The First Shogun
Sean Bermingham
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The TV series "Shogun" brings Japanese history to life, but who was the first Shogun?
In this series of podcasts, Sean Bermingham explores the rise to power of Yoritomo Minamoto, the first military leader of Japan. We'll follow Yoritomo's life and adventures as a young man as he leads his Genji clan to victory against the odds in the greatest samurai civil war in Japan's history, and eventually claims the title as Japan's First Shogun.
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham.
Music by EdRecords/Pond5: www.pond5.com
https://x.com/sbermingham121/status/1809814992990138598
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Top 10 The First Shogun Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The First Shogun episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The First Shogun for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The First Shogun episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
The Emperor Strikes Back
The First Shogun
02/16/25 • 27 min
An envoy from the capital brings shocking news: The Emperor has been attacked! Yoritomo learns that his reckless cousin Kiso Yoshinaka - the Asahi Shogun - has burned down the Emperor's residence and is threatening to make a truce with the Heike. So he accepts the Emperor's summons and sends his half-brother Yoshitsune to bring his cousin to heel. Meanwhile Kiso and his lover Tomoe Gozen - Japan's most celebrated female samurai - prepare for what could be their final stand.
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
Jewels and Duels: Part 2
The First Shogun
03/22/25 • 17 min
Yoshitsune rides into battle—and into legend—while the Heike scramble to save the Emperor and the imperial treasures, before the Genji can capture them. The momentous clash on the beach between two samurai clans will go down in history as one of the great turning points of the Gempei War: The Battle of Ichi-no-Tani!
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
Jewels and Duels: Part 1
The First Shogun
03/22/25 • 22 min
The young Genji general Yoshitsune receives a command from the Retired Emperor: Protect the imperial line and retrieve the Three Sacred Treasures! But to achieve his mission, Yoshitsune must first face the might of the Heike army, which is now just one day from the capital...
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
The Captured Samurai
The First Shogun
04/18/25 • 24 min
After their victory at the battle of Ichi-no-Tani, the Genji present their trophies - and a valuable captive - in a parade through the streets of the Japanese capital. Meanwhile the surviving Heike clansmen recover their strength in a fortress on the island of Yashima, where they are given an ultimatum by the Emperor: return the Three Imperial Treasures in exchange for their captured brother...
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
The Samurai Assassin
The First Shogun
01/19/25 • 22 min
The TV series "Shogun" brings Japanese history to life, but who was the first Shogun?
In this season of The First Shogun, Sean Bermingham explores the dramatic rise of the Genji, Japan's most famous samurai clan. We begin the story in 1180, at the start of the Gempei War, an epic 5-year clash between two samurai families that shook medieval Japan and led to the founding of Japan's first Shogunate.
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
Characters mentioned in this episode:
Genji clan:
Yoritomo - the future First Shogun
Hojo Masako - Yoritomo's wife
Yoshitsune - Yoritomo's half-brother
Yoshitomo - Yoritomo's father
Tameyoshi - Yoritomo's grandfather
Mitsunaga and Yorimitsu - ancient warriors
Sasaki Sadatsuna - samurai retainer
Heike clan:
Kiyomori - Lord of the Heike
Satake no Yoshimasa - regional warlord
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
Samurai Spirits
The First Shogun
04/13/24 • 23 min
The TV series "Shogun" brings Japanese history to life, but who was the first Shogun?
In the first episode of this new podcast series, Sean Bermingham explores Minamoto no Yoritomo's extraordinary rise to power in medieval Japan, amidst the dramatic backdrop of the Gempei War - an epic clash between two rival samurai clans, the Genji and the Heike. We'll see how the Tale of the Heike was passed down over generations by traveling storytellers - and in a secluded temple cemetery, we'll accompany a brave musician who has an unearthly encounter with samurai spirits from a vanished age...
Places mentioned in this episode:
Kitano Tenmangu Treasure House, Kyoto - the shrine preserves an ancient sword believed to be the Genji heirloom 'higekiri' : https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220826/p2a/00m/0et/037000c
Akama Shrine, Shimonoseki - shrine dedicated to the boy-Emperor Antoku and the Heike who died at Dan-no-Ura; the setting for the tale of Hoichi the Earless:
https://en.japantravel.com/yamaguchi/akama-shrine/17401
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
The Gathering Storm
The First Shogun
01/19/25 • 25 min
Shocking news reaches Kamakura from Japan's capital: an unexpected turn of events that has thrown the nation into chaos. Meanwhile, in the highlands of central Japan a new force is rising, and there are tales of a female samurai who cuts down everyone in her path. Yoritomo sets out from Kamakura to meet this new challenge to his authority, and comes face to face for the first time with his most powerful rival: the mysterious Master of the Eastern Mountain.
