Understanding Japan: A Cultural History

by Mark J. Ravina

Japan’s extraordinary culture is like no other in the world. The 2,000-year-old civilization grew through periods of seclusion and assimilation to cultivate a society responsible for immeasurable influences on the rest of the world. What makes Japan so distinctive?

The answer is more than just spiritual beliefs or culinary tastes. It’s the ongoing clash between tradition and modernity; a conflict shaped by Japan’s long history of engagement and isolation.

We’re all aware of Japan’s pivotal role in global economics and technological innovation. We know that the future of the West (and the entire world) is inextricably linked with the island nation’s successes and failures. But Japanese culture—its codes, mores, rituals, and values—still remains mysterious to many of us. And that’s unfortunate, because to truly understand Japan’s influence on the world stage, one needs to understand Japan’s culture—on its own terms.

Only by looking at Japan’s politics, spirituality, cuisine, literature, art, and philosophy in the context of larger historical forces can we reach an informed grasp of Japanese culture. One that dispels prevalent myths and misconceptions we in the West have. One that puts Japan—not other nations—at the center of the story. And one that reveals how this incredible country transformed into the 21st-century superpower it is today.

In an exciting partnership with the Smithsonian, The Great Courses presents Understanding Japan: A Cultural History—24 lectures that offer an unforgettable tour of Japanese life and culture. Delivered by renowned Japan scholar and award-winning professor Mark J. Ravina of Emory University, it’s a chance to access an extraordinary culture that is sometimes overlooked or misrepresented in broader surveys of world history. Professor Ravina, with the expert collaboration of the Smithsonian’s resources, and brings you a grand portrait of Japan, one that reaches from its ancient roots as an archipelago of warring islands to its current status as a geopolitical giant. Here for your enjoyment is a dazzling historical adventure with something to inform and delight everyone, and you’ll come away from it with a richer appreciation of Japanese culture.

Genres: History, Japan, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Asia, Cultural, Japanese Literature

184 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Dr. Mark J. Ravina is Professor of History at Emory University, where he has taught since 1991. He received his A.B. from Columbia University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. He has been a visiting professor at Kyoto University’s Institute for Research in Humanities and a research fellow at Keio University and the International Research Center for Japanese Studies. He has also received research grants from the Fulbright Program, the Japan Foundation, the Academy of Korean Studies, and the Association for Asian Studies.

Professor Ravina has published extensively in early modern Japanese history, with a particular focus on the transnational and international aspects of political change. He has also published research on Japanese and Korean popular culture, Japanese economic thought, and the history of science. As a public intellectual, he has appeared on CNN, CNN International, NPR, and The History Channel.

A former director of the East Asian Studies Program at Emory University, Professor Ravina has also served as president of the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies. In addition, he is on the editorial board of The Journal of Asian Studies. Professor Ravina’s books include The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori and Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan.

Reviews

[Roy Lotz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have often had occasion to remark on the surprising extent of my own ignorance. Sometimes I feel like a lonely janitor, faced with the task of cleaning an enormous building without the help of a floorplan. I wipe down every surface and scrub every floor in sight, only to discover that, further on, there are entire, unexplored wings that are still totally filthy. Not only that, but I am a severely myopic janitor, and often assume a surface is clean until I bend down to take a closer look. Now, without any intended offense to that great nation, for me Japan was one of those apparently clean but very dusty surfaces of my brain.

This course was the perfect place for me to start remedying the situation. Ravina is a wonderful lecturer and a vivid storyteller. More importantly, he is also an expert on the subject, having lived there, learned the language, and devoted his life to the study of its culture. The course is designed for people like me—the wretchedly ignorant—but nevertheless manages to include a surprising amount of depth. Like any great educator, Ravina makes the subject accessible without dumbing it down. He also, wisely, does not focus solely on conventional history (emperors, warlords, battles), turning his attention to the cultural aspects that are most interesting to the layperson. Even more wisely, he does give the listener enough conventional history to provide intelligible context for these cultural achievements.

I was most impressed by Ravina’s ability to tackle such a wide variety of topics. On gardens, literature, religion, food, cinema, the economy, and more, he is a lucid and compelling guide to the topic. And his enthusiasm for Japan is certainly contagious. Speaking for myself, what fascinated me the most was the mixture of familiarity and foreignness. Many aspects of Japanese history and culture seem to have close European parallels—samurai and knights, Shinto and Elizabethan theater, with religious monasteries and sophisticated court culture—and yet, within these similar structures, there can be profound differences in values or attitude. Ravina captured this most clearly in his comparison of Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story and the American movie on which it was based, Make Way for Tomorrow—films with almost the same plot, but strikingly different emotional effects.

Suffice to say, now that I have a floorplan, I look forward to giving this part of my brain a decent cleaning one of these days.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books on different periods of Japanese history. I have also read Japanese novels and translated poetry, but I yearned for something that would help me unify what I was reading and put it in a larger context. Ravina’s lectures go a long way toward that goal.

