If you’re struggling, consider therapy with BetterHelp #ad. Click betterhelp.com/voicesofthepast for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy with a credentialed professional specific to your needs.

@KyoushaPumpItUp

2 ай бұрын

Betterhelp? Really? They've been exposed as a scam 6 years ago!

@p5eudo883

2 ай бұрын

Betterhelp is a scam that sells your personal data, including information that is normally protected by HIPAA. They have been exposed for this, and should absolutely not be used. They are pouring money into content creators to collect people in need to prey on. There are better, professional, genuine sources of therapy available. Betterhelp is exploitation.

@Carbuncle0168

2 ай бұрын

now Japan is a colony of the USA 🎉

@pete8276

2 ай бұрын

Wasn’t this shit a scam?

@Carbuncle0168

2 ай бұрын

@@pete8276 many young Japanese are ending their lives because of how difficult Japanese jobs are

Japan speed running from medieval to an industrial age is one of the most endlessly fascinating occurrences in history

@johnburke964

2 ай бұрын

Heck yeah History Dose

@atomic_wait

2 ай бұрын

The Imperial government managed to consolidate power pretty quickly after the country was forcibly reopened, and looking at what had happened to China and their other neighbors they were highly motivated to not suffer the same fate at the hands of foreign interference and conquest.

@drgonzo305

2 ай бұрын

Then from expansionist imperial rule to pacifist constitutional democracy all in about 100 years. They went from medieval warfare with no navy to defeating the industrialized Russian navy outright in like 60 years. People talk about Germans being efficient but they got nothing on the Japanese

@breakerdawn8429

2 ай бұрын

Adapt or be colonised, that's what they saw and luckily they chose the latter.​@@atomic_wait

@SuLokify

2 ай бұрын

Their long isolation and whiplash into modernity continues to be fascinating, in my opinion. Especially when you compare it to how first contacts between less advanced natives and explorers have so often gone (and gone badly for the natives).

I then realized the one recounting this is none other than Japan's first Prime Minister

@yichengyi

2 ай бұрын

Same here. In the description, I saw "Marqis Ito." Then, after about five minutes of listening further, I was like, "This sounds an awful lot like Ito Hirobumi."

@somedesertdude1308

2 ай бұрын

you're

@yichengyi

2 ай бұрын

@@somedesertdude1308 "You're" what?

@SlimbTheSlime

2 ай бұрын

@@somedesertdude1308nobody even said “your”

@somedesertdude1308

2 ай бұрын

@@SlimbTheSlime seethe

The Englishman named "Girl" was probably actually named Joe. The character for girl (女) is pronounced じょ (or Jo). Got a good laugh from that one.

@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714

2 ай бұрын

Džo would make much more sense than girl.

@mastersafari5349

2 ай бұрын

Aren't you supposed to use katakana when writing a name of a foreigner in Japanese? My suggestion is that the Englishman's name was spelled as "ガー ル" in katakana which could be both "girl" or "Gull" converted back to English.

@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714

2 ай бұрын

@@mastersafari5349 "Aren't you supposed to use katakana when writing a name of a foreigner in Japanese?" You are. Heres my name グンタース・ミエリシュ. "My suggestion is that the Englishman's name was spelled as "ガー ル" in katakana which could be both "girl" or "Gull" converted back to English." Its quite likely that the japanese did not know his name properly as their writing is not one in which you confuse anything.

@Ciacien-ke7ot

2 ай бұрын

that satisfying moment when you've studied enough japanese to recognize that character and know it's on'yomi pronunciation. i know it's a kinda basic one, but it feels rewarding to be able to fully understand the funniness of this 😂

@gorgeousgentleman5390

2 ай бұрын

Joe Joe want to have an adventure

The author of this, Itoh Hirobumi, was Japan’s first prime minister and longest serving prime minister. He modeled Japan’s government on that of Prussia. Edit: he served in the capacity as a prime minister in the Meiji government before the title “prime minister” existed. Hence why he’s the longest serving, above Abe Shinzo.

@riowhi7

2 ай бұрын

The military sure, it incorporated a lot of German systems and ideas. It's government however seemed to be much more influenced by the United Kingdom, not Prussia or Germany.

