NIPPON: Japan through the eyes of Philipp Franz von Siebold, 1832-1852

by Kuniko Forrer, Matthi Forrer, Annejet Zijl (Foreword)

320 pages, Hardcover

Published August 4, 2026

Reviews

[Thomas Müller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the „original“ dutch version which is published ahead of the english version but is basically identical. It‘s not really about the text as such - it‘s the fanstastic plates. The interaction west-east during Siebolds times was alien enough to let you imagine that it must have been as strange as the weirdest first contact in Star Trek. Reading the travel log of Matthew Perry next to this book with Sey‘s „Deshima“ next to it was a great pleasure.
The prints on the Ainu or the (to me) ridiculous make up of courtiers (brows on the forehead) were the high points of this gorgeous book.