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The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives
From the acclaimed author of Japan Story, this is the history of Japan, distilled into the stories of twenty remarkable individuals.
The vivid and entertaining portraits in Chris Harding's enormously enjoyable new book take the reader from the earliest written accounts of Japan right through to the life of the current empress, Masako. We encounter shamans and warlords, poets and revolutionaries, scientists, artists and adventurers - each offering insights of their own into this extraordinary place.
For anyone new to Japan, this book is the ideal introduction. For anyone already deeply involved with it, this is a book filled with surprises and pleasures.
The vivid and entertaining portraits in Chris Harding's enormously enjoyable new book take the reader from the earliest written accounts of Japan right through to the life of the current empress, Masako. We encounter shamans and warlords, poets and revolutionaries, scientists, artists and adventurers - each offering insights of their own into this extraordinary place.
For anyone new to Japan, this book is the ideal introduction. For anyone already deeply involved with it, this is a book filled with surprises and pleasures.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2020
122 people are currently reading
1795 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Harding
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
December 17, 2024
Short history of on of the most exotic countries.
Author thoroughly describes two thousand years of Japan history, its political upheavals, wars, invasion, quarrels with neighbours and everything that explains why its culture so uniqe and influential. The period ranges from shaman-queen Himiko at the dawn of Japan's history to the modern days of recent empress-consort Masako. Although the way of presenting material is quite dry - no more interesting than history books, some parts were good enough thanks to author's attempt to show Japan's history through its famous people, who lived in certain epochs, moulded them or were moulded by them.
Interesting and well-structured but not to exciting.
P.S. crossing fingers for Japan not to be misogynic and princess Aiko to ascend the throne
Author thoroughly describes two thousand years of Japan history, its political upheavals, wars, invasion, quarrels with neighbours and everything that explains why its culture so uniqe and influential. The period ranges from shaman-queen Himiko at the dawn of Japan's history to the modern days of recent empress-consort Masako. Although the way of presenting material is quite dry - no more interesting than history books, some parts were good enough thanks to author's attempt to show Japan's history through its famous people, who lived in certain epochs, moulded them or were moulded by them.
Interesting and well-structured but not to exciting.
P.S. crossing fingers for Japan not to be misogynic and princess Aiko to ascend the throne
August 3, 2022
I previously read Christopher Harding's "Japan Story: In Search of a Nation" and enjoyed it immensely so was excited when I discovered this one in Guildford library. I studied Japanese for one year at Daiichi Keizai University in Fukuoka 22 years ago and have a very, very deep love for Japan so I am always interested to augment my knowledge of that fascinating country. This one is a quite long book (425 pages of quite dense text) focusing on twenty lives of famous Japanese people from several hundred years ago to the present day. It then explores their lives in a brief biography and then spools off to discuss aspects of Japanese history and cultural development over centuries. I found it to be incredibly insightful about different periods of Japanese history and an absolutely fascinating and immersive read. I strongly recommend it to anyone who, like me, loves and adores Japan - you will not be disappointed.
November 17, 2023
The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives [2020] – ★★★★★
UPDATE 05/12/2021 - It was interesting to discover a similar, but bilingual book titled "100 Japanese You Should Know". Since there are some chapter and descriptions' similarities, I subtract 1 star; the book -" 100 Japanese You Should Know" [1998] by Gen Itasaka.
In this new book, Dr Harding traces the history of Japan through the lives of twenty remarkable people that helped to shape the country, making a powerful impact on either its politics, business, religion, science, culture or just society at large, and – more often than not – against all odds and in very challenging times. From heroic personalities from mythology and ancient politics to people who changed business, music or literary scene, the author introduces each extraordinary individual in turn, focusing on their childhood, on Japan of their time and on their contribution to the country, with the result being that Japan finally became what it is now – a culturally rich country full of so many paradoxes, intricacies and hidden treasures that a lifetime will not be sufficient to know and understand them all. In this book, we get to know royalties, warlords, samurai, Buddhist monks, politicians, businessmen, scientists, poets, singers, revolutionists and Manga creators. Dr Harding’s book is a history of Japan in a bright new form that is a pure pleasure to read.
