In this first episode, I talk about my interest in the Sengoku Jidai ("Warring States Period") of Japanese history and how pop culture has led to many misconceptions and erroneous tropes about samurai, ninja and medieval Japan. I also talk about how bushido is a modern invention and really had no basis in how samurai from the Sengoku period conducted themselves.

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Links to articles on individuals mentioned in this episode:

Oda Nobunaga: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Oda_Nobunaga

Toyotomi Hideyoshi: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Toyotomi_Hideyoshi

Tokugawa Ieyasu: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Tokugawa_Ieyasu

Takeda Shingen: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Takeda_Shingen

Uesugi Kenshin: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Uesugi_Kenshin

Matsunaga Hisahide: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Matsunaga_Hisahide

Hattori Hanzo: http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Hattori_Hanzo