Women of the Mito Domain: Recollections of Samurai Family Life

by Yamakawa Kikue, Yamakawa Kikue, Kate Nakai (Translation)

A Stanford University Press classic.

Genres: History, Japan, Nonfiction, Japanese History, School

234 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 1992

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone interested in Japan during the Edo period, as well as anyone, who wants to get a better understanding of the lives of those, whom history of the 19th century and times prior often tends to forget — women.

[Bahia · Rating 4 out of 5]

More or less a memoir, this book was a recollection of life in a specific region during the Tokugawa period. The author draws on family recollections to create a full picture of life during this time period. In particular, it focuses on the rules of the samurai and the difficulties faced by samurai in the middle level; samurai below that level were allowed to do extra work, but above that level had to subsist solely on the money awarded them. This meant that samurai that earned a middle range struggled to make ends meet. In Mito, the feudal lord had strict restrictions over the people, and these are described in this book.

The book is a fairly enjoyable read. It's not quite memoir, but has something of a feeling of one. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about the tail end of the Tokugawa period.

[Ran · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important books ever written for scholars of Japanese history and culture. It gives a better image of Japanese family life during the late Tokugawa era than anything else out there. No matter what your discipline is, history, culture, feminist studies, sociology, Asian studies, or anthropology this book is absolutely essential to enrich your existing understanding of 19th century Japan. If you're not a scholar with an interest in Japan and simply looking for a good read, it is fantastically written and filled with endearing and enchanting stories about the family of Yamakawa Kikue. There are a bevy of interesting characters and amusing anecdotes. Bottom line is, it is essential if you're studying Japanese culture and history and enjoyable even if you aren't. Fully recommend.