Just rewatched a documentary on the history of the samurai, and a couple of potential PODs in Japanese history popped out:
1. WI Tokugawa Ieyasu loses at Sekigahara, maybe through failing to coerce the daimyo that IOTL defected to his side to do so? First likely change is no or a delayed Tokugawa Shogunate, but what else might've been different with a Toyotomi victory?
2. WI No Perry Expedition in 1853-54 and/or no U.S. entry into Japan whatsoever, through gunboat diplomacy or otherwise? Probably Britain, Russia or another power would've made the effort at some point, but what would be the most obvious differences without U.S. involvement, and how might these have played out?
1. WI Tokugawa Ieyasu loses at Sekigahara, maybe through failing to coerce the daimyo that IOTL defected to his side to do so? First likely change is no or a delayed Tokugawa Shogunate, but what else might've been different with a Toyotomi victory?
2. WI No Perry Expedition in 1853-54 and/or no U.S. entry into Japan whatsoever, through gunboat diplomacy or otherwise? Probably Britain, Russia or another power would've made the effort at some point, but what would be the most obvious differences without U.S. involvement, and how might these have played out?