Keiji Shibazaki (柴崎 恵次, Shibazaki Keiji; 9 April 1894 – 20 November 1943) was a rear admiral in the Imperial Japanese…Keiji Shibazaki (柴崎 恵次, Shibazaki Keiji; 9 April 1894 – 20 November 1943) was a rear admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was the commander of the Japanese garrison on the island of Betio of the Tarawa atoll during World War II. Shibazaki and all his senior officers were killed by naval gunfire on the first day of the Battle of Tarawa. He was posthumously promoted to vice-admiral.
Seiyō Ogawa (小川 晴暘, Ogawa Seiyō; 1894–1960) is a Japanese photographer, printer, and publisher who was a pioneer in…Seiyō Ogawa (小川 晴暘, Ogawa Seiyō; 1894–1960) is a Japanese photographer, printer, and publisher who was a pioneer in photography of Buddhist sculptures and cultural properties in the Taishō and Shōwa eras. The name Seiyō is a pseudonym which was given to him from his master Maruki Riyō; his real name was Seiji (晴二).
Masaharu Taniguchi (谷口 雅春, Taniguchi Masaharu; 22 November 1893 – 17 June 1985) was a Japanese New Thought leader who…Masaharu Taniguchi (谷口 雅春, Taniguchi Masaharu; 22 November 1893 – 17 June 1985) was a Japanese New Thought leader who was the founder of Seicho-No-Ie.
Kiyotada Sannosuke Ueshima (上島 三之助 清忠, Ueshima Sannosuke Kiyotada; 1893–1987) was a Japanese martial arts master who…Kiyotada Sannosuke Ueshima (上島 三之助 清忠, Ueshima Sannosuke Kiyotada; 1893–1987) was a Japanese martial arts master who developed and founded the Kushin-ryu style of karate in Osaka, Japan.
Asasaburo Kobayashi (小林浅三郎, Kobayashi Asasaburo; 1 April 1891 – 7 March 1974) was an Imperial Japanese Army lieutenant…Asasaburo Kobayashi (小林浅三郎, Kobayashi Asasaburo; 1 April 1891 – 7 March 1974) was an Imperial Japanese Army lieutenant general during World War II who mostly served in staff positions.
Masao Miki (Japanese: 三木 操, Hepburn: Miki Masao) (23 June 1889 – 29 December 1964), better known by his pen name Rofū…Masao Miki (Japanese: 三木 操, Hepburn: Miki Masao) (23 June 1889 – 29 December 1964), better known by his pen name Rofū Miki (三木 露風, Miki Rofū), was a Japanese poet, children's book author and essayist. He is considered a significant representative of Japanese symbolism.
Isamu Yokoyama (横山 勇, Yokoyama Isamu; 1 March 1889 – 21 April 1952) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army…Isamu Yokoyama (横山 勇, Yokoyama Isamu; 1 March 1889 – 21 April 1952) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, commanding Japanese ground forces in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War and Pacific War. In 1948, he was sentenced to death by a military commission for Yokohama War Crimes Trials due to his direct command responsibility for vivisection and other human medical experiments performed at the Kyushu Imperial University on downed Allied airmen. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment and he died in prison in 1952.
Tetsurō Watsuji (和辻 哲郎, Watsuji Tetsurō; March 1, 1889 – December 26, 1960) was a Japanese historian and moral…Tetsurō Watsuji (和辻 哲郎, Watsuji Tetsurō; March 1, 1889 – December 26, 1960) was a Japanese historian and moral philosopher.
Kiichirō Higuchi (樋口 季一郎, Higuchi Kiichirō; 20 August 1888 – 11 October 1970) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial…Kiichirō Higuchi (樋口 季一郎, Higuchi Kiichirō; 20 August 1888 – 11 October 1970) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.
