Peasants, Rebels, & Outcastes: The Underside of Modern Japan

by Mikiso Hane

Using diaries, memoirs, fiction, trial testimony, personal recollections, and eyewitness accounts, Mikiso Hane weaves a fascinating tale of what it was like to be an ordinary Japanese during this last century of startling economic growth. Rescuing vivid, often wrenching accounts of peasants, miners, textile workers, rebels, and prostitutes, he forces us to see Japan's 'modern century' (from the beginnings of contact with the West to defeat in World War II) through fresh eyes. In doing so, he presents a formidable challenge to the success story of Japan's 'economic miracle.'

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

297 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Mikiso “Miki” Hane was a Japanese American professor of history at Knox College, where he taught for over 40 years. He wrote and translated over a dozen books, wrote many articles, and was appointed a member of the National Council on the Humanities in 1991.

Hane was born in California, lived in Japan during his teenage years, and was interned in Arizona during World War II. He taught soldiers Japanese at Yale, then studied there, where he attained a bachelors in 1952, a masters in 1953, and doctorate degree in 1957. Hane studied in Japan and Germany, then taught at the University of Toledo and studied in India before coming to Knox College in 1961. He lived in Galesburg for the rest of his life, and both wrote and taught up until his death.

Reviews

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reluctantly, I wasn’t sure if I could enjoy reading this nine-chapter book, “Peasants, Rebels, and Outcastes: The Underside of Modern Japan” by Professor Mikiso Hane since it looked a bit highly-academic with innumerable references. However, I gradually found the author’s style of narrative amazingly enriched by citing data/information from related various sources, that is, “… diaries, memoirs, fiction, trial testimony, personal recollections, and eyewitness accounts” (back cover); therefore, its reader simply couldn’t help feeling embittered for such pityingly sad plights of those unfortunate Japanese rarely read or known from past publications. Generally, we tend to prefer reading on Japanese glory rather than on her shame. A reason is that, I think, the author has scholarly weaved a tale revealing some facts in which those concerned would learn from the past, that is, from history itself so that all sections/people wisely get more developed by eradicating such backward follies and keeping pioneering in the world as effectively moved by the Japanese wisdom and character.

[6655321 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like, as a corrective to hella-orientalist narratives w/r/t Japan and development in the pre-war era this is a really good and interesting book only it seems content to just say "these are things" rather than actually develop an argument per se. By which i mean there are often claims about for example (fractured agrarian labor organizing between Anarchism, Marxism, Christian sorta socialist orientations and Right Wing Nationalism) but Hane never really delves into *why* different things were compelling to people except for via first person narratives (which is a really compelling feature of this book) but also has a weird sort of devotion to abnegating violence on the part of Peasants and Workers (as ineffective) but all of the passive non-violent movements seemed as ineffectual and to end in tragedy also (it may be a better space to analyze the totality of Government in Imperial Japan rather than the "effectiveness" of different political orientations where pretty clearly Hane is *not* a fan of Marxism or Anarchism although the really strong national differences for the two are also erased as though Bolshevik Marxism was imported whole horse (which seems unlikely) Anarchism is never formulated etc.). This is sort of a weird extended nitpick but it sticks out to me since i generally do political history, anyway, the book is engrossing and has a lot of details but generally gives little context for developments or does them in a sort of grand history style before dropping into the micro in a way i found disorienting but it also is pretty committed to exposing and humanizing the "underbelly" of development and to push back against the Chrysanthemum and the Sword style orientalism. Additionally, this was pretty accessible to a non-specialists and pretty Jargon free (although some theoretical orientation may have pushed the book more towards an outcome rather than being a pile of *interesting* facts).

[Noreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. The rural population was subject to famines, starvation, diseases, and pretty much accepted their status in life. Meiji restoration was really only good for people living in the cities. My grandmother Aiko hit the education sweet spot growing up in Tokyo. When she started school only 30% of the females attended school. By the time she graduated 97% were attending school. There was no education for rural children. Thank you Dr. Hane for writing this and your other books.

Found it interesting that during times of famine, some young girls offered to take textile jobs, even prostitution to feed their younger siblings. The oldest children felt an obligation to protect and feed their younger siblings.

A tradition for the current wife of the crown prince? She was told if she didn't agree to marry him, her younger sister would have to marry him.

[Cioran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A samurai once said (quoted in the book) that working a peasant is like making sesame oil. The harder you squeeze the more oil you get.

Writing history from the perspective of the peasants, Hane presents a grim picture of Japanese modernization which is basically like that quote.

Preserving the voice of the people of their fates worse than death, this book is not only an honor to their memory but also provides the big picture and foundations of the many problems still plaguing Japanese society today.

Because in many ways while many things changed, it seems, making sesame oil never changed.

Only now the samurai wears three piece suits.

While back in the day women cotton factory workers jump to their deaths in a lake in Nagano prefecture, lake Suwa, to escape their slavery like conditions. Today corporate slaves opt for the speedier Chuo line train for their existential needs.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a long time but I remember it as an interesting read.

[Brendan Coster · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book doesn't say anything. It's a reference to events post-tokugawa era to WW2. It's full of translated descriptions of peoples experiences. I found it informative, but not overly interesting. It's probably of more interest if you're writing some gritty fiction or want to round out the underside of your next D&d campaign or, you know, just want to here the variety of ways people can suffer.