For example, from the ancient era, Dr Harding talks about the legendary Prince Shotoku (574 – 622), who is “celebrated as [the] state’s founding father” [2020: 23]. He was the very first to see “beyond Buddhism’s ritual potential and appreciate its philosophical depths” [2020: 29], and laid down Nara as the new Imperial capital. Allegedly, the Prince was also the one responsible for the archipelago’s first Constitution [2020: 30], a document that stressed harmony and good faith, as well as renewed contact with China.
From the modern era, there is the “God of Manga” Tezuka Osamu (1928 – 1989), who was the legendary creator of the equally legendary boy-robot “Atom”, and who lived through the 1960s technological and economical boom. Inspired by Disney, Osamu opened his own production company in time, taking his Manga creations to the big screen. However, his heart always remained with his vision of making children think critically and be inspired creatively. “Tezuka himself was…interested in presenting children with the varied challenges of adult life – the fear, misunderstanding and discrimination” ; “too many people [according to Osamu] lived as though they were “programmed” to obey” [Harding, 2020: 359].
This is the list of all twenty celebrated people presented in the book:
1. Himiko [c. 170 – 248] – Shaman Queen– Himiko was a mythical Queen of the realm Yamatai before there was such a country as Japan. Regarded by the Chinese as the shaman of extraordinary power, Himiko was a fierce leader before the existence of any any war lords and was able to unite her people and lead them to prosperity through metallurgy and rice cultivation.
2. Prince Shotoku [573 – 621] – Founding Father
3. Emperor Kanmu [737- 806] – Boundary Pusher
4. Murasaki Shikibu [c. 973 – unknown] – Court Reporter – This aristocratic diarist and lady-in-waiting created the world’s first novel – The Tale of Genji.
5. Hojo Masako [1157 – 1225] – The Nun Shogun
6. Shinran [1173 – 1262] – Power to the People
7. Zeami [1363 – 1443] – Master of Arts – A prolific Noh actor and playwright, responsible for such famous Noh plays as The Well-Cradle and Wind Through the Pines. He helped to elevate the traditional Japanese theatre into pure art through his attention to details, philosophy and aesthetics.
8. Oda Nobunaga [1534 – 1582] – Unity or Else
9. Hasekura Tsunenaga [1571 – 1622] – Voyager
10. Ihara Saikaku [1642 – 1693] – Amorous Man
11. Sakamoto Ryoma [1835 – 1864] – Revolutionary
12. Kusumoto Ine [1827 – 1903] – Building the Body
13. Shibusawa Eiichi [1840 – 1931] – Entrepreneur – Shibusawa was the “father of Japanese capitalism”. “His great aim in life was to elevate the business of doing business, liberating it from the old samurai contempt for merchants while avoiding the reputation for greed and selfishness that commerce acquired in some quarters of the West” [Harding, 2020: 241].
14. Tsuda Umeko [1864 – 1929] – Culture Shock
15. Ikeda Kikunae [1864 – 1936] – Taste-Maker
16. Yosano Akiko [1878 – 1942] – Poet of Peace and War – “Yosano made her name creating poetry for a generation of young women who aspired to a more than the sorts of marriages memorably described by Hiratsuka Raicho as slavery during the daytime and prostitution at night” [Harding, 2020: 300].
17. Misora Hibari [1937 – 1989] – Starlet
18. Tezuka Osamu [1928 – 1989] – Dream Weaver
19. Tanaka Kakuei [1918 – 1993] – Shadow Shogun
20. Owada Masako [1963 – present] – Uncertain Symbol – Amidst the late twenty century’s social problems of Japan, including overwork, and rising cases of depression and suicide, emerged “educated, progressive and cosmopolitan” Empress Owada Masako, once a brilliant, intelligent girl who set aside a promising career at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to wed Prince Naruhito of Japan.