Ravina’s theme is that Japan has gone through many cycles: their view of foreign engagement; their understand of Buddhism and Shintoism; their customs, etc. He is well-grounded in the Japanese language and clarifies how language and grammar have their role in how Japanese view the world and those around them. He is also able to easily provide analogies to Western cultural and historical events that he feels will clarify a particular point.

I appreciated Ravina’s assertion that Japan doesn’t have a clear overarching culture but one that is made up of layers, which he defines.

Among the characteristics of this series are three elements of style that I want to note: Ravina is a good lecturer in pace and vocal style; he does not over-generalize; and, he uses analogies that are easily understood and effective in illustrating his points.

In these 24 lectures, Ravina covers everything from religion to mythology to food and art. He makes each fascinating and comprehensible. 5*

Below I have set out the titles of the lectures.
LECTURE 1
Japan: A Globally Engaged Island Nation .................

LECTURE 2
Understanding Japan through Ancient Myths........

LECTURE 3
The Emergence of the Ritsuryo State .................

LECTURE 4
Aspects of the Japanese Language ...........................

LECTURE 5
Early Japanese Buddhism.........................................

LECTURE 6
Heian Court Culture...................................................

LECTURE 7
The Rise of the Samurai............................................

LECTURE 8
Pure Land Buddhism and Zen Buddhism..............

LECTURE 9
Samurai Culture in the Ashikaga Period..................

LECTURE 10
Japan at Home and Abroad, 1300–1600...........................

LECTURE 11
Japan’s Isolation in the Tokugawa Period ........................

LECTURE 12
Japanese Theater: Noh and Kabuki ...............................

LECTURE 13
The Importance of Japanese Gardens ............................

LECTURE 14
The Meaning of Bushido in a Time of Peace..................

LECTURE 15
Japanese Poetry: The Road to Haiku............................

LECTURE 16
Hokusai and the Art of Wood-Block Prints..................

LECTURE 17
The Meiji Restoration ....................................................

LECTURE 18
Three Visions of Prewar Japan ...................................

LECTURE 19
War without a Master Plan: Japan, 1931–1945..........

LECTURE 20
Japanese Family Life...................................................

LECTURE 21
Japanese Foodways..........................................................

LECTURE 22
Japan’s Economic Miracle ..............................................

LECTURE 23
Kurosawa and Ozu: Two Giants of Film .........................

LECTURE 24
The Making of Contemporary Japan ...............................

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. It is 4 DVDs, each DVD has about 5 lectures on it. Most of it is Dr. Ravina lecturing on a stage, but this is complemented by maps, colour photos, and timelines. He also has a good sense of humour.

It is more informative than a typical documentary on TV, but not as academic as a university course. I know much more about Japanese history thanks to this DVD set. I find typical TV shows on history to be far too fluffy, done more for entertainment than teaching. Dr. Ravina's lectures are both. He presumes you know nothing about Japanese history. I'll be reading his books.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Understanding Japan is a brilliant audio course that offers a multifaceted exploration of the Land of the Rising Sun.  Ravina vividly brings to life topics ranging from the nation's domestic history and religion to food habits, gardens, and poetry.  In fact, the only notable areas not discussed are those in the demi- or underworld: the geisha and yakuza.  As might be expected, some lectures were better than others.  For instance, the discussion of gardens was a bit dry (no pun intended!), while the one covering the Japanese language was absolutely fascinating.  However, on balance, this was an excellent introduction to Japan.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little more academic than I wanted, but a good starter in understanding Japanese culture.

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are twenty-four lectures on the history of Japan that provides extensive coverage of cultural components in additional to the usual political aspects of history. This production by The Great Courses is published in partnership with the Smithsonian which I suppose made available their collections of Japanese artwork and archival material. I listened to the audio version, so any visuals were not available to me. The lecturer, Mark J. Ravina, has extensive background in studies of East Asia and Japan in particular. In Lecture 4 that discusses interesting aspects of the Japanese Language it becomes obvious that he's fluent in the Japanese language.

A significant point made by the lectures is that the impression we received in our world history classes that Japan had always been isolated from the world community of nations until Admiral Perry sailed into Tokyo harbor in 1853 is an over simplification of history. Japan has historically gone through cycles of isolation followed by involvement in world affairs. In the late 500s a strong centralized emperor-led Ritsuryō state emerged partly influenced by powerful states in China and Korea during that era. Then Japan went through its first period of isolation from the 800s to the 1300s during the Heian era. Japan's second wave of globalization stretched from the 1300s to the 1600s. This era ended with the failed attempt of the powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi to invade China by way of Korea. Japan then slipped into a 250 year Tokugawa shogunate period during which globalization and Christianity were curtailed. Then the third major period of Japanese globalization occurred with the Meiji Restoration in the late 1800s.

Lectures 18 and 19 provide an interesting description Japan prior to World War II as it stumbled into wars in China without a master plan. It appears that rouge military officers set up a puppet government in Manchuria (Manchukuo) without orders from the central Japanese government. Similar independent initiatives in the field led to the invasion of China. A review of history from our post war perspective suggests that Japan's initiating the war was a classic example of "groupthink" that was nation wide in scope.