That aside - it's important to read about this stuff... This is what happens when a people do not have a voice. This is why people have to rebel, it's why people have always rebelled. Because, at some point, a people have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

"Peasants are like sesame seeds: the more you squeeze them, the more you get"

3* for 5* worth of content and 1* of doing something with it.

[Yalin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The work of Professor Hane is an exceptional source that provides both a broad survey of the changes that took place at the lower rungs of Japanese society during its period of modernization, and a view into the conditions of suffering and poverty which plagued these people. The only downside to this work is that at certain points it deteriorates into an anthology of translated primary sources in its specific fields of concern.

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I think one of the things I enjoyed learning about the most in this book was the useage of propaganda, especially with how the values & ethics of the Meiji affected the viewpoints of the Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated in America in the 1940s.

As a warning: there is some depressing content in here, so read with kindness according to your own personal traumas/boundaries.

[Miles Starkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading material for modern Japanese history class.

Wonderful insight to the realities of everyday folk, sobering reminder how long it takes for technological and societal advances to trickle down to a vast majority of the population.

[André · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a bit outdated, this classic work by the late Mikiso Hane sheds light on the lives of peasants, rebels, women and outcastes in the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods.

[Zoe Collin]

Read 4 class

[Samuel Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book. My only complaint is so many of the sources are untranslated, so I can’t read more.

[Barty (Bartholomew) Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

counterhistory to the mainstream conception of meiji/post-meiji japan as model for modernization. very counter-utopia. accessible, stunning writing. these eras are messed up

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

In slightly less than 300 pages of narrative text Hane did a very credible job of elucidating the ways in which many members of Japanese society were affected by the aggressive modernization process which took place there from the late 19th century up through the 1930’s when the country plunged into war. Utilizing a comprehensive review of primary and secondary sources in both Japanese and English he demonstrated how life for farmers, textile workers, miners, and a group of outcastes called the Burakumin actually got worse in many respects. The manner in which the national educational system was developed as a means to indoctrinate students into loyally working for the benefit of the nation despite the consequences it had on them was delineated quite well, too.

Peasants, Rebels, and Outcastes had some features which made it easily readable. First, its prose was direct. When Japanese terms were used, the author was careful to provide translations.

Second, chapters were divided into sections which highlighted specific aspects of the topic being considered.

Third, when statistics about some issue were quoted, these were provided in a limited way so as to elaborate on rather than obstruct the ongoing narrative which the author had constructed.

Fourth, quotations from individuals belonging to these various social classes in Japan were inserted in a timely way. A few of the chapters concluded with personal narratives about the life experiences that these people had. On the one hand, these narratives provided an almost palpable, and at times poignant, texture to the issues the author had been presenting. On the other hand, there were times that these were a bit too lengthy for my tastes.

Although there was no bibliography, 21 pages of notes were provided at the end of the book. And some of these were annotated as well.

To Hane’s credit he provided an Epilogue in which he summarized how these groups had fared in the post WWII years up until the time Peasants, Rebels, and Outcastes was published in 1982. As would be expected some of his observations from almost 40 years ago were dated. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2003 before he could write a second edition updating whether and how things had changed. This would have been particularly interesting in the context of Japan’s so called lost decade of the 1990’s when the economy stagnated.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get beyond the generalizations one finds in most texts about what some call Japan’s ‘modernization miracle.’ As was the case in the Western world’s industrialization many people in Japan were exploited with tacit government approval, if not outright support.

A brief video on the history and current status of the outcaste Burakumin class is available here:

https://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk...

[Chelsea Szendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hane's main question is: “What did the process of modernization mean to the vast majority of the population? How did modernization affect the lives of the people who carried its burden and paid its costs?"

I appreciate her concern for how the other half lives, but feel that she is not sufficiently critical of the promise of modernity, preferring to envision it as merely unfulfilled, rather than unfulfillable.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is mainly a reference book, but fascinating how it documents the advent of Japanese society through some tulmutous times. It does help to have a love for Japan and its traditions, customs, and art. I mainly picked it up intially because it had several pages mentioning writer Yukio Mishima. Later, I kept reading it to gain some more knowledge of his world and the politics of his time. Can't say I'm an expert after reading this, but I do have a better understanding.

[Benemint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subalterns in the Japanese context. Interesting long quotes from diaries and memoirs. Each chapter is coherently (and somewhat in a reductionist way) organized, so it might be good for assigning in an undergrad class and let them deconstruct the author's narrative.

[Alix Treleaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stellar historiography. Aside from the chapter "Women Rebels" (which was just one massive Itou Noe quote), fascinatingly and engagingly written. A valid addition to the bookshelf of any amateur historian.

[Bobby Grogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Rather niche topic, but now I thoroughly understand the lives of Meiji period rural Japanese. Its strict culture is very unfamiliar to me, and it's remarkable how sacrificial the lives of the average peasant back then was.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Cultural history of Japan... I have never seen one like it.

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for those interested in non-Western history. An easy read for a history book. New information is always intriguing.

[becca sporky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any book that starts by talking about cannibalism right off the bat is bound to be interesting.

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting but thoroughly depressing look at Japanese history running up to WW2.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting although a bit tedious at times. The author was justified in her outrage but at times it got a little tiring.

[Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Industrialization in Japan was rough - Hane batters you with anecdote after anecdote, but lacks any real argument beyond the compendium of tragic and dark stories...

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely learned a lot, but it felt a little repetitive at times. The afterword was also on the inconsistent side in how far into the modern period it took it issues she examined.

[Mills College Library]

306.0952 H237 2016