Early Japan

There is a reason Japan’s oldest book still whispers through its culture today. The Kojiki is not merely a collection of myths—it is the birthplace of a nation’s identity. It tells how the islands were formed, how the gods shaped the world, and how divine authority descended to rule on earth. These stories have endured for over a thousand years, influencing everything from ritual and tradition to art and national consciousness. Yet for most modern readers, the Kojiki feels distant—dense, unfamiliar, and difficult to enter. This book changes that. You will step into a vivid world ...

In December, 2020, forensic scientists at the University of Tokyo confirmed that bones recently excavated by archaeologists in Hirado, Japan, were those of the English adventurer William Adams. The mystery of where, exactly, this man had been buried was finally solved. Now, the final chapter of the life and death of a sailor and samurai who, in so many ways, exemplified the age of Elizabethan exploration can be told. The character John Blackthorne in James Clavell's novel Shogun was based on Adams, but there is much more to the real story. Leaving England in 1598 with a small group of ...

China is growing increasingly bellicose. From massive practice runs for an invasion of Taiwan, to deadly encroachments on the sovereign territorial waters of the Philippines, to reckless encounters at sea and in the air aimed to intimidate American and Japanese forces operating in international waters and air space, it seems war might erupt at any moment. For decades China has been "hiding its strength and biding its time" as former paramount leader Deng Xiaoping counseled. No longer. Under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the People's Republic of China has engaged in a massive naval, air...

The idea of the sword-wielding samurai, beholden to a strict ethical code and trained in deadly martial arts, dominates popular conceptions of the samurai. As early as the late 17th century, they were heavily featured in literature, art, theater, and even comedy. This book gives listeners access to the real samurai as they lived, fought, and served. Much as they capture the modern imagination, the samurai commanded influence over the politics, arts, philosophy, and religion of their own time, and controlled Japan from the 14th century until their demise in the mid-19th century.

Can Aimi defeat a bigger competitor than teams sponsored by Silicon Valley's most powerful Internet behemoths? The teams boarded the Floating City to travel the world in search of hidden mythological relics that when found may open doors to new worlds for the winners. Aimi was defeated by her mentor in part one of this epic voyage. Has Aimi sacrificed her integrity to no avail? Can she make her way back to her team? If you like honest characters, beautiful twists, and Christian themes, then you’ll love father-daughter writing duo Bill & Mia Belew’s wonderful tale. Buy sixth-in-series, ...

The Sino-Japanese Wars: The History and Legacy of the Early 20th Century Conflicts That Made Japan the Dominant Power in Asia examines what brought about the wars, the most notorious events, and the important aftermath.

When an ordinary morning turns magical, three friends discover that celebrations mean more than they ever imagined. Imani, Tommy, and Maya thought it would be just another day on their favorite front steps—until Tommy starts spinning like a compass needle and an orange door appears, covered in mysterious symbols. Armed with magical scarves and their courage, the three friends step through the door into the Celebration Bridge, a magical realm where eleven different celebrations are in danger of being forgotten. Someone has stolen the Day Coins—special tokens that hold the meaning and ...

The Air Pump A Story of Childhood, Guilt, and Redemption A timeless Japanese classic by Nankichi Niimi, newly translated into English with annotations. What happens when a childhood dream suddenly turns into a secret too frightening to bear? First published in 1937, when Nankichi Niimi was only twenty-three years old, The Air Pump is one of the finest examples of his remarkable ability to portray the emotional world of children with warmth, humor, and extraordinary psychological insight. In a quiet Japanese village, young Shōkurō longs for nothing more than the chance to repair a bicycle ...