The lack of preparatory planning for the invasion of China resulted in a Japanese army with inadequate logistical support that caused them to depend on looting the land they were invading. Their shortage of supplies meant they had no ability to take prisoners of war. Thus killing prisoners was their alternative. Looting and killing led to a state of mind that resulted in the "Nanking massacre."

I was interested in the description of Japan's economic growth and the subsequent bursting of the Japanese real estate bubble and the dramatic stock market crash because they occurred within my own life time. In the final lecture there is a suggestion the Japan's lack of economic growth since the 1980s has not resulted in deterioration of the quality of life in Japan. For example they still have the world's longest average life spans. Perhaps static economic growth is OK.

Lecture Titles and Summaries
(Source of descriptions taken from http://www.thegreatcourses.com/course...)

1 . Japan: A Globally Engaged Island Nation
How has Japanese culture been shaped by powerful cycles of globalization and isolation? When was the earliest human habitation of Japan, and what are the origins of its rich culture? These and other probing questions are the perfect starting points for dispelling common Western misconceptions about this great island nation.

2. Understanding Japan through Ancient Myths
Get an engaging introduction to ancient Japanese myths, collectively known as Shinto ("Way of the Gods"). Focusing on the oldest written compilation of Japanese oral tradition, the Kojiki, you'll examine fascinating stories about gods and heroes, the origins of the universe, the Rock Cave of Heaven, rival clans and more."

3. The Emergence of the Ritsuryo State
In the late 500s, Japan began an unprecedented project of state building that evolved into the highly centralized, emperor-led Ritsuryo state. As you examine the state's laws and accomplishments, you'll uncover how this political centralization was actually inspired by -- and responded to -- the emergence of powerful states in China and Korea.

4. Aspects of the Japanese Language
Make sense of one of the world's most complex writing systems, and discover how spoken Japanese reflects a long-standing concern with order, hierarchy, and consensus. Why is social context so important when speaking Japanese? And what are the linguistic consequences of adopting Chinese characters in Japanese writing?

5. Early Japanese Buddhism
Professor Ravina explains why Buddhism was so appealing in ancient Japan. He reveals three key observations about the re|igion's earliest form (including its spread with direct support from Japanese rulers) and discusses the two main strands of Japanese Buddhism: the more esoteric tradition of Shingon and the more accessible Pure Land.

6 . Heian Court Culture
Journey through Japan's first period of isolation (from the 800s to the 1300s) and the rise of the Heian court, ancient Japan's cultured and exclusive aristocracy. Along the way, you'll meet the powerful Fujiwara family and unpack how the novel The Tale of Genji reveals the court's penchant for scandal and intrigue.

7. The Rise of the Samurai
Turn away from the court in Kyoto to the countryside, where political infighting led to the rise of Japan's first shogunate ("warrior dynasty") and the emergence of the samurai.
You'll also explore the rise of warrior culture through the lines of The Tale of the Heike, an epic ballad spread by wandering minstrels.

8. Pure Land Buddhism and Zen Buddhism
How did the decline of the court and the rise of the warrior class shape the evolution of Buddhist aesthetic, spiritual, and philosophical concepts? Find out in this illuminating lecture, which covers the massive growth of Pure Land Buddhism (the dominant form in Japan today) and the two main schools of Zen Buddhism.

9. Samurai Culture in the Ashikaga Period
Samurai culture was not fixed but constantly adapting to larger social and cultural changes. Central to these changes was the Ashikaga dynasty. As you'll learn, political turmoil under the Ashikaga led to the samurai defining themselves with a culture of extreme loyalty and a new sense of valor, independent of imperial court culture.

10. Japan at Home and Abroad, 1300 - 1600
Japan's second great wave of globalization, the subject of this lecture, stretched from the 1300s to the early 1500s. It's a fascinating period that includes competition with China's Ming dynasty; the new influence of the West (which brought with it guns and Christianity); and the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Japan's most powerful warlord.

11. Japan‘s Isolation in the Tokugawa Period
Lasting for over 250 years, the Tokugawa shogunate curtailed both globalization and Christianity. How did this feudal government come to power? How did its policies isolate Japan? Along the way, you'll get an insightful look at what we really mean by "isolation" - and how Japan was shaped by foreign cultures even when most Japanese were banned from traveling overseas.

12. Japanese Theater: Noh and Kabuki
Explore two major forms of Japanese theater: Noh (the high classical form) and Kabuki (the more popular form). In looking at two important theatrical works - Atsumori, rich in lofly ideals and elegant aesthetics, and The Scarlet Princess of Edo, full of crude decadence and mayhem - you'|l uncover what these traditions share, and what they make their own.

13. The Importance of Japanese Gardens
Japanese gardens are popular tourist destinations, cultural treasures, and even UNESCO heritage sites. Here, consider the splendor and harmony of some of Japan's most important gardens (including tea gardens, rock gardens, and strolling gardens) as part of a history of aesthetics and also as expressions of religious and cultural ideals.

