Product Description
This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1875 edition by \'Rising Sun\' Office, Nagasaki. ... Read more

Book Description
Offering a compelling introduction to Japan's rich culture and fascinating history for travelers, businesspeople, and students, this guide discusses the influence of China; the impact of feudalism, modernization, and imperialism; Japanese history of war and peace; and today's economy and uncertainty. Traced are the threads of history, environment, and culture that run through the centuries to explain much about the Japan of today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A "Bullet Train" Ride Through Japan's History
This book is well organized and well written, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a concise political and economic history of Japan.That is particularly true for business persons, political scientists or economists whose main interest is in the past fifty years or so of Japanese history.Slightly under half of this book covers the period from 1952, when Japan began its economic recovery in earnest, up to the current day.For that time period, the book presents a good bit of technical political and economic detail.

Western readers who are looking for a cultural history of Japan are likely to be disappointed by this book.Details of the day-to-day life of the Japanese, the samurai bushido code, Kabuki theater, tea ceremonies and the many other things that make Japanese culture so distinctly different from Western culture are either not described at all or receive only a fleeting mention, while the emphasis of the narrative is on changes in the style of government and the seat of executive power.The Confucian and Shinto religions are mentioned primarily in references to their effects on the Japanese acceptance of varying degrees of authoritarian governance.

I have come away from reading this book with a good understanding of the current Japanese political and economic situation and its basis in Japanese history.But I will continue my search for a good history of Japan's unique culture.

First rate introduction to Japanese history
I read this book on a recent airplane ride across the USA.I had never read a book dedicated to Japanese history, nor do I usually read nonfiction for pleasure.A few words to describe this book: absorbing, descriptive, informative, and well worth reading!While most history texts are dry, this book tells a story that kept me turning the pages long past when I usually fall asleep.It examines the key issues and events with a fair, balanced hand.Movement between topics takes place logically.The depth of the inquiry is right on for an introduction, and at the same time is so transparent that the complexities of Japan's history are made that much more understandable.

Excellent Book, for those new to Japanese history!
Well, I do have some knowledge of Japanese History, but I just wanted a broad overview, so I got this book. The book is very good. It is 252 pages, which is still short for a short history of a country but that's good enough. The book is an Australian printing, and has never been revised and is not revised. One mistake I saw on Amazon is that it says that the book was published in 2003 and that it is 268 pages, but I checked with the publisher and she said that it was indeed published in 2002, and it is only 252 pages, there is no revised edition and the edition is not revised. Okay, let's get started with the review!

The book discusses everything, it gives info on the geography and the early prehistory of ancient times, and goes on to the Yamato Dynasty's start, how the government borrowed from Chinese and Korean cultures, and how the early capitals at Nara and Heian (now Kyoto) were influenced by China and Korea.

It likewise talks about how the Hojo Regency overthrew the Yamato Dynasty and how the different shogunates, including the Minamoto and the Tokugawa Shogunates, seized power from each other, and how feudalism kept Japan in isolation from the 1100's to 1853, when Colonel Perry of the American Navy opened Japan's gates and how the Yamato Dynasty came back into power.

It also talks about how Japan experienced with imperialism, gained an empire with Taiwan, Manchuria, and Korea, and finally how Japan's rampage through Southeast Asia bought it face to face with one of the most powerful countries in the world, America.

It finally talks about the brutal American occupation, and concentrates on Japan's miracle economy, and how Japan is going to walk into the modern era. The book contains a number of black and white/color pictues by the author and also some figures/maps from other Japanese books.

Like I said, if you want to learn about Japanese history, get this book, it's excellent, but if you know everything about it, I would get something in more detail.

RATING: ***** 5 Stars A + ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

One of the Most Exhaustive and Informative Works on the Subject: Volume II
As I mentioned in my review of the first volume ("A History of Japan to 1334"), George Sansom's series is one of the most informative and detailed accounts of Japanese history that is available. There is no volume of the series that is an exception to the statement above, but I must admit that, as the focus of "A History of Japan: 1334-1615" is largely on matters of government and war, the reading of this volume from start to finish can often be a more arduous task than reading its predecessor. That being said, Sansom makes this remark on page 119: "One thing which strikes the student of this period is the almost continuous war (say from 1300 to 1400) is the monotony of its military history." I appreciate that this is mentioned, as the explanation that follows helps to ease the 'monotony' a bit. Sansom goes on to describe Japanese historical chronicles in relation to matters of war in sufficient detail. And, what's more, several of the chapters that follow are dedicated to topics of Japanese culture and foreign relations.

Areas that may be of especial interest, covered in certain chapters of this volume, include the arrival of the Portuguese in Japan, religion (Christianity and Buddhism, in particular), and the life of the famed shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. These chapters of "A History of Japan: 1334-1615" make very interesting reading and serve as an incredible reference. Like the first and third volumes, this work includes useful appendixes and a comprehensive index. A bonus of this particular volume is that it also includes a Japanese (romaji and kanji) to English glossary of chiefly governmental and religious terms. Though this book could definitely stand alone for research purposes or a specialized interest in the years covered here, Sansom's expertly-written history trilogy works best when read and utilized together.

A time for war
The second book in Sansom's History of Japan takes the reader from the succession disputes between the Senior and Junior lines of the royal house, through the revolt of Go-Daigo against the Hojo regents and the Kemmu restoration.The story of how the first Ashikaga Shogun, Takauji, gained power and the desultory state of war between the so-called Northern (Kyoto-based) and Southerncourts follows. The apparently pointless Onin war is discussed and the reader is relieved when nearly two hundred years of civil war ends under Nobunaga and Hideyoshi.Finally, Sansom deals with the establishment of the Tokugawa Shoguns by Ieyasu.

