![Episode 124 - The Fall of the Samurai, Part 8 - podcast episode cover](https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/3/9/8/1/3981da3b9bd48926/10901442_923654577645646_1675601057_o.jpg)
Episode description
This week, the turbulent politics following the death of Ii Naosuke will result in the rise of one of the most famous symbols of the late Tokugawa era: the shishi, or men of spirit. These shishi groups, radicalized by the political trials of recent years, will introduce a degree of violence to Japanese politics not seen in generations, and pave the way for a fundamental change in Japanese politics.