Japan: An Illustrated History (Hippocrene Illustrated Histories) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have taught Japanese history to high school students for 15 years or so. over the years I have used a variety of texts from standard high school social studies texts, Japan and the Pacific Rim readers and a number of different college texts. This book is unrivaled in its clarity, simplicity and comprehensive coverage. It is so easy to digest the variety of periods and players. It does an excellent job of explaining complex ideas. It also does a good job of covering social, military, cultural and religious histories. If that isn't enough it is an enjoyable read too. You can also add to those traits the fact that it costs less than $15.00 (compared to some history texts that can cost over $100). I supplement this book with An Illustrated History of Japan by Shigeo Nishimura, a wonderfully and artistically illustrated book of drawings (also a wonderful book that costs less than $16.00) that puts vivid images in the mind of my students to go along with the wonderfully written Shleton book.

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How did the inhabitants of several small islands in the Pacific become the world's first non-Western industrialised nation? The answer is found in the fascinating story of Japan's political and social history. This narrative chronicles Japanese history from earliest settlement to the present. It details the establishment of imperial rule under the Yamato clan, the transfer of power from emperor to shogun (supreme military leader), and the Edo period of Japanese isolationism. It also relates the industrial development of the Meiji Restoration, the devastating results of World War II, and Japan's remarkable recovery to become a democracy as well as an economic superpower. The book is the perfect introduction to this nation for students, travellers, businesspeople, and all curious readers.

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Gateway to Japan (Kodansha Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)Having lived in Japan for the past 6 years, I've had the opportunity to use all of the major guidebooks (and quite a few of the minor ones as well), and without a doubt, the most useful and informative guidebook is this one. Of course Lonely Planet has lots of information about restaurants and hotels, but you can get the tourist information center to help you with hotels and wherever you walk you can find plenty of nice restaurants. What you really want is a purpose to visit the places that you are visiting. Lonely Planet just tells you what things are, but this guidebooks tells you the history of each place, so you can understand why each place is important. If you're looking for a guidebook to tell you where the clubs, hangouts, and youth hostels are, then maybe this isn't the book you're looking for. However, if you're looking for a nice meaty book to feed you mind on, this is it.

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When friends want to know where to go in Japan, I always ask, "What are you interested in?" One friend spent every day at the Kabuki theater in Tokyo. Another ventured north to savor the culinary traditions of Tohoku. We know people who adore Tokyo, exulting in the energy of the world's most futuristic megapolis. Others loath it and flee to tranquil Kyoto, the former imperial city that epitomizes the refinement of traditional culture. Still others visit both cities and marvel at the extremes represented by these opposing poles of the Japanese experience. The diversity of cultural and geographic offerings can be intimidating. The two sections of this book, History and Culture and Japan by Region, are designed to make them more manageable. History and Culture focuses on specific topics and recommends where to go. Japan by Region gives the practical information you need to make the trip. History and Culture "A Brief History" introduces the major historical periods and includes a list of the most important figures in Japanese history and culture; their names appear in uppercase letters throughout the book. The chapters that follow provide both an overview and a practical reference on various subjects. For example, "Cuisine" contains bilingual "menus" from which you can order food in restaurants. Most of the chapters conclude with a list of recommendations. Any place that is mentioned in both the main text and the list appears in uppercase. Japan by Region The ten regional chapters appear in geographic order, from north to south (see map on p. vi). The largest of Japan's four main islands, Honshu, and the smallest, Shikoku, together make up seven chapters. The remaining three chapters are devoted to Hokkaido, Kyushu, and the Okinawan archipelago. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction and lists the best attractions, special interests, and seasonal events. Transit Diagrams The transit diagram at the beginning of each regional chapter shows the main trunk line (usually the bullet train) traversing the region, together with other train and bus lines that branch off. The main junctions on the trunk line are assigned roman numerals and treated as jumping-off points from which to explore side routes; the stations along the side routes are assigned arabic numerals. The text describes in numerical order each main junction, followed by the side routes; their direction is denoted by the letters "N" for north, "E" for east, and so forth. For example, suppose you want to visit Dewa Sanzan (transit key number IV:W3) in Tohoku. To see how to get there, turn to the Tohoku transit diagram (p.152); go down the trunk line to the fourth city, Sendai, then go west three notches. The text follows the same organization and is, in effect, a series of mini-itineraries. Dining, Lodgings, and Local Maps Dining and lodging facilities are listed at the end of each town or locale. Telephone area codes are usually listed beside the lodgings heading. Shops, restaurants, and hotels will appear on local maps according to a number-key system. (See inside front cover for a key to symbols.) Ratings are awarded on a scale of from one to three stars based on quality, service, and atmosphere. Credit-card information is supplied for every establishment for which the information was available.

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The Making of Modern Japan Review

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(More customer reviews)First and foremost, I was very surprized at how readable this book is at times. For a book of this size, and the amount of material it covers, I was glad at how readable it was in certain parts.
I also liked that the book was relatively neutral approach. The author clearly respects Japanese history and has mastered it, while not making excuses for their mistakes. To often Japanese and Chinese scholars have been seduced by the cultures of these areas and it clouds their writing and interpretations. I liked the neutrality of this book.
I am less interested in social history, so I will not lie and pretend to have found those chapters interesting, it is not my thing.
The chapters that I felt were the best dealth with the unification of Japan around 1600 and the events surrounding the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
To me, one of the most interesting periods in Japanese history is the 16th and 17th century. The stories and actions of Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu (my screen name)fascinate me greatly. However, there is so little in English about them. It is so hard to find many sources on these great Japanese leaders and the final battles at Sekigara and Osaka castle. So it was quite enjoyable to read about them in this book. The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan for over 200 years and was great to read how it came into power and stayed in power. If this time period interests you, you must read Totman's bio of Tokugawa and of course Cavells Shogun.
Equally as interesting is how the Tokugawa Shogunate collapsed and the Emperor was restored. The book does a great job detailing Perry's arrival in Japan and its forced opening to the west. The book also does a great job discussing the infighting in Japan going on at the time of Perry's arrival and after. The book makes it clear that the Meiji Restoration was more than simply a reaction to Western Imperialism. I enjoyed reading about all the infighting between the remaining Tokugawa bakfu and the more rebellous daimyo.
Also the author does a great job describing how after the Meiji restoration Japan modernized and westernized.
I also feel this books makes up for some of the weaknesses in other recent books on modern Japan. "Embracing Defeat" was too sympathetic to the Japanese in dealing with its history immediately after WWII. This book stays neutral.
Also,Bix recent biography of Hirohito, really did not go into enough detail of the Meiji restoration which this books does a great job of.
However, that creates another problem. Again, if you have read either Bix' Hirohito or Embracing Defeat you will be pretty well informed of post-WWII Japan. Therefore the last chapters of this book are really not neccessary to read. Again, its done well, but having read both of those books makes his information a bit of overkill.
So, if you are looking for a good overview of recent Japanese history you will enjoy this book. It is well written and informative and at times surprizingly entertaining. But again, the last few parts of this book cover material fans of Japanese history will have read too much of recently.
If you like Japanese history, you will like this book.

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