As in the first book in this series, Sansom once again cleverly combines narrative tales of action with analysis.For sheer brutality and callous disregard for human life under pre-modern ethical standards, the tales of Hideyoshi's treatment of his son, Hidetsugu, make chilling reading. The civil war period occasionally makes for a bewildering welter of names but the author generally steers a clear course through the flotsam.There is also considerable discussion of the Western influences that began to be felt in Japan with the advent of the Jesuit missions there under Francis Xavier.Sansom claims that many authors have made too much of the West's influence during this period but still devotes considerable time to Christianity and the Japanese response to it. A lengthy discussion of Japan's Korean invasion is also included.

This second book in the series is just as good or better than the first.It contains a similar selection of maps, charts, timelines and family trees and also has several short appendices expanding details of the text.It contains its own annotated bibliography and an extensive index. If you enjoyed the first book in this set, the second will continue to delight.It should be useful to the casual reader of Japanese history or to the scholar, although, written in 1958, some of its views are likely out of vogue and some facts may be out of date.On the whole, it is a remarkable piece of historical literature.

A fine tapestry, much ravaged by age
Sir George Bailey Sansom (1883-1965) was a British diplomatist, knighted for his services to the crown, who was also a fine scholar of Japan. When the three volumes of his _History of Japan_ were written they were much the best in the field, well written, full of sharp insights, and reflecting current scholarship. They remain well written but a great deal has been learned since the 1950s that is not reflected in them.

With that said, although I have 75 volumes of Japanese history in my library, I still occasionally consult this book, which remains the most comprehensive narrative history for the period up to 1600. The trick is to be able to know when what he says has been superseded. But for most people, it is likely to be the only Japanese history they will read, and they are going to be misled in some respects.

One alternative is a biography that is also a history: Mary Elizabeth Berry, _Hideyoshi_ (Cambridge: Council on East Asian Studies, Harvard University, 1982), ISBN 0674390261. Its subject, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (c.1536-1598), was the most amazing man in Japanese history, and among the most amazing in anyone's history. It was Hideyoshi who unified Japan toward the end of the long period of turmoil that Sansom's book covers, and Berry tells the story of the background as well as of Hideyoshi's unification. She wrote two decades after Sansom and so benefits from a great deal of original scholarship in the interim (to which she contributed). Her book is also nicely affordable.

Another fine alternative, at least in part, is Marius B. Jansen, ed., _Warrior Rule in Japan_ (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), ISBN: 0521484049. This is a collection of five articles from volumes 3 and 4 of the magnificent (and magnificently costly) _Cambridge History of Japan_, here presented in convenient (and affordable) form. It traces the three shogunates or bakufu (the Kamikura bakufu, the Muromachi or Ashikaga bakufu, and the final Tokugawa bakufu) up through 1800. Its weakness is the era of the unification, but that is the strength of Berry's book, so the two are complementary. The book has a good deal of Japanese terminology in it, but its index is set up also to serve as a glossary, so there is no need to get confused.

One minor thing to beware of in reading Sansom is that in recording the dates of events he gives Japanese lunar months their English names -- the sixth month is June, etc. Since the lunar months do not line up with the months of our calendar (and sometimes there are 13 rather than 12 in a year) this can be misleading.

II. Civil War: Kamakura Burns, . . .then Osaka Castle
It is probably well to point out that this is the 2nd of Sansom's 3-volume narrative history of Japan -- preceded by "A History of Japan to 1334" and followed by "A History of Japan, 1615-1867."The online listing does not always show them in the proper order; also, some readers may not realize that
the earlier, and quite well-known "Japan: A Short Cultural History" (1931; Revised Edition, 1943; author identified as "G.B. Sansom") is not part of this classic trio.

Although the period in Japan from 1334 to 1615 is noted for its endless civil wars, Sansom devotes considerable time and enthusiasm describing cultural developments and the country's initial contacts with the West -- a theme which he develops at length in "The Western World and Japan: A Study in the Interaction of European and Asiatic Cultures" (1965; 504, xi pp.), a work which cannot be too highly recommended! (Again, the author is indicated as "G.B. Sansom").

In short, this is the standard narrative history of Japan for our time.Today's scholars are more interested in details than in the overall picture.

Very Nicely Done
George Bailey Sansom's "History of Japan, 1334-1615" is an excellent compilation of the Japanese military, politicial and social history from the 14th to 17th centuries. The book starts with the tale of the reform-minded Emperor Go-Daigo and his efforts to overthrow the current Shogunate. It then proceeds to the story of Ashikaga Takauji, a well known general, who rebelled against Go-Daigo and the Imperial Throne and was made Shogun. The books ends with at the pivotal year, 1615, with the battle of Sekigahara. The Western forces of the Toyotomi family went to battle with the Eastern forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu. This battle marked the most significant increase in Tokugawa power to date, and would eventually lead to the creation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which would last until the late 1800s.

Generally speaking, Sansom tells the story of Japan. He tells the reader how a tiny, landowner-dominated land that squabbled amongst itself over tiny plots of lands and saw the constant fighting between families, started to become the Super Power it was in the World War I time. This book is the second in the series, the first being entitled "History of Japan to 1334" and the third being "History of Japan, 1615-1867".

It is not necessary to read the first in order to understand the second, however it is useful. Sansom assumes that the reader has read his previous work, because he starts in the middle of Go-Daigo's tale, not really taking the time to explain the importance of such things as the "Bakufu" and the "Hojo Family". However, the difficulty there only lasts for twenty pages, or so, and then its smooth sailing.