@tiffanybatcheller-harris522

2 ай бұрын

Ito Hirobumi was both a samurai and a leading member of the genro. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by gunshots. 🤔

@thebelgfrommt

2 ай бұрын

yeah he got assassinated by korean independence activists

@ferretyluv

2 ай бұрын

@@riowhi7 The peerage system and bicameral legislature (house of commons and House of Lords) was based on the UK. But the constitution and absolute monarchy was based on Prussia.

@nomorechess

2 ай бұрын

​@@ferretyluv Was Prussia during that time really an absolute monarchy?

"If you don't let us on the ship, we'll disembowel ourselves where we stand" "Erm, ok. I guess you can go then"

@TaxEvader08

2 ай бұрын

the Dupont approach

@mikicerise6250

2 ай бұрын

Used to be so easy to get a visa. 😅

@zandaroos553

2 ай бұрын

@@TaxEvader08This man is actually Roy’s ancestor. They moved to the U.S. in search of better uncles. Read that again

@Jefrings

2 ай бұрын

''So, how's your determination to get on this ship?'' *Puts knife on own belly* ''Hum, ok sirs right this way!''

@John3.36

Ай бұрын

This was only possible because of the Christian compassion of English who valued the life of people. Unlike Japan where life was not valued and self-suicide was seen as the right thing to do.

Japan transitioned to modern times in a blink of an eye. The emperor, after the decision was made to open the country up, said to his nation (paraphrasing here) on the lines of: "Go to all the world and learn everything there is to know about everything, bring it back an apply it here"

@Dncsuxadic

2 ай бұрын

Then they fooked with America and got sent back a 100years 😅😅😅😅

@brad5426

2 ай бұрын

@@Dncsuxadic No they didn't Japanese economy thrived post-war

@haha-lj5sq

2 ай бұрын

@@Dncsuxadicbro forgot about the post-war economic miracle

@Dncsuxadic

2 ай бұрын

@@haha-lj5sq Because America built them back. Read your history 😂🤣😅

@haha-lj5sq

2 ай бұрын

@@Dncsuxadic so you’re admitting they didn’t get sent back? Okay

Next video: “last cowboy describes his finale days in old America”

@coolkidsman.

2 ай бұрын

Wait, aren’t cowboys still around in the usa?

@atompunk5575

2 ай бұрын

I was gonna say 😅​@@coolkidsman.

@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714

2 ай бұрын

@@coolkidsman. Catle herders yes, frontiersmen no.

@salmonellafunk

2 ай бұрын

I mean that period was really only about 20-30 years in American history so itd be hard to tell who truly was the last frontiersman since they'd mostly all be from the same generation

@isaiahrogge

2 ай бұрын

@@coolkidsman.yeah the 1800s train robbing dueling “cowboys” didn’t really exist the old cowboys have just been romanticized. Cowboys had a bad reputation kinda like sailors used to before the “modern era” and the extreme examples fascinated the rich people… right as movies were first being made. Guys like Clint Eastwood weren’t really a thing cowboys were just people on the fringes of society looking for work

Hirobumi Ito was a former samurai, but as a politician he was far more moderate and prudent than his fellow Samurai. Unlike Saigo, who wanted to restore the samurai way of life, and the militarist Aritomo Yamagata, Ito hoped to solve problems through international cooperation and diplomacy, Especially opposed to war with Russia. He wanted Korea to remain a buffer state with Russia rather than annex by force, but he was assassinated by a nationalistic Korean, his death ironically aided Japan's annexation of Korea.

@ories

2 ай бұрын

rather than annex by force... how so?

@LuigiCotocea

2 ай бұрын

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itō_Hirobumi Sadly he got assasinated on 26 october 1909... :(

@Silvergalaxy7383

2 ай бұрын

@@LuigiCotocea It said here he changed his mind and advocated for annexation but despite this, he was forced to resign and shortly there after killed which only accelerated Koreas annexation process

@massalleh5255

13 сағат бұрын

Through international cooperation and diplomacy? But it's written he's the one who oversee the Sino-Japanese war?

12:22 "Someone's planning on assassinating us? Better kill ourselves!" That seems to be the one-size-fits-all solution to most problems Samurai had.

@ToastyMozart

2 ай бұрын

"Ah! But who is stupider? The man trying to kill himself, or the man trying to kill the man trying to kill himself!"

@ianfinrir8724

2 ай бұрын

I mean, if it ain't broke...

@bricc9964

2 ай бұрын

You can’t assassinate someone who’s already dead.

