Episode twenty-seven of the new series of Pieces of History takes us into the turbulent final years of the Tokugawa shogunate — a period of political upheaval, foreign intrusion, and samurai-driven revolution that culminated in the Meiji Restoration. It is one of the most transformative chapters in Japan's history, when centuries of tradition collided with the urgent need for national survival and modernisation. Joining me for this episode is author and historian Romulus Hillsborough, whose decades of research into the Bakumatsu era have helped illuminate the lives, motives, and struggles of the people who shaped it. Romulus, whose work can be found at samurai-revolution.com, guides us through the downfall of the shogunate, the rise of powerful domains like Satsuma and Chōshū, and the remarkable figures — including Sakamoto Ryōma and Saigō Takamori — who forged Japan's path into a new age. We also discuss his forthcoming book, Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi, and his newly established consulting services for authors, editors, documentarians, screenwriters, and others exploring this era. Drawing on original letters, diaries, and memoirs, we explore how Japan navigated foreign pressure, internal fragmentation, and the existential question of identity. We reflect on what surprised Romulus most in his years of research, how samurai ideology evolved during the crisis, and why the Meiji Restoration remains one of the most astonishing political transformations in world history. Email: piecesofhistorypod@outlook.com Facebook: Pieces of History podcast Instagram: @piecesofhistorypod Romulus Hillsborough: https://www.samurai-revolution.com/