While this book is often used as a college textbook, it is important to point out that this book is as much a story as it is a historical guide. Sansom keeps the reader enthralled and eager to see what happens next. Indeed, this historical book ranks up there with any novel. A definite must read for anyone interested in history, especially Japanese history. ... Read more

Book Description
Kyoto, the ancient former capital of Japan, breathes history and mystery. Its temples, gardens and palaces are testimony to many centuries of aristocratic and religious grandeur. Under the veneer of modernity, the city remains filled with countless reminders of a proud past. John Dougill explores this most venerable of Japanese cities, revealing the spirit of place and the individuals that have shaped its often dramatic history. Courtiers and courtesans, poets and priests, samurai and geisha people the pages of his account. Covering twelve centuries in all, the book not only provides a historical overview but also brings to life the cultural magnificence of the city of "Purple Hills and Crystal Streams." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Close-up on a Country's Capital of Culture
When you write a book in praise of Kyoto, it's hard to go wrong by me. This fine and refined metropolis--formerly Japan's political capital and (sorry Tokyo) always and ever its cultural capital--is in all honesty one of my favorite places on earth, and back when I lived in Japan nary a month would go by that I wouldn't visit it at least once. Back here in the States that's not really possible, unfortunately, and so it's quite a delight to at least be able to revisit Kyoto through the pages of this brief but heartfelt cultural history.

The author has lived and worked in Kyoto for a long time as a professor of British Studies at Ryukoku University, and so has a deft first-hand familiarity with the city along with an obvious deep affection and enthusiasm for the place, all of which he unselfishly shares with the reader. On the other hand, since this is not his primary scholarly field, he has taken a vast store of variously scattered expert studies and translated primary sources and weaved these together with his own anecdotal accounts, memories, and impressions; some might dismiss this as "unoriginal" but to read so widely and then handpick the relevant portions and craft them into a coherent narrative that's personal, personable, entertaining, and informative all in one is no mean feat and is nothing to sneeze at. That said, the parts where he digressed to discuss his own experiences of Kyoto were often the parts that really shone for me as a reader, as these were often perceptive and thought-provoking as well as sometimes funny--and speaking of funny, the author has a wonderful penchant for lame puns and silly jokes that add a certain fatherly charm to the prose.

As a whole the book is well-organized, moving along chronologically from the city's founding in 794 to modern times, discussing the characteristic cultural contributions of Kyoto distinctive to each era of Japanese history often with one as the primary focus ("The Tale of Genji", the schools of Buddhism, court verse, Zen, Noh drama, decorative art, the way of Tea, haiku, geisha, cinema, and the modern novel (those by Tanizaki, Mishima, and Kawabata)). The sociopolitical history of the city is also addressed properly, mostly as it is relevant to changes and shifts in cultural history, of course. He has a surefire respect for tradition but can also take the city's modern developments in stride--this is a living, breathing city after all and not a large sprawling museum. The only drawback is that there are a few inaccuracies in the chapter on Buddhism, some glaring (Dainichi is most certainly NOT the Buddha "who created all things"--there is no creator Buddha in Buddhism, nor any creation per se) and some merely nitpicky or just semantically misleading. Nothing a little further reading won't straighten up, though, and the ins and outs of Buddhism are not the main topic at hand, so these inaccuracies are not a mortal sin really, just a minor annoyance if you happen to know better.

The book is written in a very accessible, straightforwardly casual prose style that is ideal for someone unfamiliar with Japan and its cultural capital and still enjoyable for a frequent visitor or resident--also perfect for reading during one's long commute by train or bus. A word of warning though to prospective buyers: the book's cover somehow makes it look like a guidebook, and this is misleading. It makes no attempt to outline key places, hours of operation, and transportation. It's not even organized by site as other similar titles are (such as Mosher's great contemplative guide: Kyoto: A Contemplative Guide) though reading it might give you a few hints of places you might want to check out. On the other hand, if you plan on visiting Kyoto as a tourist this book would be a great and user-friendly way to place all of the detailed data from your guidebook(s) into an overall context and framework and you'd doubtlessly get a whole lot more out of your trip thereby. And if you're stuck somewhere else wishing you were in Kyoto like me, this book is a reliable way to take a little trip there in spirit. ... Read more

Product Description
This listing is for 2 books:A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present, 1st edition, by: Andrew Gordon.ANDWriting History: A Guide for Students, 2nd edition, by: William Kelleher Storey. ... Read more

Book Description

A notion widely shared among the Japanese is that a unique culture has existed uninterrupted on the archipelago since the first human settlements more than 30,000 years ago. The idea of a continuous shared Japanese culture, often described as "Japanese-ness," is epitomized by material items ranging from Zen Buddhist stone gardens and tea ceremony equipment to such archaeological artifacts as the prehistoric Jomon clay figurines. An Archaeological History of Japan challenges this notion by critically examining archaeological evidence as well as the way it has been interpreted.

By combining techniques of traditional archaeological investigation with the tools of contemporary critical sociological and anthropological theory, An Archaeological History of Japan reveals the contingent, reflexive nature of how the prehistoric inhabitants of the Japanese islands identified themselves as they mapped their social and cultural environment. Koji Mizoguchi demonstrates that this process of self-identification underwent transformations as societies and technology changed, indicating that there is no intrinsic connection binding present-day Japanese with people of the past.

Book Description

Magisterial in vision, sweeping in scope, this monumental work presents a seamless account of Japanese society during the modern era, from 1600 to the present. A distillation of more than fifty years' engagement with Japan and its history, it is the crowning work of our leading interpreter of the modern Japanese experience.

Since 1600 Japan has undergone three periods of wrenching social and institutional change, following the imposition of hegemonic order on feudal society by the Tokugawa shogun; the opening of Japan's ports by Commodore Perry; and defeat in World War II. The Making of Modern Japan charts these changes: the social engineering begun with the founding of the shogunate in 1600, the emergence of village and castle towns with consumer populations, and the diffusion of samurai values in the culture.

Jansen covers the making of the modern state, the adaptation of Western models, growing international trade, the broadening opportunity in Japanese society with industrialization, and the postwar occupation reforms imposed by General MacArthur. Throughout, the book gives voice to the individuals and views that have shaped the actions and beliefs of the Japanese, with writers, artists, and thinkers, as well as political leaders given their due.

The story this book tells, though marked by profound changes, is also one of remarkable consistency, in which continuities outweigh upheavals in the development of society, and successive waves of outside influence have only served to strengthen a sense of what is unique and native to Japanese experience. The Making of Modern Japan takes us to the core of this experience as it illuminates one of the contemporary world's most compelling transformations.

