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Abe no Hirafu阿倍比羅夫 比羅夫alternative words: Abeno Hirafu, Hirafu, Abe no Hirabu, Hirabu keywords: famous person, military man, northern territory related topics: Emperor Tenchi , Ezo , Battle of Hakusukinoe , Paekche related web sites: http://www2.freeweb.ne.jp/~maoda/hirafu2.html explanation: Japanese admiral of Asuka period in the reign of Empress Saimei and Emperor Tenchi. As general governor of Koshi region (northern part of Honshu on the coast of Sea of Japan), he beat Ainu then with their aid, he led 180 battle ships to beat Misehashi (Tungus tribe living in actual maritime province of Russia) at the delta of Amur river. He was then called to Korea to help Paekche to recover their country but severely defeated by Chinese fleet at the battle of Hakusukinoe in 663. Abe no Seimei安部晴明alternative words: Abeno Seimei, Abe Seimei, Abenoseimei keywords: famous person, mystery, philosophy related topics: Onmyodo , Heian period , Konjaku monogatari related web sites: http://kodansha.cplaza.ne.jp/abeseimeijinja/ , http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand/1608/kotenindex.html , http://www.people.or.jp/~seimei/ explanation: The most famous specialist of onmyodo in Heian period. Born in 921 and died in 1005. A legend says that his mother would be a fox (fox was considered an animal having magical power in Japan). First he learned the astrology from Kamono Tadayuki and became a doctor of onmyodo attached to the imperial court. His exploits of predicting natural catastrophes and divination are abundantly cited in Konjaku monogatari. Admiral Togo東郷平八郎alternative words: Tougou Heihachirou, Togo Hehachiro, Togo Heihachiro, Togo keywords: famous person, military man, russia related topics: Russo-Japanese war , Edo shogunate , Meiji period , Mikasa , Battle of Tsushima , Boshin war related web sites: http://plaza20.mbn.or.jp/~igyou/FIRE/report/tougou/toubou.htm , http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/ro/gi11496/03/3e-005.html , http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~chiba-vs/tougou2.htm explanation: Japanese admiral, born in 1847 in a samurai's family of Kagoshima. After having participated in Boshin war against Edo shogunate in 1868, he studied in naval academy of England. Then he had commanded several battle ships and became the director of Japanese naval academy before nominated to the supreme commander of Japanese fleet in 1903. On the flag ship Mikasa, he annihilated Russian Baltic fleet in the battle of Tsushima on May 27, 1905. He died in 1934. Aikido合気道alternative words: Aikidou keywords: martial art related topics: Judo related web sites: http://www.shintaido.com , http://www.dokidoki.ne.jp/home2/unoaiki/ , http://www.yamaguchi-aikido.com/jp/ explanation: Issuing from old Japanese fighting techniques without weapon like Judo, Aikido is a synthesis of the parts left by Judo like defense techniques and spiritual teaching. The modern Aikido was created by Ueshiba Morihei (1883969) at the end of Taisho era. It is not only popular in Japan but abroad especially among women who need to fight against aggressions. Akebono Taro曙太郎 曙alternative words: Akebono, Taro Akebono, Chad George Rowan keywords: famous person, foreigner, sumo related topics: Sumo , Yokozuna related web sites: http://cen4.ec.hokudai.ac.jp/~s960084/report/yokoduna/y64.html , http://www.wnn.or.jp/wnn-t/database/rikishidata/akebono.html , http://www.educ.cc.keio.ac.jp/~i05259/sumo/yokoduna/64.html explanation: Born on May 8, 1969 in Hawaii, he is the first foreign born sumo wrestler who has reached the rank of a great champion, Yokozuna. He won 11 times championship in the national tournaments and belongs to the stable of Azumazeki alias Takamiyama, another Hawaii born sumo wrestler. Chad George Rowan is his American name. He retired in January 2001. Akechi Mitsuhide明智光秀alternative words: Mitsuhide Akechi, Mitsuhide keywords: famous person, war lord related topics: Sengoku period , Oda Nobunaga , Toyotomi Hideyoshi related web sites: http://www.geocities.co.jp/Milkyway-Orion/6291/ , http://www.inv.co.jp/~yoshio/HJ/ explanation: Born in 1526 in Gifu prefecture as son of a local seignior. After the death of his suzerain, he wandered place to place. He was engaged by Oda Nobunaga in 1558 but unhappy with his treatment, he sent troops to Honnoji temple at Kyoto to assassinate Nabunaga (Honnoji incident). He tried then ally other seigniors but was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the battle of Yamazaki near Kyoto in 1582. He was killed by marauding peasants but a legend says that he may have escaped and become priest Tenkai. Amaterasu天照大神 天照尊alternative words: Amaterasu omikami, Amaterasu ominokami, Amaterasunomikoto, Amaterasu no mikoto, Goddess Amaterasu, God Amaterasu keywords: god, mythology, shintoism related topics: Kojiki , Nihonshoki , Himiko , Yamato dynasty , Izanagi Izanami , Susano , Takamagahara , Shintoism related web sites: http://www.city.ise.mie.jp explanation: Sun goddess and the most important god in Japanese mythology. Being born from god Izanagi after the death of Izanami, she has 2 brothers: Sea god, Susano with whom she is in a bad relation and Lunar god, Tsukiyomi. One day, she ordered his son, Ninigi to go down from Takamagahara to the earth on Mt Takachiho and to govern it. He became so the ancestor of Japanese imperial family. There are many shrines which adore her but the most important is Ise shrine. Amazake甘酒alternative words: Sweet sake keywords: food related topics: Sake , Momo no sekku related web sites: http://www.gekkeikan.co.jp , http://member.nifty.ne.jp/~ogawakz/HBS/method/doburoku_kyouten/doburoku_kyouten.html explanation: Sweet drink made from mixing steamed rice with a fermentation agent (Kome koji) and let ferment them during about 10 hours to 1 day. It is consumed after diluting with hot waters. Containing few alcohol, children are allowed to drink it especially during Momo no sekku. It is becoming more and more popular due to its healthy virtue. Ando Hiroshige安藤広重 広重alternative words: Hiroshige Ando, Andou Hiroshige, Hiroshige Andou, Hiroshige keywords: artist, famous person, ukiyoe related topics: Ukiyoe , Edo period related web sites: http://www.csweb.co.jp/TBK/hirosige/art-hiro.htm , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/hakone.htm explanation: Ukiyoe artist, Ando Hiroshige was born in Edo (actual Tokyo) in the 9th year of Kanse era (1797). At first, he learned to paint from Utagawa Hiroshige, then formed his own style by learning even from Western schools. The success of the series, Tokaido Gojyusantsugi made definitive his fame as a landscape painter. Arai Hakuseki新井白石alternative words: Hakuseki Arai keywords: famous person, scholar, statesman related topics: Edo period , Edo shogunate , Ronin , Hatamoto related web sites: http://www2.justnet.ne.jp/~jingu/daijiten-arai-hakuseki.htm explanation: Scholar and statesman born in 1657 in a samurai family of Chiba prefecture. He remained a ronin in his youth but continued to learn in school of Kinoshita Junan. He was engaged as a confucianist teacher by Tokugawa Ienori who would become later the 6th shogun. He remained as a confident of Ienori and carried out many reforms such as suppression of bad quality moneys to stop the inflation. He was also excellent scholars and wrote many books such as Seiyo Kibun. He died in 1725. | |
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