Oleg Benesch

Marshal Nie Rongzhen in a blue military uniform on a large brown horse. There are flowers in the foreground and a rainbow in the background.

With the Year of the Horse approaching at a canter (sorry…), I was delighted to stumble on this excellent 1983 series of paintings of the Nine Marshals of the People's Republic of China at the brilliant Chineseposters.net. chineseposters.net/themes/nine-... #China #History #Chinesenewyear #horses

Rosina Buckland and I recently had an enjoyable chat about the Samurai book (and exhibition!) with the excellent
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social
hosts Nathan Hopson and Ran Zwigenberg:
newbooksnetwork.com/rosina-buckl...

Samurai Everyone recognises the figure of the samurai - a global icon of the fearless, virtuous warrior. But how much of the legend is true?

NEW! The British Museum’s Samurai exhibition explores historical reality behind the legend, featuring expert insights and a collection of stunning artifacts

Join experts as they discuss how the exhibition interrogates the stereotype.

Samurai - 16 Feb

https://ow.ly/B7fM50Y7xFV

The National Diet Library is exploring the possibility of extending its Digitized Transmission Service for Individuals (DCTI) to those residing outside of Japan. To understand potential demand, the NDL and CULCON have created a survey. Deadline for responses 3/31! forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

It's interesting to see what different reviewers pick up from the exhibition, from women's firefighter robes to Noguchi Tetsuya's glorious sculpture of a samurai riding a rubber duck.

Guardian website with review of Samurai exhibition and woodblock print

Come for the history, stay for the sexy, demonic glory.
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Thanks! I'd love to hear what you think!

Samurai review: Japan’s lethal warrior class are shown in all their sexy, demonic glory Extraordinary battle armour, complete with moustachioed masks, enlivens this scintillating show, which brilliantly captures the theatrical side of a chivalrous epoch

Congratulations to @olegb.bsky.social on a five-star review of the new Samurai exhibition at the British Museum. Opens on 3rd Feb.

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Thanks, Chris!!

YouTube video by The East Angle Samurai, Castles, and the Making of Modern Japan - A Conversation with Professor Oleg Benesch

If you want to hear more from our January Third Thursday Lecture speaker Professor @olegb.bsky.social, he's a guest on the latest episode of The East Angle podcast, run by Dr Ra Mason and Dr Sherzod Muminov from @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social @politicsuea.bsky.social! youtu.be/29YY-7mQvls?...

Woodblock print of 47 Ronin in striking black and white outfits

Photo of warship in black and white "dazzle" camouflage

Who wore it better? The 47 Ronin or the HMS London?

www.britishmuseum.org/collection/i...

publicdomainreview.org/collection/d...

Thank you!!

Thanks!!

YouTube video by Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures Third Thursday Lecture - Samurai, Knights, and Nationalisms: The Middle Ages in Modern Japan

I was very fortunate to have the chance to speak at @sainsbury-institute.org in Norwich last week, and the recording is now online. I really appreciate the invitation, and all of the great questions and comments following the talk.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDGo...

Really looking forward to this, and to being back in Norwich!

Kanazawa is a fantastic one, also because of those layers of history. The university has been largely erased, but there are still traces of the Imperial Japanese Army scattered around, including the divisional HQ and a few postwar memorials.

Hi Martin, thanks for the note - I would love to do a few more episodes, but haven't had the time recently. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to it next year!

The Japan Society - Japan, Britain, and the Globalisation of the Samurai - with Oleg Benesch

I'll be giving a talk at The Japan Society in London next month on “Japan, Britain, and the Globalisation of the Samurai," which will also tie into some of themes of the upcoming British Museum special exhibition.
www.japansociety.org.uk/event?event=...

Thanks! It's been a lot of fun!

Thanks for the info - that's great to know!

Cover of exhibition book with photo of samurai armour

This research team have also contributed to the exhibition book (forthcoming in February from British Museum Press). If you're not in London in the spring, but still feel that you need more samurai in your life, the book will be available worldwide:
www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/samurai-pape...

Photo of seven Japanese academics dressed in samurai armor in 1910.

The exhibition draws on an ongoing research project involving over 20 scholars from around the world, who have been incredibly generous with their time and expertise and have taught me a lot. Publications from the project will appear in 2026.

(The photo shows a much earlier samurai research team)

Samurai This major exhibition reveals the real story of the samurai, from medieval battlefields to modern blockbusters.

From 3 February 2026, the special exhibition "Samurai" will be at the British Museum. I've had a lot of fun working on this together with the brilliant Rosina Buckland. If you happen to be in London, and feel that you need more samurai in your life, do drop by!
www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/...

Groundbreaking British Museum show set to challenge samurai myths Exclusive: Exhibition will reveal complex reality, featuring women and artistic creations, beyond armour-clad warriors

www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

Japan in the Early Modern World This open access contributed volume examines the transnational relations between Japan and (Counter) Reformation Europe through the lens of translation.

Finally out now 🥳🎉 -- and in OA! 🙏

Katja Triplett / Yoshimi Orii / Pia Jolliffe (eds.) (2025): Japan in the Early Modern World: Religion, Translation, and Transnational Relations @ doi.org/10.1007/978-...

Includes two contributions by yours truly on Jesuit prints from Japan. 1/

Fascinating footage.

As people have their heads in syllabi and classes, I’d like to highlight how ‘In the Land of the Lacandón: A Graphic History of Adventure and Imperialism’ (MQUP 2025) can be used in teaching. (Please repost and push this thread along.)

Five books are lying on the floor. One is open and shows an image on the upper left page.

Unpacking. It’s finally here. Best of all: you can share the excitement for free, as the book is open access. Follow the link in the post below to download a PDF or EPUB version.
Happy reading and happy strolling through Japanese garden history!

Having spent a bit of time trying to pin down what "medieval" means in Indian historiography, I sympathise with the guy who just put "(though no one agrees)" after his proposed date range