Toyohiko Kagawa (賀川 豊彦, Kagawa Toyohiko; 10 July 1888 – 23 April 1960) was a Japanese Evangelical Christian pacifist…Toyohiko Kagawa (賀川 豊彦, Kagawa Toyohiko; 10 July 1888 – 23 April 1960) was a Japanese Evangelical Christian pacifist, Christian reformer, and labour activist. Kagawa wrote, spoke, and worked at length on ways to employ Christian principles in the ordering of society and in cooperatives. His vocation to help the poor led him to live among them. He advocated for women's suffrage and promoted a peaceful foreign policy.
Kiichi Okamoto (Japanese: 岡本 歸一, romanized: Okamoto Kiichi; 12 June 1888 – 29 December 1930) was a Japanese painter…Kiichi Okamoto (Japanese: 岡本 歸一, romanized: Okamoto Kiichi; 12 June 1888 – 29 December 1930) was a Japanese painter best known for his illustrations for children.
Hitoshi Ashida (芦田 均, Ashida Hitoshi; 15 November 1887 – 20 June 1959) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime…Hitoshi Ashida (芦田 均, Ashida Hitoshi; 15 November 1887 – 20 June 1959) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan in 1948. He was a prominent figure in the immediate postwar political landscape, but was forced to resign his leadership responsibilities after a corruption scandal (Shōwa Denkō Jiken) targeting two of his cabinet ministers.
Fukada Chiyoko (深田 千代子) (October 3, 1887 – January 6, 1925) was the Japanese founder of Ennōkyō (円応教), a Japanese new…Fukada Chiyoko (深田 千代子) (October 3, 1887 – January 6, 1925) was the Japanese founder of Ennōkyō (円応教), a Japanese new religion based in Tamba, Hyōgo Prefecture. She began her religious career after receiving a divine revelation on July 16, 1919. For the next five and a half years until her death at the age of 37, she carried out faith healing and teaching that attracted numerous followers.
Shizuichi Tanaka (田中 静壱, Tanaka Shizuichi; 1 October 1887 – 24 August 1945) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army…Shizuichi Tanaka (田中 静壱, Tanaka Shizuichi; 1 October 1887 – 24 August 1945) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Japanese Military Governor of the Philippines during World War II.
Kuninori Kōdō (高堂 国典, Kōdō Kuninori; 29 January 1887 – 22 January 1960), born Saichirō Tanigawa (谷川 佐市郎, Tanigawa…Kuninori Kōdō (高堂 国典, Kōdō Kuninori; 29 January 1887 – 22 January 1960), born Saichirō Tanigawa (谷川 佐市郎, Tanigawa Saichirō), was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than eighty films from 1923 to 1959.
Tokubei Kuroda (黒田 徳米, Kuroda Tokubei; October 17, 1886 – May 15, 1987) was a Japanese scientist and academic. He is…Tokubei Kuroda (黒田 徳米, Kuroda Tokubei; October 17, 1886 – May 15, 1987) was a Japanese scientist and academic. He is best known as a pioneering taxonomist and malacologist specializing in Japanese marine and terrestrial Mollusca.
Rensuke Isogai (磯谷 廉介, Isogai Rensuke; 3 September 1886 – 6 June 1967) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and…Rensuke Isogai (磯谷 廉介, Isogai Rensuke; 3 September 1886 – 6 June 1967) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor of Hong Kong under Japanese occupation from 20 February 1942 to 24 December 1944.
Kensuke Horinouchi (堀内 謙介; March 30, 1886 – November 1, 1979) was a Japanese politician who served as ambassador to the…Kensuke Horinouchi (堀内 謙介; March 30, 1886 – November 1, 1979) was a Japanese politician who served as ambassador to the United States and ambassador to Taiwan.
Keisuke Fujie (藤江 恵輔, Fujie Keisuke; 8 November 1885 – 27 February 1969) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in…Keisuke Fujie (藤江 恵輔, Fujie Keisuke; 8 November 1885 – 27 February 1969) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Fujie's wife was the daughter of Prime Minister Kantarō Suzuki.
