{"podcast":{"title":"The Strange History Podcast","slug":"the-strange-history-podcast-6015497","podcast_index_feed_id":6015497,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/5773362/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.strangehistorypod.com/","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/e6ba8897445c11735ef9cde1ad7a0aad.jpg","author":"Strange History","episode_count":450,"summary":"The Strange History Podcast explores the forgotten, bizarre, and mysterious stories that history left behind. Each episode uncovers strange but true tales from the past—unsolved mysteries, unusual events, odd historical figures, and the eerie legends that shaped cultures around the world. Whether it's ancient curses, unexplained disappearances, or bizarre moments in world history, hosted with a passion for the weird, this podcast takes you deep into the darker and more curious corners of the historical record. Perfect for history buffs, mystery lovers, and curious minds alike, The Strange History Podcast brings the past to life—one strange story at a time. New episodes weekly. Dive into the weird side of history today. If you have an idea for an episode please email strangehistorypod@gmail.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support .","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T14:19:02.473212+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast-6015497"},"episode":{"title":"When Japan Was Ruled by Monks: The Warrior Monks of History, The Holy Men Who Went to War","slug":"when-japan-was-ruled-by-monks-the-warrior-monks-of-history-the-holy-men-who-went-to-war","published_at":"2026-07-20T04:05:02+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast-6015497/when-japan-was-ruled-by-monks-the-warrior-monks-of-history-the-holy-men-who-went-to-war","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast-6015497","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-japan-was-ruled-by-monks-the-warrior-monks-of-history-the-holy-men-who-went-to-war--71416563","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/op3.dev/e/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71416563/elevenlabs_untitled_project_16.mp3","summary":"When Japan Was Ruled by Monks explores one of the strangest chapters in Japan history, when powerful Buddhist monasteries became political forces, military powers, and rivals to samurai lords. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, we dive into the rise of the sōhei warrior monks, the wealth and influence of Enryaku-ji, the armed leagues of the Ikkō-ikki, and the fortress of Ishiyama Hongan-ji. We also explore famous figures like Saichō, Kūkai, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who helped end the era of independent temple armies. This is the story of when temples marched to war. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support . 🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgotten scandals, and history’s most unhinged moments? Submit your ideas for The Strange History Podcast Follow The Strange History Podcast wherever you listen and never miss an episode. 🔗 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify iHeartRadio Audible New episodes regularly. History gets weird here.","meta_description":"When Japan Was Ruled by Monks explores one of the strangest chapters in Japan history, when powerful Buddhist monasteries became political forces, militar…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":615,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-strange-history-podcast-6015497/episodes/when-japan-was-ruled-by-monks-the-warrior-monks-of-history-the-holy-men-who-went-to-war/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast-6015497/when-japan-was-ruled-by-monks-the-warrior-monks-of-history-the-holy-men-who-went-to-war.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}