14. The Meaning of Bushido in a Time of Peace
Professor Ravina adds more depth to your understanding of Japan's warrior ethos, bushido ("the way of the warrior"). As you look at historical snapshots, such as a samurai's petulant memoir and the vendetta of the 47 ronin, you'll discover the deep nostalgia that lies at the heart of this misunderstood aspect of Japanese cutture. Bushido is full of a longing for a lost age.

15. Japanese Poetry: The Road to Haiku
Journey through some of the best-known styles and voices of Japanese poetry. You'll start with the oldest surviving Japanese poems and follow the development of tanka, the classical fve-line form, and renga, a single poem written by multiple poets. We conclude with the master poet Bash? and the emergence of haiku, now Japan's most famous and popular form of poetry.

16. Hokusai and the Art of Wood-Block Prints
Katsushika Hokusai, the renowned Japanese artist, is the perfect entryway into the history of both Japanese wood-block prints and late Tokugawa society. Among the topics covered are ukiyo-e ("floating world") pictures; Hokusai's iconic masterpiece, The Great Wave off Kanagarwa; his encyclopedic collection of manga ("sketches"); and more."

17. The Meiji Restoration
Investigate the Meiji Restoration: the start of the third major period of Japanese globalization, defined by a vibrant synthesis of tradition and modernity. From the abolition of the samurai class to the creation of a new educational system to the restructuring of land ownership, how did Japan achieve revolutionary change through a smooth political transition?

18. Three Visions of Prewar Japan
Take a fresh approach to the story of early 20th-century Japan. Rather than a review of major events, focus instead on the ideologies of three individuals whose competing views shaped Japan's actions on the eve of World War II: Nitobe Inazo and Shidehara Kiuro, both proponents of democracy and international cooperation; and Ishiwara Kanji, a die-hard militarist.

19. War without a Master Plan: Japan, 1931 - 1945
A political culture dominated by fanatics. The quagmire of the Sino-Japanese War. The takeover of Manchuria and the puppet government of Manchukuo. Japan's surprising failure in attacking Pearl Harbor. Learn about all these and more in this lecture on the disorganized chaos (and legacy) of World War II-era Japan.

20 . Japanese Family Life
You can't truly grasp a country's culture without understanding its ideas about the family. Explore the three main models of Japanese family life: the aristocratic model (uji}, the samurai model (ie), and the postwar model. Along the way, learn about shifting attitudes toward domestic life, including women's rights and family planning.

21. Japanese Foodways
There's so much more to Japanese cuisine than just sushi. Move beyond the basics and plunge into the enormous diversity and complexity of Japan's culture of food. How do foods like soda noodles, tempura, and yakitori (and the rituals of eating them) reflect the waves of globalization and isolation you've explored in previous lectures?

22. Japan‘s Economic Miracle
From 1955 to 1975, the Japanese economy grew more than 435% - an astonishing rate that economists refer to as the Japanese Miracle." Take a closer look at the six factors that led to this unprecedented growth, including the country's cheap and motivated workforce, as well as the critical influence of the United States."

23. Kurosawa and Ozu: Two Giants of Film
Meet Japan's greatest tilmmakersz Ozu Yasujir? and Kurosawa Akira. How do their best films retiect lasting connections to world cinema? Revisit Ozu's 1953 masterpiece Tokyo Story (inspired by an American domestic drama) and Kurosawa's rousing 1961 adventure Yojimbo (which fused samurai culture with the American Western).

24. The making of contemporary Japan
What makes 1989 the turning point for contemporary Japan? Explore four pivotal moments from that year Whose repercussions are still being felt in the Japan of the 21st century: the death of Hirohito, China‘s Tiananmen Square Massacre, the bursting of the Japanese real estate bubble, and a dramatic stock market crash.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not easy to so much history into 12+ hours but Mr. Ravina did very good job.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This course was awesome! I'm not sure it's a great fit for experts of Japanese history... But for me it was perfect. After dipping my toes into Japanese history over the past few decades I wanted an overview of its different eras. Unfortunately, it's been surprisingly hard for me to find something like that. I feel like my libraries always seem to have that dumb Bill O'Reilly book about WWII, or a lot of dated books from decades ago that take an orientalism POV on Japan's history. Not really what I was looking for.

This, though, helped me understand the broader patterns of Japanese history in the context of isolation versus globalism. It also has lectures on various cultural aspects (mythology, linguistics, food, family, gardening, literature, bushido, etc) and traces these things throughout centuries. It's not a deep dive into anything but I feel like I have a much better foothold on the topic.