Ichirō Kiyose (清瀬 一郎, Kiyose Ichirō; July 5, 1884 – June 27, 1967) was a Japanese lawyer and politician who rose to…Ichirō Kiyose (清瀬 一郎, Kiyose Ichirō; July 5, 1884 – June 27, 1967) was a Japanese lawyer and politician who rose to serve as Minister of Education and later Speaker of the House of Representatives in the National Diet. As a lawyer, he rose to fame in Japan as one of the defense attorneys for the perpetrators of the May 15 Incident in 1932, and then later became famous internationally when he defended former prime minister Hideki Tōjō during the Tokyo War Crimes Trials after World War II. In 1960, as Speaker of the House of Representatives, he presided over the ramming through the Diet of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty that cemented in place the U.S.-Japan alliance and allows the United States to maintain military bases on Japanese soil.
Sanzo Wada (和田 三造, Wada Sanzō; 3 March 1883 – 22 August 1967) was a Japanese painter and costume designer who won the…Sanzo Wada (和田 三造, Wada Sanzō; 3 March 1883 – 22 August 1967) was a Japanese painter and costume designer who won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for his work on the jidaigeki film Gate of Hell (1953). Wada reorganized the Japan Standard Color Association into the Japan Color Research Laboratory in 1945, and served as its president. He was a member of the Japan Art Academy. His painting South Wind and other works are part of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo collection.
Daisaku Kōmoto (河本 大作, Kōmoto Daisaku; January 24, 1883 – August 25, 1955) was an officer in the Japanese Imperial…Daisaku Kōmoto (河本 大作, Kōmoto Daisaku; January 24, 1883 – August 25, 1955) was an officer in the Japanese Imperial Japanese Army active during the early Shōwa period. He held the rank of colonel. He is known as the mastermind of the assassination of Zhang Zuolin.
Harukichi Yamaguchi (山口 春吉, Yamaguchi Harukichi; April 29, 1881 – January 17, 1938) was the founder of the…Harukichi Yamaguchi (山口 春吉, Yamaguchi Harukichi; April 29, 1881 – January 17, 1938) was the founder of the Yamaguchi-gumi, which grew to become Japan's largest and most powerful yakuza organization. Yamaguchi established the group in Kobe in 1915, and was its kumicho or Godfather until 1925 when he was succeeded by his son Noboru Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi died at the age of 57.
Kisaburō Andō (安藤 紀三郎, Andō Kisaburō; 11 February 1874 – 10 May 1954) was a career officer and lieutenant general in…Kisaburō Andō (安藤 紀三郎, Andō Kisaburō; 11 February 1874 – 10 May 1954) was a career officer and lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army, who served as a politician and cabinet minister in the government of the Empire of Japan during World War II.
Kiichi Miyake (三宅 驥一, Miyake Kiichi; 11 November 1876 – 20 March 1964) was a Japanese botanist and professor at the…Kiichi Miyake (三宅 驥一, Miyake Kiichi; 11 November 1876 – 20 March 1964) was a Japanese botanist and professor at the University of Tokyo. His research focus was bryology and pteridology. His undergraduate studies were at Doshisha University and the University of Tokyo. His graduate studies were at Cornell University, where he received his MA in 1901 and PhD in 1902. After finishing his PhD, Miyake was appointed by the government of Taiwan to travel to Europe and perform a two-year study of plant life there.
Hidejirō Nagata (永田秀次郎, Nagata Hidejirō; 23 July 1876 – 17 September 1943), was a politician and cabinet minister in…Hidejirō Nagata (永田秀次郎, Nagata Hidejirō; 23 July 1876 – 17 September 1943), was a politician and cabinet minister in the Empire of Japan, serving as a member of the House of Peers of the Diet of Japan, twice as a cabinet minister, and also serving twice as mayor of Tokyo.
General Baron Shigeru Honjō (本庄 繁, Honjō Shigeru; 10 May 1876 – 30 November 1945) was a general in the Imperial…General Baron Shigeru Honjō (本庄 繁, Honjō Shigeru; 10 May 1876 – 30 November 1945) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army who commanded the Kwantung Army during the invasion of Manchuria. He later served as chief aide-de-camp to the Emperor, but was dismissed due to his apparent sympathy for the rebels in the February 26 incident.