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
The Battle of Uji Bridge
The First Shogun
05/25/24 • 28 min
An imperial decree urges rebellion against the Heike clan. As the Genji heir Yoritomo considers his response, a veteran Genji living in the capital - Minamoto no Yorimasa - takes matters into his own hands, and leads the first serious challenge to Lord Kiyomori's authority. The uprising will lead to the first pivotal moment of the Gempei War - the legendary Battle of Uji Bridge.
Key figures in this episode:
Yoritomo - Genji exile, the future First Shogun
Yorimasa - a veteran Genji warrior
Lord Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clan
Munemori - Kiyomori's heir and eldest surviving son
Go-Shirakawa - the Retired Emperor
Mochihito - the Retired Emperor's second son
Kio - an imperial guard
Jomyo Meishu, Ichirai - warrior monks
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham.
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
Exiles and Lovers (part 2)
The First Shogun
05/19/24 • 19 min
In this episode Yoritomo - the future First Shogun of Japan - falls in love with Hojo Masako - one of the most famous women in Japan's history. As they celebrate a secret wedding, Yoritomo hears of a strange dream that may be a prophesy of his future. Meanwhile, Kiyomori executes a conspirator with a brutality that shocks even his own supporters, and exiles three men to a volcanic island. But when his daughter - who is expecting to give birth to the Emperor's child - becomes dangerously ill, he must call on his most dangerous rival to perform an exorcism, in the hope of repelling spirits that threaten to destroy his family.
Key figures in this episode:
In Izu
Yoritomo - Genji exile, the future First Shogun
Hojo Tokimasa - local government official
Hojo Masako - Tokimasa's daughter
Morinaga, Sadatsuna, Kageyoshi - Yoritomo's friends and retainers
In the Capital
Lord Kiyomori - Head of the Heike clan
Shigemori - Kiyomori's eldest son
Kenreimon-in - Kiyomori's daughter; Emperor Takakura's wife
Go-Shirakawa - the Retired Emperor
Shunkan, Naritsune, Yasuyori - castaways
Written and presented by Sean Bermingham.
Music and sound effects from Pond 5: www.pond5.com
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
1 Listener
Assassins in the Night
The First Shogun
06/08/24 • 17 min
Japan, 1180: The samurai warlord Kiyomori is at the height of his power - he has exiled or executed his opponents, imprisoned the retired Emperor, and has begun his grandest project - the creation of a new capital city in his image. But hundreds of miles to the east, the exiled Yoritomo is planning to strike back against Kiyomori's Heike. He launches a daring night-time raid - one of the earliest Ninja-style stealth attacks in Japan's history - but will it succeed, and how will Kiyomori respond?
Main characters in this episode:
For the Genji:
Minamoto no Yoritomo - Genji heir; the future First Shogun
Hojo Masako - Yoritomo's wife; daughter of Tokimasa
Hojo Tokimasa - Yoritomo's father-in-law
Takatsuna, Sadatsuna, Moritsuna, Tsunetaka - samurai brothers
For the Heike:
Taira no Kiyomori - Heike Lord
Taira no Kanetaka - Governor of Izu
Tsutsumi Nobuto - Izu vice-governor
Oba no Kagechika - veteran samurai
The First Shogun podcast website: https://firstshogun.buzzsprout.com
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FAQ
How many episodes does The First Shogun have?
The First Shogun currently has 21 episodes available.
What topics does The First Shogun cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Japan, History, Documentary, Podcasts and Medieval.
What is the most popular episode on The First Shogun?
The episode title 'The Rumbling Giant' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The First Shogun?
The average episode length on The First Shogun is 22 minutes.
How often are episodes of The First Shogun released?
Episodes of The First Shogun are typically released every 7 days, 12 hours.
When was the first episode of The First Shogun?
The first episode of The First Shogun was released on Apr 13, 2024.
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