, its key points and splendor.

This “National Treasure Hikone Castle Explorer” App is available for anyone anywhere to enjoy. Naturally, some features, such as the Siege Game can only be enjoyed at the castle site itself, but the rest can be downloaded via App Store or Google Play and enjoyed as a virtual tour of Hikone Castle at home.

App supervision
Past Present Future Co., Ltd.
Chris Glenn