Kunio Yanagita (Japanese: 柳田 國男, Hepburn: Yanagita Kunio; July 31, 1875 – August 8, 1962) was a Japanese author…Kunio Yanagita (Japanese: 柳田 國男, Hepburn: Yanagita Kunio; July 31, 1875 – August 8, 1962) was a Japanese author, scholar, ethnographer, and folklorist. He began his career as a bureaucrat, but developed an interest in rural Japan and its folk traditions. This led to a change in his career. His pursuit of this led to his eventual establishment of Japanese native folkloristics, or minzokugaku, as an academic field in Japan. As a result, he is often considered to be the father of modern Japanese folklore studies.
Hideko Inoue (also Hideko Inouye, Japanese: 井上秀 6 January 1875 – 19 July 1963) was a Japanese educator and peace…Hideko Inoue (also Hideko Inouye, Japanese: 井上秀 6 January 1875 – 19 July 1963) was a Japanese educator and peace activist. She taught home economics at Japan Women's University and served as the first woman president of the school from 1931–1946. Active in the peace movement she led the Japanese affiliate of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and was one of the leading feminists supporting internationalism in the interwar era. In the 1930s she changed her focus to Pan-Asian cooperation and at the end of the decade was appointed to the Ministry of Greater East Asia to work on educational reforms. In the 1940s, she was decorated by the Emperor of Japan but lost her presidency at Japan Women's University in 1946 when she was purged by the U. S. Occupation Administration. She remained involved in education until the mid-1950s.
Kamitsukasa Shōken (上司 小剣) (1874–1947) was a Japanese novelist and literary critic. Although having initially only…Kamitsukasa Shōken (上司 小剣) (1874–1947) was a Japanese novelist and literary critic. Although having initially only primary school education he became a teacher, then joined the editorial staff of Yomiuri Shimbun in 1897, and worked his way up to become chief editor of its literary department until retirement in 1916. He was elected to the Japan Art Academy in 1937. Having begun with stories of local life in Osaka he later took up socialist themes. His representative short novella of Osaka life is Hamo no Kawa (鱧の皮). This 1914 work, named after a local delicacy still eaten in the Kansai District today, tells of a wife preparing to send the pickled skin of the daggertooth pike conger to her estranged husband in Tokyo as she runs the busy family restaurant.
Tatsukichi Minobe (美濃部 達吉, Minobe Tatsukichi; 7 May 1873 – 23 May 1948) was a Japanese statesman and scholar of…Tatsukichi Minobe (美濃部 達吉, Minobe Tatsukichi; 7 May 1873 – 23 May 1948) was a Japanese statesman and scholar of constitutional law. His interpretation of the role of the monarchy in the pre-war Empire of Japan was a source of considerable controversy in the increasingly radicalized political environment of Japan in the 1930s. His wife was the daughter of Dairoku Kikuchi, and his son Ryokichi Minobe was Governor of Tokyo (1967–1979).
Kimura Akebono (木村曙; April 10, 1872–October 19, 1890) was a Japanese writer. She is best known for her debut work Fujo…Kimura Akebono (木村曙; April 10, 1872–October 19, 1890) was a Japanese writer. She is best known for her debut work Fujo no Kagami (婦女の鑑).
Togorō Uzaki (鵜崎 庚午郎, Uzaki Togorō; April 17, 1870 – April 3, 1930) was a Japanese pastor, an educator and an editor.…Togorō Uzaki (鵜崎 庚午郎, Uzaki Togorō; April 17, 1870 – April 3, 1930) was a Japanese pastor, an educator and an editor. He was bishop of the Japan Methodist Church for 12 years.
Hongo Fusataro (本郷 房太郎, Hongō Fusatarō; February 15, 1860 – March 20, 1931) was a general of the Imperial Japanese…Hongo Fusataro (本郷 房太郎, Hongō Fusatarō; February 15, 1860 – March 20, 1931) was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army. He was 71 when he died.