I particularly enjoyed reading about certain Japanese women and the mark they made in Japanese history:
Tsuda Umeko, born in 1864, was brought up as a typical American girl in Washington D.C. However, she got to America only because of one Japanese government’s regulation that stated in 1871 that a number of Japanese girls and boys of around six years of age would be sent to the US to be educated. Tsuda was one of those girls. Upon her return to Japan in 1882, she hardly recognised her country of origin. Women in Japan had very few rights and girls were forced early to arranged marriages, “living effectively as their husbands’ maids”. [Harding, 2020: 267]. While Tsuda Umeko received good education in the US that focused on such subjects as politics, science, literature and languages, the girls’ education in Japan was focused on needlework, cooking and etiquette.
Tsuda felt “useless” upon arriving to Japan and no employer wanted to employ her in a serious position. However, she was determined to do something about it: she published a book Japanese Girls and Women [1891] with Alice Mabel Bacon, that talked about the problem and provided solutions, including more challenging education for girls and more equal marriages, and opened her own school Joshi Eigaku Juku (Women’s English School) in Japan in 1900, which schooled girls in such subjects as English composition, literature and translation. “Current affairs were discussed in class…and students were encouraged to reflect on the status of women around the world” [Harding, 2020: 271]. Tsuda wanted every girl and woman to be independent and confident in their thinking and future. Her school received even more funding and became popular, even in the increasingly difficult political climate. Tsuda “pioneer[ed] a form of education that blended Japanese with Western values, shaping women who did not have to ask for respect because they commanded it” [Harding, 2020: 277]. Tsuda Umeko died in 1929 and her school was eventually renamed in her honour.
Kusumoto Ine (1827 – 1903) is “a woman with a strong claim to be Japan’s first female doctor trained in Western medicine” [2020: 217], writes Dr Harding. The daughter of famous Prussian physician and scientist Philipp Franz von Siebold, Kusumoto Ine was a “bibliophile from childhood” and chose medicine as her profession from a very young age (thirteen or fourteen), deciding to specialise in midwifery/obstetrics, as this was considered to be one of only a few medical professions “appropriate” and still open to women. Ine proved to be a brilliant midwife with deep knowledge of the procedure, related science and anatomy, eventually delivering some of the Emperor’s children. In 1870, Ine established her own clinic in Nagasaki and later in Tokyo. Though she later witnessed Western medicine being adopted freely across Japan’s official medical system, she felt more and more excluded from the profession due to the changing perceptions about women, their capabilities and societal roles in the country.
🎎 The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives packs a wealth of exciting information about Japan, its history and culture. The author present Japan’s history in the most engaging and story-like manner, and the book really becomes a “must-read” for all those who want to understand Japan in any depth.
UPDATE 05/12/2021 - It was interesting to discover a similar, but bilingual book titled "100 Japanese You Should Know". Since there are some chapter and descriptions' similarities, I subtract 1 star; the book -" 100 Japanese You Should Know" [1998] by Gen Itasaka.
In this new book, Dr Harding traces the history of Japan through the lives of twenty remarkable people that helped to shape the country, making a powerful impact on either its politics, business, religion, science, culture or just society at large, and – more often than not – against all odds and in very challenging times. From heroic personalities from mythology and ancient politics to people who changed business, music or literary scene, the author introduces each extraordinary individual in turn, focusing on their childhood, on Japan of their time and on their contribution to the country, with the result being that Japan finally became what it is now – a culturally rich country full of so many paradoxes, intricacies and hidden treasures that a lifetime will not be sufficient to know and understand them all. In this book, we get to know royalties, warlords, samurai, Buddhist monks, politicians, businessmen, scientists, poets, singers, revolutionists and Manga creators. Dr Harding’s book is a history of Japan in a bright new form that is a pure pleasure to read.
