YouTube as a Tool for Japanese History: Challenges, Strategies, and Discoveries
When I was a student of premodern Japanese history, visiting historical sites tremendously helped me to understand how past events, ideas, and materials were interconnected with today’s Japan and Asia. It also inspired me to ask questions that led me to further investigation. My channel—Sachiko Exploring History—invites a broader audience to this delightful experience and exercise, by introducing Japanese places along with intriguing histories, cultures, food & drinks, businesses, religions, and beautiful landscapes.
In the fall of 2023, visitors to Japan reached pre-pandemic levels, and in 2024, the numbers even surpass those of the pre-COVID era. But how many of the visitors stopped with visiting just well-known cities and tourist spots, focusing on “Japan” today, while missing local beauties and historical remains? I would like people to realize that modern Japan did not emerge from a vacuum. Through my videos, I aim to make people—both Japanese and English speakers across different age groups—more interested in Japanese history. In addition to Japanese local products and cultures, I would like them to see the amazing intersections between past and present. I believe that such discoveries would lead them to do further investigations on their own.
During this event, we are planning to focus on a few videos, but if you are interested, you can access the channel and watch anything here.
Videos We Will Watch
Ōzu Castle: A Perfectly Restored Samurai Fortress
I visited the Ōzu Castle in Shikoku and learned how this lesser-known castle was a crucial part of Japan’s long history. This video also invites you to see interesting trends since the early medieval period, such as the migration of warriors and movement of castles across the archipelago. Let’s explore the Ōzu castle towers, which have survived from the Edo period, and enter a keep that has been restored very closely to its original form!
How Sake Is Made: Sake Varieties, Flavors, and Breweries in Aizu-wakamatsu
We will watch part of this video to discuss the following:
1) What is YouTube’s 30-second rule?
2) The thumb nail matters, but how and why?
3) What are the challenges of planning a trip for video-making?
Why Is the Izumo Grand Shrine Unique? Izumo Taisha’s Secrets
This is a video that I expected to do well, but it ended up being one of my least popular ones. I would like to discuss why that happened.