Yoichirō Hirase (平瀬 與一郎, Hirase Yoichirō; December 4, 1859 – May 25, 1925) was a Japanese malacologist and business…Yoichirō Hirase (平瀬 與一郎, Hirase Yoichirō; December 4, 1859 – May 25, 1925) was a Japanese malacologist and business man. His son, Shintarō Hirase, (1884–1939) was also a malacologist. The majority of his collection of molluscs were destroyed during World War II. Yoichirō greatly contributed to the start of malacology in Japan and was responsible for the collection and indirectly the naming of many land and marine mollusks. Revered by malacologists throughout the world for his enthusiasm and contributions to malacology, he has numerous species named after him. Yoichirō lived from 1859 until 1925. He was a wealthy Kyōto dealer in poultry, seeds, and aviculture products who had founded a side business trading in marine and land shells. He began to collect shells in 1898 at age 39. Over the next 20 years, his collection grew to about 3,000 Japanese specimens and 4,500 foreign specimens. He coordinated numerous field collectors to explore the territories and prefectures of Japan gathering both land and marine mollusks. Many of the species found by his team were newly discovered and named in collaboration with many scientists around the world, including H.A. Pilsbry, P. Ehrmann, G.K. Gude, C.F. Ancey, and G.B. Sowerby. Yoichirō was the mentor of Tokubei Kuroda, another forefather of Japanese malacology. Kuroda got his start in malacology under the employ of Yoichiro at age 15. Kuroda's employment initially included cleaning Hirase's large house and looking after his children by day. Hirase paid for Kuroda to attend night school and to learn English, at which he excelled, and arranged for him to learn the basics of systematic biology. A rapid learner and diligent clerk, Kuroda was soon placed in charge of the shell business, and became Hirase's secretary. He was instrumental in the founding and operation of Hirase's Conchological Museum (1913–1919), which was situated near the Kyōto Zoo, and handled most of Hirase's correspondence with foreign researchers. He also helped compile and edit Hirase's Conchological Magazine (1907–1915). Hirase's Conchological museum housed his collection from 1913 until 1919. The museum was compelled to close in 1919 due to his illness and the financial panic brought about by World War I. At its largest, the Hirase collection grew to 15,000 pieces. Prior to WWII, the collection was split to ensure its survival. One third was donated to various museums, including the Smithsonian, one third was kept at the house of his son, Shintarō Hirase in Tokyo, and the last third was stored in the Research Institute for Natural Resources in Tokyo. The majority of the collection was destroyed during incendiary bombing of Tokyo during the war. Only 5000 pieces, mostly consisting of the minute marine specimens, the land specimens, and fresh water specimens, survived the war. The surviving pieces of the collection have been stored in the Research Institute for Natural Resources in Tokyo since 1948.
Matsumura Kaiseki (松村介石; 1859 – 1939) was the founder of Dokai, the Way, a Pan-Asianist Christian-influenced new…Matsumura Kaiseki (松村介石; 1859 – 1939) was the founder of Dokai, the Way, a Pan-Asianist Christian-influenced new religious movement.
Baron Den Kenjirō (田 健治郎; 25 March 1855 – 16 November 1930) was a Japanese politician and cabinet minister in the…Baron Den Kenjirō (田 健治郎; 25 March 1855 – 16 November 1930) was a Japanese politician and cabinet minister in the pre-war government of the Empire of Japan. He was also the 8th Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan from October 1919 to September 1923, and the first civilian to hold that position. Den was also a co-founder of Kaishinsha Motorcar Works, a predecessor to present-day Nissan and the original manufacturer of Datsun automobiles.
Ōnaruto Nadaemon (大鳴門 灘右エ門; May 14, 1853 – January 15, 1908) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tsuna…Ōnaruto Nadaemon (大鳴門 灘右エ門; May 14, 1853 – January 15, 1908) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Tsuna, Hyōgo Prefecture (now Awaji, Hyōgo). His highest rank was ōzeki. He is the second wrestler from Hyōgo Prefecture to have reached this rank, being the first promoted since Iwamigata's promotion in 1821, 69 years earlier.
