The Mongol Invasion of Japan

In the 1960s, bowling wasn't just a sport—it was America's favorite pastime. With over 9.8 million league bowlers, bowling alleys dotted every American town, and professional bowlers were household names. Today, that empire has crumbled to less than 1.2 million league bowlers nat ...  Show more

The Yakuza, Japan's organized crime syndicates, originated in the mid-Edo period. Known for rigid patriarchal structures, tattoos, and feudal codes of honor, they evolved from street-level racketeers into powerful, often politically connected, organizations that thrived in post-W ...  Show more

In the late 13th century, the Mongol Empire was at the peak of its power.  It was at this time that the Mongol Emperor of China, Kubli Khan, set his eyes on the island of Japan.  On two separate occasions, the Mongols assembled the world’s largest amphibious fleet in world histor ...  Show more

At the height of the Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan set his sights on the island of Japan. He launched two enormous invasions of that nation in 1274 and 1281 - but both of them were defeated, aided by sudden and disastrous storms that tore his fleets apart. The story of these kami ...

The Warring States period brought Japan to its knees. It was a time of turbulence and treachery, with rival warlords fighting bitterly for control of the land. But by the dawn of the 17th century, one of Japan's 'Great Unifiers' had emerged victorious - Tokugawa Ieyasu, the fi ...

In the year 1162, in the Khentii Mountains of what is today Northeastern Mongolia, a baby by the name of Temüjin was born.  He would go on to become the single greatest conqueror and establish the largest contiguous empire in world history.  His empire would reverberate through ...  Show more