For example, from the ancient era, Dr Harding talks about the legendary Prince Shotoku (574 – 622), who is “celebrated as [the] state’s founding father” [2020: 23]. He was the very first to see “beyond Buddhism’s ritual potential and appreciate its philosophical depths” [2020: 29], and laid down Nara as the new Imperial capital. Allegedly, the Prince was also the one responsible for the archipelago’s first Constitution [2020: 30], a document that stressed harmony and good faith, as well as renewed contact with China.
From the modern era, there is the “God of Manga” Tezuka Osamu (1928 – 1989), who was the legendary creator of the equally legendary boy-robot “Atom”, and who lived through the 1960s technological and economical boom. Inspired by Disney, Osamu opened his own production company in time, taking his Manga creations to the big screen. However, his heart always remained with his vision of making children think critically and be inspired creatively. “Tezuka himself was…interested in presenting children with the varied challenges of adult life – the fear, misunderstanding and discrimination” ; “too many people [according to Osamu] lived as though they were “programmed” to obey” [Harding, 2020: 359].
This is the list of all twenty celebrated people presented in the book:
1. Himiko [c. 170 – 248] – Shaman Queen– Himiko was a mythical Queen of the realm Yamatai before there was such a country as Japan. Regarded by the Chinese as the shaman of extraordinary power, Himiko was a fierce leader before the existence of any any war lords and was able to unite her people and lead them to prosperity through metallurgy and rice cultivation.
2. Prince Shotoku [573 – 621] – Founding Father
3. Emperor Kanmu [737- 806] – Boundary Pusher
4. Murasaki Shikibu [c. 973 – unknown] – Court Reporter – This aristocratic diarist and lady-in-waiting created the world’s first novel – The Tale of Genji.
5. Hojo Masako [1157 – 1225] – The Nun Shogun
6. Shinran [1173 – 1262] – Power to the People
7. Zeami [1363 – 1443] – Master of Arts – A prolific Noh actor and playwright, responsible for such famous Noh plays as The Well-Cradle and Wind Through the Pines. He helped to elevate the traditional Japanese theatre into pure art through his attention to details, philosophy and aesthetics.
8. Oda Nobunaga [1534 – 1582] – Unity or Else
9. Hasekura Tsunenaga [1571 – 1622] – Voyager
10. Ihara Saikaku [1642 – 1693] – Amorous Man
11. Sakamoto Ryoma [1835 – 1864] – Revolutionary
12. Kusumoto Ine [1827 – 1903] – Building the Body
13. Shibusawa Eiichi [1840 – 1931] – Entrepreneur – Shibusawa was the “father of Japanese capitalism”. “His great aim in life was to elevate the business of doing business, liberating it from the old samurai contempt for merchants while avoiding the reputation for greed and selfishness that commerce acquired in some quarters of the West” [Harding, 2020: 241].
14. Tsuda Umeko [1864 – 1929] – Culture Shock
15. Ikeda Kikunae [1864 – 1936] – Taste-Maker
16. Yosano Akiko [1878 – 1942] – Poet of Peace and War – “Yosano made her name creating poetry for a generation of young women who aspired to a more than the sorts of marriages memorably described by Hiratsuka Raicho as slavery during the daytime and prostitution at night” [Harding, 2020: 300].
17. Misora Hibari [1937 – 1989] – Starlet
18. Tezuka Osamu [1928 – 1989] – Dream Weaver
19. Tanaka Kakuei [1918 – 1993] – Shadow Shogun
20. Owada Masako [1963 – present] – Uncertain Symbol – Amidst the late twenty century’s social problems of Japan, including overwork, and rising cases of depression and suicide, emerged “educated, progressive and cosmopolitan” Empress Owada Masako, once a brilliant, intelligent girl who set aside a promising career at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to wed Prince Naruhito of Japan.