@civilengineer3349

2 ай бұрын

It has something to do with their culture I guess. Perhaps the afterlife or reincarnation

@ianfinrir8724

2 ай бұрын

@@civilengineer3349 It's death before dishonor. It's better to die by your own hand than suffer whatever torture/death/humiliation the enemy will do to you; it also denies the enemy their trophy. It's similar to burning your own fields so the enemy can't use them.

The difference between America or Europe in 1824 and America or Europe now are stark, but to think of what Japan was like in 1824 versus what it is like only 200 years later is just astounding.

@ijansk

2 ай бұрын

The US. America is a continent.

@zeedub8560

2 ай бұрын

@@ijansk North America is the continent. America is shorthand for the USA. Everybody in the world knows what country is meant when someone says "America."

@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714

2 ай бұрын

@@ijansk Ameica is the reduced form of United States of America. Just like Latvija is the reduced form of Latvijas Republika.

@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714

2 ай бұрын

After talking to myself about it for an hour, including sheddint tiers when I said that a latvietis from 1824 would not care that with our cars he can cross the country in 6 hours hed rather walk for a week with everyone on the road saying hello, you underestiamate how much Europe has changed. It wasnt depressing in the olden days, you think northern europians are cold now it wasnt at all like this 200 years ago.

@GhostHax0r

2 ай бұрын

@@ijanskI’m sorry, is Europe a country then?

Hearing him talk about america was so wholesome and flattering

@410cultivar

2 ай бұрын

Have you read or listened to the diary entry if the first samurai group to go to America? It was when america first forced them to open up. They were blown away by ice cubes for drinks, in the summer. Also that we had enough wealth to buy enough fabric, to walk on, carpet lol But that we are wasteful, iron and steel just laying around rusting

@comradecameron3726

2 ай бұрын

@@410cultivarJapan doesn’t or at least didn’t have much iron or steel in those days. But America being so big has more than enough to tear it out of the ground and leave it to rust.

@tek87

2 ай бұрын

Hardly hear that today...

@cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400

2 ай бұрын

@@410cultivar i have listened to that one, pretty comical at times. Dude lit his sleeve on fire with a cigarette cherry.

@manmanboyboyman9863

2 ай бұрын

@@cpt.honklerof3rdkekistania400 Yeah till this day japan is still obsessed with American culture. They often dress up as cowboys and read American comics, they are kinda like the reverse weeabo right now🤣🤣

This one is absolutely crazy. Its beautifull that these accounts still exist, wow. What a wild trip for these gentleman and what impact that they may had in turning the final tide.

@samsonadeyemi2169

2 ай бұрын

The narration was by the first PM of Japan

These videos are a unique delight for someone fascinated by the history of more ordinary people and how they experienced it, like myself.

@riowhi7

2 ай бұрын

I mean, this guy was a member of the samurai ruling class pre-restoration and later became part of the ruling aristocracy post-restoration as the country's first Prime Minister. I would be hard pressed to call him an ordinary person, but I agree that these videos are very fascinating.

The rapid transition from the Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution in Japan is one of the most enthralling events in human history.

@zzerutan

2 ай бұрын

Did you just basically reword one of the top comments? lol

@sonb0t

2 ай бұрын

@@zzerutanwas about to comment that lol

@princejaxisblack8789

20 күн бұрын

bro got caught red handed in the replies 💀

@BurroDevelops

19 күн бұрын

​@@princejaxisblack8789hahahahahaha

@BurroDevelops

19 күн бұрын

​​@@princejaxisblack8789i get them though. The need to rewrite it shows how impressed they are. It's a human thing.

The narrating is articulate. Thank you for giving us all such a gift

@derekstaroba

2 ай бұрын

Thank you for giving thanks

@clarkh4133

2 ай бұрын

@@derekstaroba Thank you for thanking my thanks

“If you don’t let me go on your ship I’m gonna kms”

@brad5426

2 ай бұрын

funny to imagine the man was not expecting to hear that and was like damn bro ok

An upload from Voices of the Past is like a correspondence from a long lost friend.

_Goes to get milk for tea_ >>> _Discovers we ran out of milk_ >>> _Begins to unsheathe wakizashi_

And now the entire world has access to anime. Thanks to that man's efforts.

A magnificent narration. The aesthetics of the animation are commendable.

