Aizu 会津 original meaning – two gods met (会) by a river (津) in Aizu Takada Aizu Clan 会津藩 Katamori Matsudaira (松平容保) [1834-1893] was the lord (daimyo – 大名) of the Aizu Clan they were opposed to the Meiji Restoration and fought against the emperor’s forces in the Boshin Civil...
Continue reading...July 2000
Interactive Tour of Tsurugajo
Aizu Wakamatsu’s Famous Castle [1384-, 1590-, 1639-1874, 1965-present] These are the notes that I would use to tell the story of Tsurugajo when I did a tour of the castle. The questions were used to make the tour more of an interactive activity than a lecture. This castle was originally...
Continue reading...Interactive Tour of Iimoriyama
Learn about the history of Aizu through a role-playing game. Instructions Explain the idea. (We will give each of you a character. You will be asked to respond to a question in character. Think carefully about what your character might do in such a situation.) Hand out roles using nametags...
Continue reading...Expressions that You Need to Learn for Level 4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
sou desu that is right chigaimasu that is wrong sumimasen excuse me, I am sorry arigatou gozaimasu thank you dou itashimashite you are welcome mou ichido itte kudasai please say it one more time minna de itte kudasai please say it together douzo please, go ahead ohayou gozaimasu good morning...
Continue reading...Story of the Byakkotai
BACKGROUND Edo period – shogunate rule (local lords, no central government) Bushido – samurai were not busy with war, since Edo era was a 200 year era of peace Tokugawa (shogun) was in power, many people didn’t even realize that there was an emperor Meiji Restoration – give emperor real...
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