Japan in the Age of the Samurai

This course is for students interested in exploring Japan’s remarkable cultural, political and social transformations during the Age of the Samurai, which began in the late 12th century and came to a close in the mid-19th century. Lectures, readings and films will explore how the emergence of new forms of military expertise and technologies led to the creation of warrior-led “tent governments,” that first co-existed with and eventually supplanted the structures of power centered on Kyoto and the Imperial Court. Open to all students. P