I particularly enjoyed reading about certain Japanese women and the mark they made in Japanese history:
Tsuda Umeko, born in 1864, was brought up as a typical American girl in Washington D.C. However, she got to America only because of one Japanese government’s regulation that stated in 1871 that a number of Japanese girls and boys of around six years of age would be sent to the US to be educated. Tsuda was one of those girls. Upon her return to Japan in 1882, she hardly recognised her country of origin. Women in Japan had very few rights and girls were forced early to arranged marriages, “living effectively as their husbands’ maids”. [Harding, 2020: 267]. While Tsuda Umeko received good education in the US that focused on such subjects as politics, science, literature and languages, the girls’ education in Japan was focused on needlework, cooking and etiquette.
Tsuda felt “useless” upon arriving to Japan and no employer wanted to employ her in a serious position. However, she was determined to do something about it: she published a book Japanese Girls and Women [1891] with Alice Mabel Bacon, that talked about the problem and provided solutions, including more challenging education for girls and more equal marriages, and opened her own school Joshi Eigaku Juku (Women’s English School) in Japan in 1900, which schooled girls in such subjects as English composition, literature and translation. “Current affairs were discussed in class…and students were encouraged to reflect on the status of women around the world” [Harding, 2020: 271]. Tsuda wanted every girl and woman to be independent and confident in their thinking and future. Her school received even more funding and became popular, even in the increasingly difficult political climate. Tsuda “pioneer[ed] a form of education that blended Japanese with Western values, shaping women who did not have to ask for respect because they commanded it” [Harding, 2020: 277]. Tsuda Umeko died in 1929 and her school was eventually renamed in her honour.
Kusumoto Ine (1827 – 1903) is “a woman with a strong claim to be Japan’s first female doctor trained in Western medicine” [2020: 217], writes Dr Harding. The daughter of famous Prussian physician and scientist Philipp Franz von Siebold, Kusumoto Ine was a “bibliophile from childhood” and chose medicine as her profession from a very young age (thirteen or fourteen), deciding to specialise in midwifery/obstetrics, as this was considered to be one of only a few medical professions “appropriate” and still open to women. Ine proved to be a brilliant midwife with deep knowledge of the procedure, related science and anatomy, eventually delivering some of the Emperor’s children. In 1870, Ine established her own clinic in Nagasaki and later in Tokyo. Though she later witnessed Western medicine being adopted freely across Japan’s official medical system, she felt more and more excluded from the profession due to the changing perceptions about women, their capabilities and societal roles in the country.
🎎 The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives packs a wealth of exciting information about Japan, its history and culture. The author present Japan’s history in the most engaging and story-like manner, and the book really becomes a “must-read” for all those who want to understand Japan in any depth.
March 11, 2021
I've read quite a number of books set in Japan, some of which were translated from Japanese but I didn't know much about its history. This book is a history of the country, but told through the lives of 20 people, from Himiko, the first known Japanese person through to the present day empress Owada Masako. I thought this was a good way to go about writing a history and there were some interesting choices. I found some more appealing than others; I don't particularly enjoy reading about wars and destruction. However there were 10 chapters that I really enjoyed either because I empathised with the person it was about or because I was interested in what they learned or did to shape the nation.
Murasaki Shikibu was the first of these. She wrote what is said to be the world's first novel 'The Tale of Genji' during the 10th century and because of its success was invited to court where she wrote about the empress and the birth of her children. There were some lovely descriptions of the mansions and gardens in Kyoto during a golden age of poetry, gossip and outdoor parties in an era of peace and prosperity for the elite. Men and women tried to impress each other with flirtatious short poems. It sounded great fun! As often happened when reading this book, I found myself wanting to branch off and read The Tale of Genji.