Customer Reviews (9)

Exasperating -- but worth the slog
What an exasperating book. At times, The Making of Modern Japan is a joy to read, filled with wonderful translations of primary sources and with Jansen's own wry asides. At others, the prose is painfully academic. It's almost like it was written by different authors. I found the first quarter of the book, a detailed description of the Tokugawa status quo on the eve of revolutionary change, to be deadly dull - 200 pages of sentences, none of which seemed to contain verbs. As the action increases - and Japan begins to reform in the face of foreign pressure - the book gets better. But even here the prose can be deadly. Readers approaching Jansen's otherwise interesting survey of Meiji culture must first get past this sentence, standing like a sentinel at the start of Chapter 14 waiting to bludgeon them senseless: "Histories of Meiji Japan usually follow a periodization derived from the construction of the modern nation-state.'' I found myself crying: "Stop this man before he writes `periodization' again!" But Jansen's immense knowledge, judicious analysis and well-chosen excerpts redeem the book. I loved the Japanese scholar who, upon encountering Western learning, describes the joy of discovery as "sweet as sugar cane.'' I was thunderstruck by the 19th century writer who sounds like Saruman ranting in Isengard as he extols the glories of environmental destruction: "The smoke coiling up from thousands of chimneys will obscure the sun. Ship masts will be as numerous as trees in a forest. The sound of drills, levers and hammers will be orchestrated with the echoes of steam engines...How delightful it will be!" The book also concludes with a lengthy and useful list of recommended reading. For readers who want a comprehensive, balanced and at times delightful introduction to the events that made modern Japan, this book is worth the slog. But a slog it sometimes is.

Thorough and informative
I bought this book for reference while taking a Modern History of Asia class - I ended up reading the whole thing! Informative, interesting and a great resource for the 3 papers on Japan I wrote.

Absolutely facinating to students of Japanese History
I could not put this book down once I started reading it. Anyone looking for details from the end of the Edo era through the Allied Occupation follwing WWII will not be able to find a better book than this.

The work of a liftetime. . .
And for most, reading it may take a lifetime. But that might not be a bad thing.

This book has two strong points: first, it is remarkably all-inclusive - the work of a master historian; second, it is inexpensive for such a massive tome.

Jansen crafts a decent narrative, but the writing itself is sometimes plodding and only the most tenacious reader will be able to navigate all 765 pages.

Which means that this is an excellent book for researchers and budding Japan specialists. It is probably the best condensed history that covers this massive a timeframe.

But for the casual reader this book can at best be read over the years, chunk by chunk only as inspiration strikes.

very good
this was a very good imformative book that was still easy to read, and was well organized ... Read more

Book Description
Warfare in early medieval Japan was deeply linked to the social structure. Examining the causes and conduct of military operations informs and enhances our understanding of the tenth to fourteenth centuries - the formative age of the Samurai.
A thorough and informative review, this study highlights the complex causal relationships between the structures and sources of early medieval political power, technology, and the conduct of war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good, but in places inconsistent
The work's subject is of tremendous importance to the field of Japanese Studies and Karl Friday is one of the most qualified scholars to render such an undertaking into a succes. However, where expectations are high and scope is wide, one invariably encounters mistakes. Whether in transcription of Japanese terms, overall textual consistency or detailed interpretational coherency. Furthermore, a glossary of Japanese terms in the original 'kanji' complete with correct Hepburn transcriptions is sorely missed. Maybe space dictated omission of this necessary tool for any serious Japanese Studies work, but afficionados like myself would have preferred one just the same. It would have made the book a valuable addition to anyone's library.

The Real Story of The Samurai
Karl Friday is one of a group of scholars studying Japanese history who are determined to cut through the hoary myths of the past -- myths too often taken as history -- that have clouded the true role and behavior of the samurai and thus have led to a skewed view of the past. His chapter on "The Culture of War" is particularly revealing and insightful, and in an indirect way exposes the sophistry of the ultra-nationalists who nearly destroyed the country in WWII and killed millions of their countrymen. Myth, in the wrong hands, can pervert history; the historical record is its only antidote; and Karl Friday has delivered a clear-eyed, meticulously researched and well-crafted narrative of samurai life that will help to set the record straight. This is a fine piece of scholarship, and a fine book for those who love to read history. ... Read more

Book Description
Despite an incredibly rich prehistory covering nearly ten thousand years, modern coverage of complex hunter-gatherer societies has tended to overlook the Jomon of Japan.This text presents an overview of the archaeology of the Jomon Period between 10,000 and 300 BC within the context of more recent complex hunter-gatherer societies. It bridges the gap between academic traditions in Japanese and Anglo-American archaeology and represents an invaluable source of reflection on the development of human complexity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Great Starter For Most
Junko Habu's "Ancient Jomon of Japan" is a heavily archeaological book, in that it really focuses on the archaeology of the period. This really is a book to avoid of those details really do not interest you. If you can wade through them, or that is what you are looking for, then this book is for you.

There are broad sections, such as mortuary practices, subsistence strategies and trade networks that all contribute to build up a comprehensive introduction to the Jomon people and culture, (which flourished c. 14,500 - 300 B.C.).

As mentioned, Habu does discuss actual sites in detail, and it is here that she builds up a remarkable picture of what people have found and what they have understood it to mean or indicate. In this sense, I found the book to be very interesting and informative.