[Michael Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Japan is definitely on my to-visit list. Before such a field trip, I find it helpful to read about the culture, history, and some of its literature. In that regard, hardcore history is not good. Thus, I am very pleasantly surprised by this lecture series. You are not being prepared for a mid-term on Japanese history, instead, Prof. Ravina truly tries to introduce you to the *culture*. For example, if you visit a Japanese Buddhist garden, you should pay attention to the subtle difference between a Pure Land garden and Zen garden. The former wants to make a visual representation of pure land. The latter wants to remind us that relying on senses (vision, here) is what prevents you from enlightenment. So they would have stones placed such that from no position can you see all of them. As another example, Japanese restaurants tend to be much smaller but more numerous per capita. And they focus on one thing (not like some “Japanese“ restaurants here in the US That serve everything from Ramen to sushi).

That said, the lectures are not the audio version of Rick Steves’s YouTube videos. There is a lot of history proper: from the Korean War in 1590 (not 1950) that ends up in a truce along the 38th parallel with the Ming Chinese to the Second World War. There is even a full lecture on the Japanese language, which is highly situational. A sentence depends on formality and social hierarchy. The same sentence in English can have 6 varieties {formal, informal} x {above, equal, below in hierarchy}. They also have more ways of saying no that make you think they are saying yes.

To sum, the lectures are genuinely prepared for an average listener, not a grad student in his department. If you have any interest in Japan, you’ll probably like them.

[Lubinka Dimitrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's love for his object is obvious, and maybe that's one of the reasons this book is such a delight. It explores many and various aspects of Japanese history, language, culture and weltanschauung in general. I thoroughly enjoyed mr. Ravina's style, and was actually sorry to reach the end of the book so soon.

[Noritaka Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

When trying to understand the history of one’s home country, it is not so easy to maintain a neutral attitude. You may seek something you can be proud of. On the contrary, you may become overly bitter to the country. Self-praise or self-denial. This may be due to our tendency to project ourselves into the larger groups we belong to. Or it’s just a desperate self-affirmative effort. Nonetheless, the culture you grew up in undeniably shapes how you think and what you value. So I picked up this book (audiobook lecture) to understand the cultural history of my home country and be a better cultural guide for my friends who are visiting Japan very soon.

Instead of focusing on myriad facts and events, Mark J. Ravina succeeded in mapping the key cultural patterns and possible critical junctures where the patterns arise in chronological order. The patterns I found interesting are a cycle of isolation and globalization, consensus-based decision-making (group thinking), and the evolution of Buddhism philosophies and values, which are deeply embedded in many aspects of Japanese culture such as gardens, movies, and so forth. He also demystifies one of the most frequently misunderstood concepts: Samurai and Bushido.

The Japanese aesthetic sense and mindset are heavily influenced by Buddhism. Sense of impermanence and recognition of the limit of understanding of the world. Perhaps, this view is most evocative in the famous opening line of Hojoki by Kamo no Chomei:

”The flow of rushing river is ceaseless, and yet the water is never the same. The froth that floats on stagnant pools, now vanishing, now forming, never lasts for long. So, too it is with the people and dwellings of the world.”

During his time, Kyoto, the capital of that time, was struck by several natural disasters. The imperial palace was burned several times amidst the fighting in the 12th century. The aristocracy including Kamo lost power and money and was never again at the apex of wealth and power. Kamo was trying to find meaning in loss, and trying to find how less could be more. Kamo’s view reflects the quintessential aesthetic that we now consider Japanese art forms and culture. Although I should have already studied these facts in junior high school, it was a revelation to me how much my way of thinking is still following that of Kamo’s.

This development and evolution of Japanese Buddhism aesthetics can be observed in the gardens. So if you are visiting Kyoto, reading this book will surely make your garden visits more enjoyable.

Most modern Japanese, including Japan’s first prime-minister Hirobumi Ito, think Japan has been isolated until Meiji Restoration (later 1880’s). However, it’s far from the truth. According to the author, Japan’s globalization can be broken into three phases, interrupted by two eras of isolation. So it’s more like a cycle of globalization and isolation, which might make Japan exotic and yet familiar to many Westerners.

The author describes how Japan irrationally went to war against the US. Unlike Hitler in Nazi Germany, there was no single person who was responsible for the war in Japan. The country collectively went into a cruel, self-destructive and irrational war that nobody wanted to do. This tendency toward group thinking, often expressed as “Kuki wo yomu (空気を読む）, literally translated to read the atmosphere”, is still prevalent in Japan, and observed in Kojiki, which dates back to 700 AC.

Overall, the book is an excellent introduction to the history of Japanese culture for both foreigners and Japanese. For Japanese readers, the book will give you an insight into how and where your thoughts come from.

[Sverre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly enlightening listen encompassing a wide range of themes in a compact 12-hour audiobook format. Very enjoyable narration. Highly recommended.

[Jacqueline Knirnschild · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Japanese cultural history! Most of the lectures were very accessible and the professor did a nice job of relating things back to western cultural examples, however, occasionally he got a bit bogged down with specific names and I would get lost. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning a bit about Japan without wanting to read a boring textbook.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and well-told history, presented by an author who's clearly extremely knowledgeable on the subject. Ravina's unique insights and experiences with Japanese culture added that extra level of authority and understanding that some books are lacking when you can tell that the author is retelling what they've learned, rather than expertly commenting and interpreting the history they're presenting.