Baron Kuki Ryūichi (九鬼 隆一; September 12, 1852 – August 18, 1931) was a Japanese politician and samurai. He is best…Baron Kuki Ryūichi (九鬼 隆一; September 12, 1852 – August 18, 1931) was a Japanese politician and samurai. He is best known as the father of philosopher Kuki Shūzō.
Viscount Hamao Arata (濱尾 新; 12 May 1849 – 25 September 1925) was a Japanese official and educator from the Meiji and…Viscount Hamao Arata (濱尾 新; 12 May 1849 – 25 September 1925) was a Japanese official and educator from the Meiji and Taishō periods, who served as President of the Privy Council from 1924 to 1925. He was a significant figure in the early development of the University of Tokyo. Hamao hailed from Toyooka, Hyōgo. He was an official in the Ministry of Education and an academic administrator, serving twice as the president of Tokyo Imperial University and once as Minister of Education. He later served as a courtier, supervising the household and education of the future Emperor Hirohito.
Ueno Riichi (Japanese上野理一, Go(号) : Yuuchiku (有竹); October 29, 1848, in Sasayamanishi in Tamba Province – December 31…Ueno Riichi (Japanese上野理一, Go(号) : Yuuchiku (有竹); October 29, 1848, in Sasayamanishi in Tamba Province – December 31, 1919, in Osaka ) was a Japanese newspaper manager in the Meiji and Taishō eras.
Suzuki Katsuzaemon Shigetane (Japanese: 鈴木 勝左衛門 重胤; 1812-1863) was a Japanese kokugakusha and historian. His kokugaku…Suzuki Katsuzaemon Shigetane (Japanese: 鈴木 勝左衛門 重胤; 1812-1863) was a Japanese kokugakusha and historian. His kokugaku pen name was Kashinoya (橿廼家; transl. "house of the oak").
Takadaya Kahei (高田屋 嘉兵衛) was a Japanese merchant credited with transforming the trading outpost of Hakodate in Japan's…Takadaya Kahei (高田屋 嘉兵衛) was a Japanese merchant credited with transforming the trading outpost of Hakodate in Japan's northern island of Hokkaidō into a thriving city. He is also recognised for opening the northern Etorofu sea route to the Kuril island fisheries and helping settle territorial disputes with Russia over the islands. Takadaya Kahei was born to a farming family, but left his birthplace when was 13, to work in Kobe as a sailor. He earned sufficient money to purchase his own Kitamaebune trading ship and sailed to Hakodate in the summer of 1796. He set up a business in the town, which at the time was a small trading outpost. He is reputed to have made a fortune through trade by importing sake, salt, rice and other staples to Ezochi (the Japanese area of Hokkaidō) and exporting herring, salmon and kelp to Honshū. He later developed trading routes to the Kuril Islands and operated many fisheries around Nemuro, a town on Hokkaidō's east coast. Takadaya is also known for his services in developing Hakodate. He repaired streets, cultivated the land and forested trees for lumber. After a destructive fire in 1806 he provided food, clothing and new housing for victims of the disaster. He also paid for workmen from Osaka to sink new wells and donated water pumps for fire fighting. He acquired a status as one of the most famous merchants in the era for his role in the Golovnin Incident. In 1812, during a dispute over the Kuril Island territorial waters, Takadaya Kahei was captured by Petr Rikord, captain of the Russian navy sloop in retaliation for the Japanese capture of explorer Vasily Golovnin. Along with his four sailors who were also captured on board the Kanze-maru, Takadaya was confined to Kamchatka for several months, his release finally secured through diplomacy. During his imprisonment he learned the Russian language and later worked with Vasily Golovnin to settle the Kuril Islands territorial border between the two countries. At the age of 50, Takadaya returned to his birthplace of Awaji Island. He died in 1827. A festival is held in Hakodate every year in late July to commemorate Takadaya Kahei.