Fascinating! Thanks for uploading!

Brilliant storytelling and enjoyed the illustration's and photograph's of Japan. Thanks for sharing 🙏

Excellently made, thank you for your efforts.

I get so excited whenever I see you upload.

Absolutely incredible video. It's fascinating to me that the Japanese perceived the US in the exact same manner pre-WW2 as they do today. Really great work man, awesome piece of history.

One thing I didn’t understand was the part where they had $8.300 dollars and it “was very little, but enough to cover the expenses which the journey necessitated” $8300 which would be about $280.000 today. Sounds like that would cover a lot.

@suzbone

2 ай бұрын

Right! I was like HUH???

@RogerTheil

2 ай бұрын

He might have meant "yen" (or whatever they used then) and simply called them "dollars". This happens a lot in writing where an author will use terms for currency interchangeably, even today.

@vulpes7079

2 ай бұрын

He said that they got that money, but the amount they carried in their pockets wasn't a big one. As in, they weren't flashy with the money and used only what was necessary

@vulpes7079

2 ай бұрын

​@@RogerTheil"Yen" was not the currency then. He was describing how he excanged Ryō, which were those large gold pieces used as currency and a store of wealth, into that amount of dollars, as he said.

@christianr4769

2 ай бұрын

I think he meant that they only kept small amounts in their pockets, and put the rest somewhere safer.

This was very insightful; thank you kindly for it.

What an awesome episode. Thank you

This was so beautiful that it gave me shivers.

Thank you again for these videos.

Thanks for the insight and thoughts of Ito Hirobumi. Great job mate

Great work 👏

Thanks!

The illustrations are beautiful. I'm impressed.

Wow, it's simply amazing. It's like time traveling. A video on Sassanid dynasty Persia and Tang dynasty China interacting would be absolutely insane. Love your videos man. I've been binge watching all of them. ❤

fantastic, thank you!

Love your work.

wow! such an engaging and thoughtful speech

Accounts like this about the end of Tokugawa are fascinating!

This is beautiful.

A Glorious Narration 👍

Fascinating. Thanks.

It’s perfectly natural to feel scared or confused when your society transforms from a medieval, pre-industrial backwater to an Empire taking on the world’s great powers. That’s why there’s Better Help.

@avrahamvidal4255

4 күн бұрын

LOL 😂

I knew this but it's so different to see it so well sun into a animated story Thank you 👍

I love this channel

Excellent. Thank you.

Fascinating!

Very interesting. Very interesting period in Japanese history-this added a lot to my knowledge of this fascinating time. The period photos added a lot. Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu!

Beautiful art!

What a beautiful story.

Excellent video. This is what I'm a patreon patron for.

what an incredible story. what an incredible life.

Absolutely fascinating, the growing pains of living through such a short time must have been unbearable for some…

Perfect. Just what i needed during a late night snack 😋awesome qnd interesting video aa usal !!

Fantastic synopsis!

This is great! Very interesting.

Wow. This might be the most informative video and also a great story. What heroes. They just went straight back and convinced everyone. Maybe they all did not need convincing

1860s yup my grandpappy was in the Civil War lol he lost and ended up poor with his house burned down an having to rely on the generosity of family and friends, but the fact we are still alive means our story continues on today.

This man's thirst for knowledge is so wholesome and admirable

Great video! I loved the storytelling. The unfinished photo restoration kills me though. I want to redo it all. :)

wow, gave me the chills. i LOVE Japan

While I know it’s earlier in history, it’s good timing that you posted this with the new show from Hulu shogun coming out.

That would be a very difficult to adjust to. I can understand that A very interesting story thank you

Us _Blackadder_ fans appreciate hearing of a Custom House gentleman whose name is Mr. Girl, since we'll never tire of Capt Darling.

please whatever you do never stop

mindblowing

Nice I learned a lot

Japan has a special place in my heart

Beautiful! I love hearing the writings of the Japanese in these videos the most. They’re so eloquent and humble in how they write. Thank you Voices of the Past! This was worth the wait.

Thank you for the content of the video. Captivating! I was wondering if you were planning on gathering information to make a video concerning the African continent, as many countries hold wonderful historical artifacts. I would love to witness your savvy and thorough work on that continent. Have a pleasant day!

Very interesting, thank you for this historical account.

The quality of this content leaves me in awe.

