CULTURE
Why Japan’s Ainu Recognition Bill Upsets the Ainu
After all these years, the Japanese government officially recognized the Ainu. Here's why the Ainu can't take them seriously.
hokkaido
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CULTURE
FEATURED
The Fall of Ezo, Japan’s “Samurai Democracy”
How Japan's samurai resistance fell to the pressure of history - and how its leader went from hatred traitor to respected leader.
HISTORY
The Last Samurai: Enomoto Takeaki and the Warrior Democracy of Ezo
The story of the samurai who fought the rise of modern Japan to the end - and who, when all else failed,…
HISTORY
The Colonization of Hokkaido: How a “Foreign” Frontier Became Japan
How a mysterious frontier island peopled by "barbarians" became one of the four main islands of Japan - and how the original…