With a history this short, it's understandable that certain events had to be glossed over, but even taking that into account, I expected a bit more insight and information on the Meiji Restoration, and Japan's involvement in WW2, but these events were discussed much more briefly than I had expected. That was really my only criticism. I learned a lot!

[Ivy-Mabel Fling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This course is exceptionally good but it is very detailed for a beginner, especially as a lot of it is based on history rather than culture. I need to watch it at least twice more!!! But for anyone with some previous knowledge of Japanese history it would be less of a challenge!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio download...24 lectures, about 30 minutes each.
Mark Ravina has prepared a thoroughly enjoyable set of lectures intended to introduce you to the history and culture of Japan. His preparation, organization and presentation are nearly prefect, especially the synopsis of the early history and the description of modern Japan. For those considering a purchase, you won't be disappointed...wait for a coupon and sale, and consider the video.
Why the brief review? We are planning a brief visit to Japan (leaving tomorrow 9/10/15)...not more than 7 days in Tokoyo and Kyoto...OK, Mt Fuji, as well. (Hey, the trip was on sale...what can I say). I will revisit this review after we return from the trip to let you know how helpful Dr Ravina's lectures were from a practical point of view.
That postcard you didn't get from Kyoto...that was from me.

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history, delivered with elan by Mark Ravina, who could make a shopping list fascinating. It opened vast new vistas of understanding for me. I listened to it in the car, so I quickly became confused by all the Japanese names, forgetting them too soon. Next time, I will use the accompanying notes, delivered as a PDF, to reinforce my understanding.

[Cliff M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listening to this audiobook I think I learned a lot more about Japan's political history than its cultural history.

[Vakaris the Nosferatu · Rating 5 out of 5]

all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu

About the Book: Starting with the clarification on “isolated nation” status, author proceeds telling us all about it’s evolution and development. From the ruling system, to economy, to war power, and how all of that changed. And of theater, paintings, art in general. Food, traditions and their roots. Encompassing everything a book on cultural history would need for any country.

My Opinion: Interesting and easy to consume. While not too detailed, and luckily not dry at all, the book defines the most important aspects of a nation, explaining everything clearly, and not overwhelming the reader. There was a bit of everything, from how women status kept changing through the centuries, to status of samurai through the centuries. From language, to writing systems, and so on.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Japanese history, with a bit of culture and literature tacked on the way.

Ravina has a few issues with facts. At one point, he said that Japan became a colonial power in 1905, even though it colonized Taiwan in 1895, or, as my Okinawan friends argue, even earlier.

His discussion of the Japanese language was rough. At one point, he argued that Japanese was more context based than English because there is no word that directly translates as "hello." Of course, I could find thousands of words that don't directly translate from Japanese into English, but that says little about either language. His discussion of economics was equally problematic.

But this is me being niggling. Overall this was an excellent cultural history.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this lecture series as a casual listen in the car during commutes. The presenter covered a wide range of topics, from language and food to history, economics, and myth.

I went back and re-listened to a couple of the lectures just for fun. I think I’m about to go down a rabbit hole on Japanese culture and history, the way I did for Egypt last year, and I’m glad I started here. The series gives you a good, wide base of cultural knowledge to start from, so I’m ready to start something a bit more in-depth.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good! Literature, plays, art, acknowledgement of women's existence and even the most glancing of references to queer people -- a lot to fit into a tiny (by great courses standards) 12 hour course!! I was surprised and educated and leave happy to have listened to it. Also deeply wanting to see some of the gardens mentioned.

[Jingwei Shi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The professor gives a comprehensive review of the Japanese mentality and thought. The book summarizes all key aspect of Japanese history, culture and daily life. I would have preferred a deeper dive into the history of Japan and a deeper dive into the economics.

[Judy Phin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really in depth Great Course, covering all sorts of origins such as language, food, royal families, shoguns etc. I really learnt a lot from this Course, helped me see/ understand Japan in an extremely different light!

[JLS10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives you a look at lots of different areas of Japanses culture: History, language, religion, food, isolation/globalization, the arts, modern Japan, and more. It’s a county I hope to visit someday and have always found interesting. This will give you some good background knowledge.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a history lover like me, the right mix between the history and culture of Japan. If you’re just looking to learn about Japan’s contemporary culture, you may want to find another book. As for me, I’m glad to own this instead of borrowing it from the library, because I know I’ll be listening to this one again sometime.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wonderful Introduction to Japanese History

If there's a central point Professor Mark J. Ravina has for this course, it would be breaking down the misconception that Japan only became a global powerhouse during the Meiji period and was isolated from the world before that. He would argue that Japan had three periods of globalisation.

