A Short History of Japan Podcast

Cameron Foster launched A Short History of Japan back in 2010, making it one of the earliest English-language podcasts dedicated specifically to Japanese history. Over 34 episodes, he walks through the key moments and figures that shaped Japan, with a storytelling style that emphasizes the human drama behind the dates and treaties. Foster focuses on the people, power plays, and betrayals that drove Japanese history forward, and he is not afraid to highlight the occasional blunders and miscalculations that changed the course of events. The show really hits its stride around episode 18 when it enters the Warring States period, and listeners consistently point to the Sengoku Jidai episodes as some of the best content in the series. The Tokugawa Shogunate, the rise and fall of Christianity in Japan, and the major battles of unification all get vivid treatment. Episodes run about 40 minutes and are rated 4.5 stars with 148 reviews on Apple Podcasts. The last episode dropped in 2016, so this is effectively a completed series rather than an ongoing one. That said, the back catalog holds up remarkably well and offers a concise, engaging entry point for anyone who wants the big picture of Japanese history without committing to hundreds of episodes. Think of it as a well-crafted audiobook that covers the highlights with personality and wit.