It is the first book I have read on the Jomon Period, and I found it to be very readable and very understandable. I enjoyed reading it, and I would imagine anyone curious about the Jomon Period would also find it a fascinating book. I can certainly recommend it to you. ... Read more

Book Description
This beautifully designed book covers every aspect of Japan - itsgeography, natural phenomena, resources, agriculture and history. ... Read more

Product Description
This book probes into subjects still frowned upon in Tokyo; it explores a few "skeletons in the imperial closet." A half century ago this subject brought authors to prison or death. Using tools such as archeology, stylistic analysis, Japan's sacred scriptures themselves, its imperial line is here traced back to Korean origins, its legitimacy established by an iron sword from Paekche kept inaccessible at Iso-no-Kami) with a gold inscription, which dates Japan's founding ruler from 369 A.D., rather than orthodoxy's 660 B.C.
"Japanese culture," up to the eighth century, derived primarily from Korea--whether it was music, landscape gardening, textiles, ceramics, or major masterpieces of architecture, sculpture, and painting. Top "National Treasures" of Japan either came from Korea or were sponsored by Korean-descended aristocrats, such as the famed Shotoku Taishi, who imported artists and Buddhist priests to the islands.

107 color plates. 43 b/w plates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Eye-opening
There is already well-supported genetic, linguistic, archeological evidence linking Japan to Korea, but I had not realized the relationship to be so close. We know that Paekche, the Korean Kingdom, and early Japan shared an uncommonly close relationship, and the writer takes great pains to retrace the origins of Japanese by drawing on its historical relationship to Paekche. He tries in particular to fill in the gaping holes and reconcile the inconsistencies in the historical record. Overall, an excellent read. I recommend it for anyone interested in Japanese and Korean history.

Exceptional work!
It's easy to think that Japan and Korea were mostly influenced by Chinese culture by ignorance but by the fact that their language is Altaic-Isolate not Chinese - means Korea and Japan maintained their own unique culture(s) that are different from Chinese despite heavy historical & culutral influence by former Chinese states.

This book explores the area that are different and in fact starting from Japanese Yayoi culture about 2300BP, there were political refugees from various states in Koreaestablised their own sister states in Japan. Around 400AD, Backje lost a big battle against Gokuryo, and started massive refugee migration to the region of Japan where their former Backje political refugees established strong foothold. This lasted for a while. Historical documents shows more than 1-million people escaped to Japan from Backje(South West region in Korea) and they were able to conqure various states in Japan then and able to start Unified Nihon state called Yamato State around 6-7 century.

full of perceptual cues
Isn't it usual to think that Chinese culture rather than Korean culture influenced the ancient Japanese culture?I found no good proofs to support the opinions of the history fiction writer.It is better to read this book unbelievingly.I also recommend to read "Korea and Her Neighbours" written by Isabella Bird, English traveler and writer, first woman member of the Royal Geographical Society.

Interesting Book on an Unknown Subject
Out of the three East Asian civilizations, it appears Japan has gotten the most attention from the West. Japan is neither the oldest or most cultured of the major East Asian civilizations. Little do most people know that the Japanese are probably the biggest cultural borrowers that mankind has ever seen whether it be aping everything Western during the Meiji Restoration or copying the Chinese structure of government during the Taiki Reforms. This book is about early Japanese history and how the Japanese copied the art and culture of Korea in the formative years of the Yamato dynasty. It's a real, but often unacknowledged history that has to be told so the world can put Japanese culture in its correct context when compared to the other ancient East Asian cultures. The book itself is good in most regards, but sometimes it is too dogmatic in its presentation and doesn't provide enough evidence for its early background conclusions. Many pictures to illustrate the author's points. Considering the scarcity of books on this subject, anyone interested in Japan's early past should take a look at this book.

Secret
The author reveals what Japanese do not want to admit. Indeed, Japanese culture is influenced by the Korean culture. This scholary writing based on her extensive research reveals the secret of Japanese history. It is an excellent book. ... Read more

Book Description

On July 14, 1853, the four warships of America's East Asia Squadron made for Kurihama, 30 miles south of the Japanese capital, then called Edo. It had come to pry open Japan after her two and a half centuries of isolation and nearly a decade of intense planning by Matthew Perry, the squadron commander. The spoils of the recent Mexican Spanish–American War had whetted a powerful American appetite for using her soaring wealth and power for commercial and political advantage.

Perry's cloaking of imperial impulse in humanitarian purpose was fully matched by Japanese self–deception. High among the country's articles of faith was certainty of its protection by heavenly power. A distinguished Japanese scholar argued in 1811 that "Japanese differ completely from and are superior to the peoples of...all other countries of the world."

So began one of history's greatest political and cultural clashes.

In BREAKING OPEN JAPAN, George Feifer makes this drama new and relevant for today. At its heart were two formidable men: Perry and Lord Masahiro Abe, the political mastermind and real authority behind the Emperor and the Shogun. Feifer gives us a fascinating account of "sealed off" Japan and shows that Perry's aggressive handling of his mission had far reaching consequences for Japan – and the United States – well into the twentieth if not twenty–first century.

Customer Reviews (9)

Good Story.Difficult Prose.

This is a fascinating story and the author presents substantive research.There is some good prose in parts, such as the character development of Commodore Perry and descriptions of Okinawa, but on the whole it is not a smooth read.The 4 stars I'm giving it are for its importance as a contribution to our understanding of this period, the author's discussion on the impact of the attitude with which Perry'smission was accomplished, and the research that has been brought together.

Had there not been such good material and insight, the text was so choppy that I would have not finished the book.The dangling ideas, that is, concepts introduced but not previously explained or later followed up on, were frustrating.Then there are a lot of tortured sentences and then some grammar that had to be ignored to get the meaning.

One example of a dangling idea was the paragraph that ended by saying that Abe Mashihiro had won an important victory in the appointment of his recommended defense advisor followed by a paragraph saying that the appointee was "his (Abe's) the most vocal critic."What did I miss? By this time in the book, I no longer flipped back.The concept of a victory for Abe getting a critic an influential position isn't ever clear. It could be that the author meant it in the wider context that through this appointment there was no war, but that isn't clear either.