First Wave (500–900): Buddhist monks travelled to China and brought back what became Zen Buddhism. Or the Emperor Shomu (r. 724–749) ordered the monk-architect Roben to build a temple at Nara between 728 and 749. According to ancient records, 50,000 master woodworkers and 2 million ordinary labourers were employed in its construction. Which was admired by thousands of guests across Asia. Furthermore, how Japan and Korea were interconnected, which the official records would showcase the extensive intermarriage between noble families from these countries.

Second Wave (1300–1600): In the 1400, Japan became a haven for pirates; then during 1500–1600, Japanese traders spread across Asia, where even the samurai served foreign kings like in China. In 1590, there were more Christians in Japan as a percentage of the population than there were in the 1950s.

Third Wave (1853 to the present): Meiji Restoration onwards.

Ito Hirobumi speech wasn't exactly wrong about Japan being isolated from the world until 1853 because of that 200-year epoch which would be Hirobumi and his parents understanding of Japan. In terms of actual history, I don't think it's important to highlight everything; just listen to the lecture and read the lecture notes, as they're brilliant.

Lecture 1: A Globally Engaged Island Nation:

From archaeological evidence, there were humans in Japan during 35,000 BCE, and by 12,000 BCE, stone tools and pottery emerged. The Jomon era (12000–300 B.C.E.) was less about Japanese people as a unified people, but more about small communities across the country. He later relays some interesting history about how that shifted with wet-rice agriculture and basic metallurgy (with Korean migrants introducing these technologies).

Lecture 2: Understanding Japan through Ancient Myths:

The difference between Shintoism and Buddhism was intriguing, especially how he paralleled it with Christian holidays full of pagan symbols like Christmas trees coming from Celtic solstice celebrations or Easter eggs reflecting an ancient pagan association of eggs and spring. Basically, the intermixing of Buddhist and Shinto thought was so intermixed and often invisible. This section honestly made me want to read the Kojiki, which is the oldest document from Japan (and how its values are still represented in modern Japan). If there's one thing to highlight about this lecture series, it does make me engage with arts I was familiar with prior, but it makes me want to experience them more after experiencing these lectures. Especially the Rock Cave of Heaven and a lot of Miyamoto Musashi actions really make sense in this context. Why he decided to retire in a cave and its symbolic meaning.

Lecture 3: The Emergence of the Ritsuryo State:

Kyoto was based closely on Chang’an, the ancient capital of many Chinese dynasties. The embrace of Buddhism was actively embraced in the 700s via Chinese monks. Similar to how Japan adopted many Western practices during modern Japan, the same could be said for China, which is even more connected yet distinct.


Lecture 4: Aspects of the Japanese Language:

I was aware of a decent amount said in this lecture, but there were still unique insights I wasn't aware of prior. That said, the discussion of Chinese and Japanese language was the most interesting bit.

Lecture 5: Early Japanese Buddhism:

The various stages of Buddhism in Japan, from Shingon to Pure Land Buddhism (later Zen Buddhism), showcase how unique and complex Buddhism is and how many branches there are.

Lecture 6: Heian Court Culture:

Describes why Japan and China remained isolated after 894. Exploring the Fujiwara family briefly and how they stabilised Japan for a time. Which produced a surge of women's fiction. Poetry was only deemed appropriate for women and considered part of courtly elegance. Hence the numerous anthologies that exist to this day. Classics like The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book were composed during this time.

Lecture 7: The Rise of the Samurai:

Minamoto no Yoritomo’s legacy, which created the Samurai (not Bushido, I will get to that later).

Lecture 8: Pure Land Buddhism and Zen Buddhism

Professor Ravina uses The Hojoki as a framework for the mindset of the autocracy and perception of Buddhism. Then he later describes the various schools of Pure Land and Zen Buddhism. In a nutshell, Zen focuses more on nirvana, while Pure Land focuses on salvation through faith. It represents a shift for power of the autocracy in Kyoto.

Lecture 9: Samurai Culture in the Ashikaga Period:

Hearing how the Samurai repelled against the Mongol invasion was fascinating. Plus, it was during this period that the origin of the Shogun arose.

Lecture 10: Japan at Home and Abroad 1300-1600:

This was one of my favourite lectures, as it's based on my favourite period in Japanese history. The era of the samurai. Not mythological idealisation of the Samurai according to Bushido, but men who faced a lot of unique developments. Especially the unique relationship the Shogun had with dealing with the Chinese emperors (during the Ming Dynasty), who deemed themselves supreme and other world monarchs as lesser. Then you have colourful men such as Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu, which any Sengoku Basara fan would immediately recognise. Furthermore, it's around this period, if I recall from videos I've watched elsewhere, that classics such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin came to Japan, which influenced literature and the arts immensely (especially the latter). However, Water Margin impact would be felt during the Edo Period. Works such as 47 Ronin, the source of the wuxia novels, were one of the first martial arts novels, and one of their greatest influences was the Yakuza. There's so many interesting aspects about this period that this lecture series doesn't tackle sadly, but it does give you the brief broad strokes well.

