阜 means 'hill'

All four kanji pop up in prefecture names, so these essays take us through four prefectures with scenic mountains, castles, connections to famous writers, and charming old architecture. Find out which city is known as Little Edo for its historic buildings and its traditional-looking warehouses, and see which location is known as Little Kyoto because it has retained its original appearance. Learn where traditional A-frame-like houses dominate the landscape, and discover a cultural theme park that re-creates the Edo era.

Japan had an unbroken imperial line until 1336–1392, when there were simultaneously two emperors, each at odds with the other. Though anomalous in history, this schism fit perfectly with the fractious atmosphere of the Muromachi era (1333–1573). Back then people said, "Control Mino Province, and you control Japan." Indeed, the feudal lord Shingen Takeda invaded Mino (now Gifu Prefecture) but miscalculated the situation. Civil unrest had people so on edge that a landowner would station watchmen at mountain passes around his territory to keep out enemies and thwart smugglers. This bundle tells a tale of a country divided.

In 16th-century Japan, two powerful men eclipse all others in importance. Nobunaga Oda (1534–1582) and Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1536–1598) both united Japan after a time of civil war. Nobunaga is considered the first great unifier of Japan, and Hideyoshi is called the second one. This bundle affords glimpses into their ascent, from the unlikely beginnings of their relationship (Hideyoshi initially took care of Nobunaga's shoes!) to their collective work in shifting power in the nation and even influencing the name of Osaka. Each man built castles whose names combine in the term for "Azuchi-Momoyama period" (1558–1600).