An example of the tortured prose, on p. 190 regarding Perry's son in law and grandson:

"New York's high society made him "King of Fifth Avenue". (New York Belmont Race Track and the Belmont Stakes are named after him, while in Newport, Rhode Island one of the sumptuous "cottages" was built by Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, the son of "King" and Perry's daughter, together with Alva Vanderbilt previously married to William K. Vanderbilt)".

A grammar example (while you know it's Abe, there are two antecedents for him, not one) is on p. 243 "More than ever, Abe and the roju made the important decisions; with the senior counselors increasinly deferring to him about those concerning Perry..."

While the text was a real drawback (for me), there is a lot of food for thought in the analysis of what it Perry's actions meant for US-Japanese relations for the next 100 years, the unequal treaties, the symbolism of the USS Missouri receiving the Japanese surrender in Uraga Bay and the comparison of China's attitude and policies toward western trade and intervention.

For general readers interested in the seclusion period I recommend Samurai William: The Englishman Who Opened Japan and Native American in the Land of the Shogun: Ranald Macdonald and the Opening of Japan.

a radically different view of American history
If you think you knew and understood American history this brilliant book will make you think again.The author sets out to show that America arrogantly decided to force Japan to open its doors to foreigners and trade, a decision that turned out to be the first step along the path that was to lead to Pearl Harbor. He succeeds admirably. This is readable, controversial history with a lesson for what is going on in Iraq today. A must book for serious thinkers.

Essential Reading
On one level this remarkable book will provide invaluable background for anyone interested in understanding why Japan's love-hate relationship with the United States continues to this day. It should also serve to underline the dangers of imposing one nation's views on another.
But the book will also appeal to readers simply interested in a rich historical tour of Japan at the dawn of its modern era. The skillful weaving of the descriptions of the personalities, prejudices and political backgrounds of Commodore Perry and his Japanese counterpart Lord Abe brings to life and keeps in focus a story that might otherwise have drifted into an academic dissertation.
Breaking Open Japan will now be added to my list of must-reads for friends and acquaintances interested in peeling away the layers of a society that remains the most complex and conflicted of the modern era.

EERIE ECHOES TODAY
This marvelous book is a model study of the unintended consequences of American self-righteousness and imperial arrogance -- with eerie echoes today in the Bush/Cheney invasion of Iraq.It is a work of superb scholarship, and in spots it requires keen concentration, but the total effect is most rewarding, and the concluding sections -- with their lessons for the present and,one hopes,for the future -- are brilliant.

Amidst the present disasters of our militarized foreign policy, Mr Feifer's observation (in Chapter 17) that American "fervor and ignorance, especially of other cultures, sometimes caused grave damage" rings with bitter irony today in Iraq."The Japan that [Commodore Perry] left was boiling in despairing confusion ... bloody plots and counterplots ... full of episodes that seem not to belong to waking life, but have ... the unearthly logic of events in a dream."

And yet, even in his harsh conclusions, Mr Feifer is scholarly, moderate, nuanced, and scrupulous, never overstating his case as the ironies for today abound.This is an incisive and most admirable book.

A revelation about our use of power
This challenging and deeply researched book on Perry's "opening up" of Japan
has the most painful relevance possible to our current government's colossal
misadventure in allegedly trying to bring "Freedom and Democracy" to a land
of darker-skinned people about whose history we are -- not willfully mis-
informed, which would be bad enough, but wildly, tragically ignorant.And
what kind of reverberations can we expect, decades and even a century down
the road of history?What Pearl Harbors, what Okinawas, what Hiroshimas are
there to come? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Fascinating
This book is quite fascinating.What Skates has done is write a history of the planning for the invasion of Japan.The invasion never happened; the planning did.What he is doing is exploring the alternatives to the use of the atomic bomb that U.S. leaders thought they had before them in 1945.

Skates explores all sorts of plans including airpower, deception, the possibility of employing special weapons (everything ranging from missiles to chemical weapons) and the planned inclusion of British, Australian, and Canadian troops.What he finds is that the invasion never was considered an alternative.It was going to happen.American policy makers always intended to use BOTH atomic weapons against Japan and then invade.In explaining his decision to use the atomic bomb rather than invade, President Harry S. Truman was making things up.It never an either/or choice for the United States.This book was published in 1994 and became hugely controversial in 1995 as part of the crisis over the "Enola Gay" display at the Smithsonian Institute.He found that planners never expected the one million dead that Truman used to explain his decision.There were a number of figures floating around, but at worst it was 124,935 casualties (both dead and wounded)."While there is little evidence except assertion and repetition to support the huge numbers used by Truman and Stimson after the war, the U.S. leaders, both civilian and military, were extremely conscious of the costs of Okinawa and reluctant to repeat those loses" (p. 82).

Many revisionists have attempted to use Skates's study to argue against the use of the atomic bomb because of the low numbers.In interviews, Skates has said that he does not believe the general revisionist claims that Japan was trying to surrender, believing that the evidence argues to the contrary.

Bomb or Invade Japan
Skates believes that invading Japan would have been preferable to dropping nuclear weapons.He spends most of the book describing how the invasion would have happened.He does admit that there would have been problems with the invasion.For instance, over half of the divisions would have come from Europe, however, most of the combat veterans in these units were being discharged and replaced with new draftees.Retaining the veterans would have caused severe morale problems.

Skates' main argument is that an invasion would have caused fewer casualties than died in the nuclear bombing.I believe he fails to sustain this argument.The War Department staff in Washington estimated there would be 250,000 to 500,000 American casualties in an invasion of Japan. After the war, some politicians casually made this a "half-million dead" and then "a million dead." In any event, the estimate of casualties included killed, wounded and missing. The original estimates were a not-unreasonable figure based on American experience with fanatical Japanese defenders of the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and one which a postwar examination of Japanese plans for the defense of the Home Islands bore out. There was no indication the Japanese would fight any less strenuously if their Home Islands were invaded. Indeed, it was a safe bet that the fighting would have been even more costly.And this doesn't even consider the Japanese casualties.

