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(Not my usual Shogun fare, but after replaying Samurai Warriors 4 and 4-II recently, this idea just kind of took root in my head and I needed to write it.)

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Looking at Kenji in Rush hour 3, I see young Koji. Without the solid vibe of a wise calm samurai yet but with his cheeky smile and mocking eyes.

Like cmon, John, shoot me right now if you dare.

Oh fuck you really did it

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It's incredible to me how we, as writers, can wear so many skins.

We write as genders, not our own, in worlds that don't exist.

We slip into the bodies of the powerful, the ruthless, the fearless, while sitting in a one-bedroom apartment, praying for stable WiFi.

Writers are shapeshifters. Necromancers. Magicians. We build universes out of coffee and anxiety.

Writers are incredible, and I will die on that hill.

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Umberto Eco, who owned 50,000 books, had this to say about home libraries:

"It is foolish to think that you have to read all the books you buy, as it is foolish to criticize those who buy more books than they will ever be able to read. It would be like saying that you should use all the cutlery or glasses or screwdrivers or drill bits you bought before buying new ones.

"There are things in life that we need to always have plenty of supplies, even if we will only use a small portion.

"If, for example, we consider books as medicine, we understand that it is good to have many at home rather than a few: when you want to feel better, then you go to the 'medicine closet' and choose a book. Not a random one, but the right book for that moment. That's why you should always have a nutrition choice!

"Those who buy only one book, read only that one and then get rid of it. They simply apply the consumer mentality to books, that is, they consider them a consumer product, a good. Those who love books know that a book is anything but a commodity."

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"As long as I live… I'll continue to play the biwa. I'll play with all my soul to mourn those thousands of spirits who burn with bitter hatred."

Kwaidan [怪談] (1964), dir. Masaki Kobayashi

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KWAIDAN 怪談 (1964) dir. Masaki Kobayashi

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Periodical reminder of Tatsuya Nakadai's insane face card.

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Toshiro Mifune lighting a cigarette for Tatsuya Nakadai during the filming of Akira Kurosawa's 'Sanjuro' (1962)

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A reminder that you can always reject canon if it sucks and write your own fix-it fics

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師匠　千葉真一氏と

真田広之さん

弟子時代，千葉氏は真田さんが

自慢だった。

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Korea: The Imjin War

The Imjin wars are one of the really, really dark moments of the Sengoku Jidai and of Japan’s history. Not so much for what happened there, though that certainly contributes heavily, but for the precedent that it would set. The Imjin wars, or rather, Japan’s invasion of Korea, would use a route that would find itself repeated 300 years later. Japan would annexe Korea much more successfully and devastatingly in the 1900s and leave a mark on both countries that cannot be forgotten.

The post is under the cut, once again this is too long to just sit on the blog

Keep reading

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It is said that when Katō Kiyomasa was ordered to built the stone walls for the castle tower, he rode on the big stones, carried by his men, and led them by singing the workmen’s songs.

(Nagoya castle, Aichi prefecture; photo by me) 

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Kumamoto Castle, is considered to be one of the three most beautiful castles in Japan, and it was built by Lord Kato Kiyomasa in 1607 (Keicho 12).

The Ginkgo tree beside the castle was also planted by him in 1600. This tree and the castle was burnt down during Satsuma Rebellion in the Meiji era. The current ginkgo tree grew from a seedling planted after the fire.

The Hosokawa clan and swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi are just some of the heroes who have carved their names on the tablet of the castle's dramatic history.

Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu region, Japan November 2023

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Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: Kato Kiyomasa hunting tigers in Korea during the Imjim war

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Musical instruments used by Katō Kiyomasa

Japanese vintage postcard

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nothing brings me more happiness than seeing child mitsunari, masanori, and kiyomasa in hideyoshi's sw5 official art

so small,,, peace and love on planet earth