Hattori Ransetsu (1654–1707) was an Edo samurai who became a haikai poet under the guidance of Matsuo Bashō. R. H.…Hattori Ransetsu (1654–1707) was an Edo samurai who became a haikai poet under the guidance of Matsuo Bashō. R. H. Blyth considered Ransetsu to be Bashō's most representative follower.
Lady Kasuga (春日局, Kasuga no Tsubone; 1579 – October 26, 1643) was a Japanese noble lady and politician from a prominent…Lady Kasuga (春日局, Kasuga no Tsubone; 1579 – October 26, 1643) was a Japanese noble lady and politician from a prominent Japanese samurai family of the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. Born Saitō Fuku (斉藤福), she was a daughter of Saitō Toshimitsu (who was a retainer of Akechi Mitsuhide). She was the wet nurse of the third Tokugawa shōgun Iemitsu. Lady Kasuga was one of the best politicians in the Edo period. She stood in front of negotiations with the Imperial Court and contributed to the stabilization of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Kasuga was one of the most powerful figures in the Ōoku (the quarters in Edo Castle where the women related to the Shogun family resided) . She is counted alongside Matsudaira Nobutsuna and Yagyu Muneyori as one of the Three Tripod Legs, who supported and propped up Iemitsu.
Hiro Fujiwara (藤原 ヒロ, Fujiwara Hiro; born December 23, 1981, in Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese manga artist. The manga…Hiro Fujiwara (藤原 ヒロ, Fujiwara Hiro; born December 23, 1981, in Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese manga artist. The manga artist was once active under her previous pen name, Izumi Hiro (和泉 ヒロ) at the end of the 1990s, but has abandoned the name after she won the Best Rookie award in the LMS for Kaeri Michi, Yuki no Netsu. Her first series, Kaichō wa Maid-sama! (会長はメイド様!, translation Maid Sama!) was serialized in Hakusensha's monthly shōjo manga magazine, LaLa. This series is licensed for North America, and an anime adaptation was broadcast during Spring 2010.
Scanch (Japanese: すかんち, Hepburn: Sukanchi) is a Japanese rock band originally active from 1982 to 1996. The members of…Scanch (Japanese: すかんち, Hepburn: Sukanchi) is a Japanese rock band originally active from 1982 to 1996. The members of Scanch met and formed the band in 1982 - while they were still in high school. The band started with Rolly, shima-chang, Obata Pump and Doctor Tanaka as members. By the year 1990, they had their debut carried out from CBS/Sony. Dr. Tanaka left the band in 1993 and as a new keyboardist for the band they got Ogawa Bunmei. The remaining members continued the band until 1996. Scanch has also lent their songs "Bomber Love" and "Namida no Sentakukamoku" to the anime K.O. Beast.
Mirei Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木 美玲, Hepburn: Sasaki Mirei; born December 17, 1999) is a Japanese actress, media…Mirei Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木 美玲, Hepburn: Sasaki Mirei; born December 17, 1999) is a Japanese actress, media personality, and singer. She has appeared in dramas such as Women's Gourmet Burger Club (2020) and Kakegurui Twin (2021), and starred in Koeharu! (2021) and Piece of Cake! (2022). Her theater appearances include portraying Yor Forger in the first musical adaptation of Spy × Family (2023). She is also a lifestyle reporter for the Nippon TV morning show Zip! Sasaki was a founding member of the girl group Hinatazaka46 (formerly Hiragana Keyakizaka46) from 2016 to 2025 and made her acting debut in the group's drama series Re:Mind (2017). She was the lead performer for "Kitai Shiteinai Jibun" from the album Hashiridasu Shunkan (2018) and "Azatokawaii" from Hinatazaka (2020). She was also an exclusive model for the fashion magazine Non-no from 2019 to 2025. Since leaving Hinatazaka46, Sasaki has continued her acting career in We're Worse at Love Than Pandas and lead roles in Piece of Safe and The Night I Got Pregnant By the CEO (all 2026). She has also produced her own lifestyle brand Mireille and held her first solo concert in October 2026.