The Japanese consistently demonstrated a marked reluctance to surrender, either on the battlefield or at the negotiating table. The American people, in light of Germany's surrender in May 1945, were eager to get the war in the Pacific over with as soon as possible. The voters were making this wish quite clear to their elected officials and the chief among these, President Truman, was listening intently. He had been told that a blockade of Japan might have to go on for a year or more before Japan finally gave in. A successful invasion would not be noticeably shorter.The American people would have none of this and wanted something done. Nuclear weapons were simply another incentive for the Japanese to surrender, and no one was sure they would be any more persuasive than the fire bomb raids (which killed more people than the atomic bombs).

Excellent review of the allied invasion plans
This book is a really thorough look at the Allied (American) plans for the invasion of Japan. What is valuable is the perspective in which these plans were developed, from the start of the war right up to the Japanese surrender. I would have liked more detail on the nitty gritty of the Japanese plans. The big picture perspective from the Japanese standpoint was outstanding, in my opinion. The Japanese had really studied American tendencies and the US troops would have faced a very hot reception on Kyushu during Operation Olympic. I'm sure there will be people who disagree with Mr. Skate's assertion that if Kyushu were taken, actually not if but when and with how many casualties, taking Tokyo would have been relatively easy. But Mr. Skates seems to back up this claim with facts gleaned from the historical record. The book is somewhat of a dry read, but very informative. Highly recommend!

No conclusion
Advertised as an alternative to the Atomic Bombs released on Japan to end World War II, Skates spends most of the thesis explaining military capabilities, background of contemporary leaders along with government and public opinion concerning the end of the war.As little as two chapters actually deal with alternatives.While the background is vital in understanding the options, more time could have been utilized to further develop alternatives.Skates uses a certain degree of presentism to disclaim the decision of the bombs to end the war.Despite flaws, argument of alternative well expressed and researched.

A Costly Alternative to Ending the Pacific War
As early as mid-1943, the American joint chiefs had begun to analyize the alternatives to ending the war in the Pacific.This book describes one alternative; the invasion of Japan itself.The invasion was to take place in two assaults; one, scheduled for November 1, 1945, was to involve the southern Kyushu area while the other, scheduled for March 1, 1946, was to occur in the Kanto plain area near Tokyo.After the island of Okinawa was secured in June, 1945, the Americans turned their attention to the coming invasion.The Kyushu portion of the invasion had the endorsement of President Truman and the joint chiefs.The invasion would have been on a scale never seen before.Thousands of ships, planes, and men would land on Kyushu and begin their drive northward.However, due to ULTRA intelligence intercepts, the Americans learned that the Japanese build up on Kyushu was much larger than expected.Many divisions of men and upwards of 10,000 aircraft were poised to meet the Americans.The Japanese were also prepared to meet the Americans on the beaches, differing from their customary approach of leaving the beaches uncontested and fighting it out inland.If the Japanese defense of Kyushu failed, there would be little left to defend the Kanto plain with, so the road to Tokyo would be wide open.

The author takes the view that Japan was a defeated nation ready to surrender due to the blockade and bombing missions being employed by the Americans.He points out that Japan had virtually no navy or air force and that the remaining elements of the imperial army were so poorly fed and equipped that they would be no match for the Americans.I tend to disagree on some points.The Japanese have always been fanatical fighters, and would be even more so if their home islands were invaded.Furthermore, the kamikazes, if employed in force, could have done tremendous damage to the invasion force.Inevitably, the Japanese would succumb to the Americans, but not before they inflicted serious damage.Also, he points out that the atomic bombs were used to send a political message rather than an end to the war.Again, he feels that the Japanese were a defeated nation ready to surrender, but the build up on Kyushu leads one to believe otherwise.The atomic bombs, in my opinion were wisely used.Yes, they caused great loss of life on the Japanese side, but the invasion would have cost many more.Furthermore, the American public wouldn't have stood for a prolonged battle against the Japanese after the invasion.They wanted the men home as soon as possible, and the invasion would have kept them fighting for at least another year.

Overall, I thought this book did a good job of explaining the logistics and construction of the invasion plans.The organization is good, and the book is well-researched. It gives good information regarding a possible invasion, but little information about the atomic bomb. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The development of the modern Japanese state described via the history of Japanese art
While it is quite different from western art, Japanese art is no less distinctive and a visual description of the development of modern Japanese culture. In this book, the artwork is presented with a great deal of historical context. Each section begins with a combination of a historical and an art chronology. A great deal of textual explanation is included along with the figures, which is very helpful as it would be very difficult to understand many of the images without it.
The chronology begins with ancient Japan, from the first people who inhabited the islands roughly 4500 B. C. to approximately the year 500 C. E. with the existence of a discernable Japanese civilization. It concludes with the period immediately before the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The final section deals with the Meiji restoration, industrialization and the wars of conquest against China and Russia.
From these images, you can see the development of the modern Japanese state, which can easily be dated as having started in 1868. It is a nation that moved from a feudal structure to a modern industrial power in little more than one generation. Fortunately for us all, that change was well chronicled by the Japanese artists and some of their best work has been collected into this book.

from 600 B.C. to 1912
This is a book of incredible research,and art pictures.It is also a fantastic reference on Japan's History.It is divided into sections, so that the reader can follow in details the dates, the events, and the art that developed with time.
It has been a wonderful book for my references, and in teaching my students about Japan.Strongly,strongly recommended.

