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Rating: 
Summary: Inside of the old Japanese empire!
Review: After being involved for more than 26 years in martial arts, visiting Japan, etc. I could only say that it is a great DVD. Richard Chamberlain (the protagonist of the TV miniseries "Shogun") narrates very vivid the stories. A great documentary for everyone interesting in Japanese culture, history and roots of Japanese martial arts (discipline, fearless, focus, etc.).
Rating:
Summary: Inside of the old Japanese empire!
Review: After being involved for more than 26 years in martial arts, visiting Japan, etc. I could only say that it is a great DVD. Richard Chamberlain (the protagonist of the TV miniseries "Shogun") narrates very vivid the stories. A great documentary for everyone interesting in Japanese culture, history and roots of Japanese martial arts (discipline, fearless, focus, etc.).
Rating:
Summary: Best Historical Documentary on Feudal Japan Yet
Review: As a discriminating viewer of historical documentaries, I was somewhat disappointed at the fact that there were no decent documentaries on Japan, one of my favorite cultures. That is, until now. I saw this 3-hour documentary on PBS (opposite the American Idol finale) the other night and was totally swept up in it. Afterwards, I knew I had to order it on Amazon (which I did yesterday). This is a great primer on the history of Japan from the 'Warlord Period' to the end of its isolation in the 19th century. What I liked about it was that it gave equal treatment to cultural and military aspects, when most prior documentaries on feudal Japan seem to overemphasize the latter. While acknowledging the noble qualities of the Samurai, it didn't overglamorize them like many others are wont to do. I highly recommend this feature as well as others in PBS's superb 'Empire' series.
Rating:
Summary: Best Historical Documentary on Feudal Japan Yet
Review: As a discriminating viewer of historical documentaries, I was somewhat disappointed at the fact that there were no decent documentaries on Japan, one of my favorite cultures. That is, until now. I saw this 3-hour documentary on PBS (opposite the American Idol finale) the other night and was totally swept up in it. Afterwards, I knew I had to order it on Amazon (which I did yesterday). This is a great primer on the history of Japan from the 'Warlord Period' to the end of its isolation in the 19th century. What I liked about it was that it gave equal treatment to cultural and military aspects, when most prior documentaries on feudal Japan seem to overemphasize the latter. While acknowledging the noble qualities of the Samurai, it didn't overglamorize them like many others are wont to do. I highly recommend this feature as well as others in PBS's superb 'Empire' series.
Rating:
Summary: WHEN CHERRY BLOSSOMS FALL.....................
Review: Richard Chamberlain effectively narrates, a most informational, and inspiring, documentary of JAPAN: MEMOIRS OF A SECRET EMPIRE. He takes you on a fascinating journey, to feudal Japan in the 1600's, where a flowering culture, with poetic rituals, overwhelmed with tremendous power struggles, and a Samurai warrior, by the name of Takugawa Ieyasu, emerges, and develops a regime so vast, and powerful, it endures for over 250 years. The Samurai, who ruled by birthright and the sword, became captive to the turmoil of civil war. It was a time of great mistrust and rampant treachery. Jesuit missionaries came seeking lost souls, disturbing the religious order, and Portuguese merchants, with their own greedy agendas, searched out new ports for trade.
Takugawa Ieyasu's territory extended throughout most of Japan. The "Old Badger," exhibited extreme patience, with a strategic brilliance, of knowing when to seize the exact moment to advance his leadership. After Hideyoshi died, Takugawa Ieyasu mobilized his troops, and defeated the opposing army at The Great Battle of Sekigahara. By defeating the Hideyori loyalists, and other western rivals, Ieyasu achieved almost unlimited power and wealth.
In 1603 Takugawa Ieyasu was appointed Shogun, by the Emporer and established his government in Edo. He then, brought the country under tight control, and cleverly redistributed the land among the daimyo (warrior lords). They kept the merchants and peasants under control in a feudal system, where strict rules and regulations kept everyone in their place. Takugawa Ieyasu, isolated Japan from the Western World, by expelling foreign missionaries and merchants. A brilliant strategist, he surrounded himself with capable, trustworthy, people. Next, he eliminated the enemy, by slaughtering 100,000 threatening his rule. With the Fall of Osaka Castle, he established a dynasty that would last through the ages. As Japanese culture closed to outside influence, Japan grew inward, with intensive internal development, becoming a secret world unto itself, resulting in extreme Nationalism. This allowed the Tokugawa Shoguns to rule Japan for over 250 remarkable years.
This documentary is wonderful, marvelously informative, and extremely enjoyable. It should be in every school and home library. I recommend viewing it with your children, and then treat yourselves to the wonderful Mini-Series Classic, Shogun, starring the world's greatest actor, Richard Chamberlain. It is one of American television's best efforts of all time, based on James Clavell's wonderful novel. Clavell's novel is a fictional treatise, based on factual history. It is grand fun to have your children fall in love with Shogun's fictional characters, then correlate them to the actual historical heroes, they represent. Share their delight, when they discover Pilot-Major John Blackthorne was William Adams, Lord Toranaga was Takugawa Ieyasu, etc. Order these wonderful DVD's from Amazon.com and spend the next few weeks, enjoying two of the most exciting and informational works ever. Your children will get a marvelous education on 17th Century Feudal Japan, and be exposed to a magnificent, television classic, that has survived the decades....SHOGUN!
Rating: 
Summary: Worth the price of admission
Review: This documentary culls together troves of research and brings together a credible group of experts who tell the story of Japan's "renaissance." Three centuries of self-imposed isolation and societal discipline defined Japan, and this period deserves study by those who seek to understand modern Japan.
The stregnths of the film can easily be seen: excellent source material, most stikingly the use of traditional art to convey history. Also, for the purpose of educating Westerners, the documentary dwells on the accounts of the scattered missionaries who either suffered or prospered under the Japanse order.
The film employs many Japanese actors, editors and producers, thus enhancing its authenticity. The credit reel attests to a trans-pacific endeavor.
The photography on the recreated scenes is striking, even hautingly beautiful. But too many of the images are recycled througout the film to annoying effect. The same image of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the man who unites Japan under his shogunate, is used to display him both as a young man and as an elder leader.
But if you can get behind this minor annoyance as well as the sometimes cliched narration, most viewers - be it a Japan scholars or those who don't know anything about this island empire - will gain something. B+
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