I moved to Tokyo for work and I live near to the Marquis Maeda's former home and current heritage museum. Would love to hear you ready anything from 1885-1940 from his point of view.

I like how the Japanese artist's version of Commodore Perry also included his 7 chins. Fine attention to detail, indeed. Also, great and very interesting video. Thank you!

Fascinating video and facts. Want to read the book of this Japanese diplomatic.

There's something enchanting about Japan before the Meiji Restoration, a bit like Medieval Europe or even anytime in Europe before the First World War wrecked much of her

@VespasianJudea

2 ай бұрын

If you’re a gamer, like a dragon Ishin takes place during this time. It’s a fun little game.

This was legendary

What a fantastic people and group of up and coming leaders. They navigated this ancient civilization to a great power in the world and in a manner of great nobility. Well done in finding this letter from the past.

Watched 5 seconds of this video and subscribed immediately

Extremely good

I recommend you to make a video of Sengoku era. It’s so dense and crazy. Rivalry between many iconic warlords. Also Meiji Ishin (revolution against shogunation)

This is so cool

Amazing

I'm not going to lie, I was really hoping to see something like '2:00:00' in the lower left corner 😂

I think this is one of the most remarkable episodes you have done. I honestly feel I have a better grasp of the Old World of Japan, being only slightly familiar with the differences. Everything is romanticized in the prism of the past, of course, but at least I can understand their zenith before the horrible events of World War II.

Ettore Mazza

Very well done visuals and editing and a very fascinating lens to view this history through, Hirobumi Ito. His lead such an incredible life。My only gripe is the butchered pronunciation of the Japanese names.

The time of transition from traditional to industrial is always one of the most interesting times in history to me. Seeing something that has been mostly static for hundreds and hundreds of years suddenly drastically change in just a few years with the impact of new technologies.

They threatened to commit suicide like an abusive ex boyfriend to get onto the ship lol.

@areaxisthegurkha

2 ай бұрын

Sounds oddly specific, but the points they made to the sailor were valid tbh.

Dang, what a ride.

I like how this is the latest video uploaded after I start watching the Shogun 😂

@sarahenglerstone2814

Ай бұрын

Hahaha at first when the narrator mentioned the Tokugawa regency I was like you mean Toronaga? Then I was like wait… I’m getting reality and the show mixed up 😂

I often think about what it must have been like for the Samurai and Daimyo to have witnessed the phenomenal change that happened from 1860 to 1900! I ❤️ 🗾!

*unthinkingly listens to ad read Man, samurais say all sorts of things...

I recommend the 1976 Broadway musical "Pacific Overtures" by Stephen Sondheim. It's about the end of Samurai eta, told as traditional Kabuki theatre, with an all-East Asian male cast. It tells the story from the eyes of the Japanese. It's on KZread, with the original Broadway cast, starring Mako, of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" fame.

PLEASE MORE ASIAN HISTORY CONTENT ❤️

excellent

Japan still has clans just they aren’t as powerful as they once were. The clans have some say in local governments but not much. After the Meiji restoration the clans pretty much went into trade or anything to gain wealth. Some companies were started by clans like Toyota and Honda. Modern day clan titles are purely ceremonial mostly to figure out the line of succession and who runs what in the family. The person has to earn the title through hard work too. Also marriages tend to be arranged already in these clans although these can be held off if the person has found someone that is a good match. I have a friend who is part of a major Japanese Clan and yeah your future is pretty much laid out for you and yeah you get married usually right out of college working hard in a office and rising through the ranks and by your 5th year you are a section manager or floor manager and by year 7 you’re working at HQ as a major contributor. It’s a very rough life as you constantly work to get higher with the clan head as the CEO or president.

@buzz5969

2 ай бұрын

There have been Prime Ministers, some rather recent tied to Samurai bloodlines, one was the only assasinated in the last few years, Dude was still pretty hardcore against SK and China and was full of controversial matters. They truly believe in maintaining their history.

@user-im7tp2os9g

2 ай бұрын

full of lies

@user-im7tp2os9g

2 ай бұрын

Show me the evidence.

What's truly fascinating is that when Samurai threaten to end their lives, they absolutely mean it. Even their own writings reveal they were moments away from commiting sepuku. Such a fascinating culture, i don't know if it can be found anywhere else in time.

19:15 Makes me want to learn more about Bushido