A big beautiful book....
A hardcover with over 290 some pages full of artwork.From the bells found in tombs to more modern prints done in the early 20th century, this book is a must for either art lovers or lovers of Japan or both!The book not only shows you how the art changed, but how the lives of the Japanese people changed.Their ways of life ANd their beliefs.See prints and paintings and statues of street scenes and nobles and visions of hell. You can't get a better book and there are used ones for sale!BUY IT! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Crimson Kimchi
I first became interested in the issue of minorities in Japan when I watched Yukisada Isao's wonderful film Go a couple of years ago. The film revolves around a young man named Sugihara who keeps his Korean identity secret from his love interest because he is afraid of how she would react if she found out that he has Korean blood running through his veins. However, Go was not my first exposure to Resident Korean literature or film. The first bit of Resident Korean literature I read was Yu Miri's novel Gold Rush which seems to have become lost somewhere between the releases of better known Japanese writers such as Murakami Haruki and Yoshimoto Banana. However, this novel and the violent world within its pages was able to stick in my head for three years after I read it, so I was delighted to see that a book had been released that analyzed not only the literature of noted Resident Korean authors such as Ri Kaisei, Kin Kakuei, Chong Chu-wol, Kim Chang-saeng, Yi Yang-ji, and the aforementioned Yu Miri, but also important events that involved the Resident Korean population in Japan while each of these writers were at their heights such as the trial of Kim Hui-ro who killed two yakuza members because of racial remarks, the trial of Pak Chong-sok who was fired by Hitachi because he was Korean, the textbook controversy, and protests against mandatory fingerprinting.

Wender weaves these narratives carefully with these historical events showing the importance that the written word has not only as a catharsis for these writers, especially female writers, but how literature and narrative can be used in politics in strengthening a case. Ri Kaisei was heavily involved in Kim Hui-ro's court case and Yu Miri is one of the strongest opponents to Kobayashi Yoshinori, a manga artist turned revisionist historian whose writings have infuriated a number of people including Yu herself. Quite readable and not overly weighed down with academic language, Lamentation as history is a quick and highly interesting read for those who study Japanese literature or for those who want to learn more about the so-called "homogeneousness" of modern Japan.
... Read more

Book Description
Offers reader an authoritative overview of 2,000 years of Japanese history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Dry and disjointed
To cut to the chase, this book is quite poorly written and does not serve its purpose well at all.The writing is extraordinarily dry, essentially like being at a *really* bad powerpoint presentation, as in:Here's a fact.Here's another fact.Here's another fact....There is no insight gluing the facts together, and no craft of writing to integrate the sentences into a coherent whole.Just one "bullet point" after another.

Although this weakness had been implied by a couple of prior reviews, as a serious student of Japanese language and culture and an avid reader, I figured I could overcome.But it is simply not sensible to spend one's time plowing through such a book, which is in any case unlikely to result in anything remembered (I made it less than halfway before giving up).

In addition to the incredibly dull writing, the book lacks the insight of a Japan specialist.The author has written books on India, Pakistan, China, Philippines, and so on.Japan is a complex topic, and the depth of coverage betrays the fact that Japan is "just one" of his areas of study.It is always best to go with a true expert.

Finally, one notices that there are no positive reviews from newspapers or magazines, or even other authors, on the book itself.It is published by a relatively obscure publisher, and appears to have been written in quite a rush.This is not a work built to stand the test of time.

I will return this book to amazon for a refund (I very seldom do this), and will try a different author.To those that come after, I offer a strong warning that the quality of this book is unlikely to provide what you are looking for.

Good intro for newcomers but why no maps ?
To condense over 2000 years of Japanese history into 300 pages is no easy feat. So Meyer's "Japan : A Concise History" is an excellent introduction to the topic for any newcomer or reader interested in a quick overview of the essential elements of the subject. I found the chronological segmentation of the different phases of Japanese history especially useful. Serious students of Japanese history may justifiably prefer a topic by topic approach but for first timers, chronology is a relief and an ideal prism through which to peer into the past.

Format aside, the writing is a little dry, which makes the book less than an absorbing read. The absence of any maps, pictures and graphical representation is unforgiveable - a thoughtless omission on the part of the author and the publishers. We know how the use of maps and pictures can make all the difference. They enliven and add immeasurably to the enjoyment of the reading.

A good book which could easily have been better.

Excellent Book, Couldn't Have Been Better!
All right, after France and England, I wanted to turn away from European history for a while, and go on to Asia. This continent was isolated for so many years, but now, it's the most technoligical country in the world, especially Japan. So, anticipating a trip to Japan, I got this book.

Good - The book is excellent! It covers Prehistory, to the emperor's reigns, to the many different shogunates such as the Tokugawa, Japan becomes isolated to get away from the Portugese and Dutch colonists, Japan is opened in 1854 and the Emperor restored to power, and finally the colonial era, and a brutal occupation by America after Japan was crushed at the end of World War II, and finally, to Japan's current standing as a world power.

Bad - The book has no pictures. There's just one picture of a map of East Asia, and that's all. Also, the book doesn't really go deep into how the Japanese cooled resistance in their conquered lands, but that's about it.

Anyone who is new to Japan will love this book, I did!

Couldn't Have Been Better!
Besides the rather blatant reviews, I for one really liked the concise history that Mr Meyer has written. In my opinion, this book really is great; it gives a rather detailed explanation of Japan from its prehistory, to the Mongol invasions, to the Tokugawa isolation, to the Meiji era, to the American invasion of Japan in 1945, and to its current military and economic world power position today. The book could have had some more illustratons, except for a map of Japan, but then again, it's all right. I suggest that beginners in Japanese history start with something a bit more generalized, but it's a great book. In my opinion, every history buff should own this book.

Too dry for my taste
As a casual history reader, I found this book way too dry. Although it delivers on its premise, namely sketching out a history of Japan, it was a relief to finally put the book down after having read it.

This book I bought for the dual purpose of being entertained and learn something in the process, but it could only fulfill the latter requirement. It may be unfair to ask of a book to be engaging and still tell a whole country's history in under 300 pages, so I'm probably unfair - the book just reads too much like a textbook, and that wasn't really what I had hoped for.

Not knowing too much about Japanese history from other sources, I can't comment on the accuracy of the text, but there's an annoyingly high frequency of simple spelling errors, etc.

Lastly, there's only one map of Japan in the Southeast Asian setting, and it's buried deep inside of the book. I really missed a map of Japan in the book! ... Read more