Lecture 11: Japan’s Isolation in the Tokugawa Period:

I was not aware of Hideyoshi’s disastrous invasion of Korea, which ended the second wave of globalisation for Japan. Another interesting piece of information is how Christians were treated, I was aware of some aspects broadly, but this really solidified my view. It was fascinating to learn that Nobunaga allowed the construction of Christian churches while destroying temples associated with True Pure Land Buddhism. The decree got reversed later on, issuing a ban on Christianity. Even during Japan's isolation, it wasn't complete isolation, as he notes with the Ryukyu kingdom.

Lecture 12: Japanese Theater: Noh and Kabuki

I don't really have anything to add, beyond that, I wasn't really aware of the key distinctions between the two. Or how stylistically varied they are, like one example the professor gives when retelling the same story with the two classical forms.

Lecture 13: The Importance of Japanese Gardens

There's one comment that really stuck with me while listening to this course.

The gardens at Versailles exhibit straight lines and right angles, with broad, clear vistas. The human effort required to build and maintain Versailles is obvious in the fountains, the shape of the shrubs, and so on. This garden is nature bent to man’s design—the natural world conforming to the power of the king or the state.

At Katsura Rikyu, instead of broad vistas, we get an ever-changing perspective. In a way, as many have observed, Japanese gardens look more natural than nature itself. Often, the goal in Japanese aesthetics is to hide human effort rather than to extol it.

In hindsight, I'm baffled I never really thought of it. It also speaks philosophically about how the east is very different from the west, yet there's common ground.

Lecture 14: The Meaning of Bushido in a Time of Peace

This contained not too much new information for me because I was already aware that Bushido by Inazo Nitobe is mostly untrue. It's a myth similar to that of chivalric knights. So it's good that the professor is clearing up misconceptions about the samurai. The most interesting thing is what the professor has to say about Hagakure. The author had no practical combat experience and was written with a deep nostalgia for a world that ended before he was born. It only took off during the 19th century, which is two centuries after it was written. It being extremely popular during the Pacific War.

Lecture 15: Japanese Poetry: The Road to Haiku

I do like how he broke down why certain poems just can't be translated to English without a lot of their meaning disappearing due to how Japanese poets would use their language. He describes the poetry styles before Haiku and how that's actually more of a recent development.

Lecture 16: Hokusai and the Art of Wood-Block Prints

The most interesting aspect for me is learning that Hokusai was sort of the inventor of manga.

Lecture 17: Meiji Restoration:

One of the most surprising and smoothest periods in Japanese history. Compared to the likes of the French, Russian, or Chinese revolutions, it was relatively peaceful in comparison. The abolition of the samurai class and mixing western ideas like how they did with China was one of my favourite bits of this lecture series.

Lecture 18-24:

I don't have much to say about these lectures. I guess I will note that I found the talk on Shidehara Kijuro to be quite interesting. Hearing the circumstances of Japan, why they bombed Pearl Harbour, and how the Soviet Union was a big reason for Japan's surrender, not just the two atomic bombs. As a whole, these bits felt the most rushed, and a lot of this cultural history I was already aware of to some extent, but it did clear up a lot of misunderstandings from my side. One would be talking about the declining birth rates and how the professor told us about measures the Japanese government is taking to address them. The funniest anecdote would be the history of Yojimbo and the copyright hell associated with that story—not just Leone's unofficial remake of the film, but it goes beyond that. The lecture and the whole series end well, especially talking about how Tiananmen Square impacted Japan. Then discussing the economic decline. However, it doesn't end on a bitter note but on a hopeful one for Japan's future

I'm unsure if I will bother doing the same format for my future Great Course reviews, but I felt it was appropriate for my self-education to look back upon it in the future. This course sets out what it achieves quite brilliantly, which is being an introduction history course on Japan in 12 hours. Mark J. Ravina is a wonderful professor who tells so many interesting anecdotes about his own life and comparisons that it can make a complex subject seem more understandable. I particularly enjoy how fluent he is speaking Japanese, as he makes it sound so refined. It's a great series to listen to after reading Our Oriental Heritage, which is a super rushed account of Japanese History. There's some unique insight Durant provides, but it's obvious Durant was out of his depth, and this makes it more apparent. Here I felt I learned a lot of information, whereas in Oriental Heritage there's so much information about other Asian countries, and the Japanese section was so brief that information is often blurred. My next listen would be The Rise of Modern Japan by the same professor, as it seems like an extension of this course.

In conclusion, it's a wonderful Great Course series, and I would definitely recommend it as an introduction to Japan. One great thing about a great history book or lecture series is that you want to actively learn about the period afterwards, and that's definitely what happened here, so Professor Mark J. Ravina did his job well.

8/10

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Learned a lot. Also it pointed to several additional books for reading in preparation for my upcoming journey to Japan.

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars This is an incredibly well done course which really does cover the cultural history and doesn't get bogged down in miltary or political history. Ravina is an engaging lecturer and relates interesting stories. He has a depth of knowledge on Japanese culture and uses that to form a coherent discussion on Japan's culture and how it developed. I highly recommend this course.