Ah, I think your right about making the bird want to sing.
Yeah, even here, I find it hard to find anybody interested in discussing Japanese history. Even amongst my Japanese friends! Their parents are usually pretty keen to talk about it, though, and are very appreciative that a non-Japanese like me knows something about their history and culture.
One subject I'm familiar with that never fails to amaze people is the "sankin koutai" system of the Tokugawas, which was essentially a conspiracy perpetrated by the man to keep a brother down. Or, in this case, to keep the Daimyos weak by requiring them to make regular pilgrimmages from their fiefs to Edo, alternating residences every three or four years. Incentive for this was the fact that the Daimyo's families were required to live in Edo, effectively held hostage by the Shogunate. The idea was to keep the Daimyos weak via the incredible expense incurred by shifting his entourage to Edo and back at regular intervals, and of course the tons of gifts that must be presented to the Shogun upon arrival in Edo represented a huge fortune spent as well.
Thus, the Daimyos could not amass enough wealth nor gather enough support in the fiefs (they're not even there half the time!) to pose any serious threat to the centralized Shogunate government. It was also during this time that Japan lost a great many of its castles, as the Shogunate only allowed one castle per fief. I don't recall the figure, but many many castles were dismantled during the 300 year Tokugawa Shogunate.
Which reminds that I'm writing all this because my ex-wife's direct ancestor was Yagyu Jubei, the famous eyepatch-wearing Tokugawa Shogunate Samurai swordsman.
Which is the topic of this thread! Famous relatives!
Sorry for the long historical ramble!!