Shinran was a Buddhist compared to Martin Luther by the author, in that he made religion much more accessible to all rather than just the rich and powerful. His chapter was called 'Power to the People'. This was a much more individualised form of Buddhism where anyone could gain salvation. So long as you recited the words 'I take refuge in the Buddha Amida' on your deathbed you were assured of a return to the Pure Land in the afterlife. Again some lovely descriptions with artificial lotus blossoms floating on the lake outside a mansion each topped by a Buddha 'its image mirrored in the water' - all designed to ease the transition between the two worlds. This chapter made me want to read more about Buddhism.
Zeami was a writer and performer of No plays. This sounds like a very interesting although possibly challenging type of entertainment! There were very few characters, often masked and the action was accompanied by drums. Much was demanded of the audience which I took to mean that they had to fill in the gaps themselves! Zeami started performing as a young boy and when his father's plays caught the attention of the current shogun Zeami became a favourite.
Hasekura Tsunenaga (1571 - 1622?) was a diplomat who travelled extensively from Japan to South America and Europe, during a time of approximately 100 years when Japan was open to different cultures and religions and Christianity was accepted. He travelled with a Spanish missionary to the court of Philip III in Spain and to Rome. He was even baptised. Alas while he was away the situation in Japan changed and he returned to Japan to find all the christians had been evicted or killed. The circumstances of his death are unclear but it's likely he was killed himself. I thought it was interesting how the Catholic Church was trying to increase its membership by sending its missionaries to countries like Japan, as it felt threatened by growing Protestantism. And this was one of several examples in the book of Japan seeming to open up to western ideas only to hastily retreat and return to isolationism.
The chapter about Ihara Saikaku was one of my favourites. He was a 17th century writer whose most famous work was 'The Life of an Amorous Man'. He traveled extensively and by all accounts led a very dissolute life! Society at this time was very structured and rigid and each class was only permitted to live in a certain way - even down to what they were allowed to wear. Pleasure was therefore a great escape! His work including haiku became very popular thanks to woodblock printing which meant that it could be easily circulated.
Kusumoto Ine (1827 - 1903) was the daughter of a Prussian father and Japanese mother who it is claimed was Japan's first female doctor. She was able to train as an obstetrician by working with a friend of her father's. She was very successful for a number of years, practising in various cities and delivered two of the emperor's children. However as often seemed to happen in Japan, women's brief period of equality was soon stifled and she ended up only being able to practice as a midwife. I enjoyed reading about Dejima, the island in Nagasaki harbour where the Dutch traders (the only foreigners allowed to trade in Japan) lived and worked, as I'd come across this in one of David Mitchell's books.
Tsuda Umeko was sent to live in the USA aged seven as part of a Japanese government scheme. She lived with an American family for 10 years and returned to Japan where she experienced quite a culture shock! She put her education to good use, working first with the foreign minister as a hostess to foreign guests and teaching in a school for upper class Japanese women. She went on to found her own school. She worked to further women's rights but tried to stay within the rules and remaining respectful, realising that change in this conservative society could only be gradual. She blended Japanese and western values.
Yosano Akiko was a poet who lived through the Chinese/Japanese war and died during world war 2. I enjoyed this chapter because it explained the increasing hostility between China and Japan in the 1930s which was the backdrop to the last book I read 'Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet'. Japan occupied Manchuria and tried to justify it by saying it was for the people's good and then blaming the Chinese for fighting back! This was Japan trying to build an empire - years after Britain, France and Spain had done so. This chapter also explained the run up to Japan's entry into world war 2. Very interesting - I learned a lot from this (and enjoyed her poems!)
Misora Hibari was a child star in Japan - a hugely popular singer and actress. As a young girl she mimicked the actions of older women which was felt by some to be distasteful, robbing her of her childhood innocence. I was fascinated by this period of Japanese history, immediately after their defeat in the Second World War. I had no idea that the Americans occupied Japan and even wrote their constitution, making Japan even more democratic than the USA! However predictably some of the more liberal measures, such as equality for women, did not last long. We did not learn about this at school!
Finally, Tezuka Osamu. I really enjoyed this chapter about this manga artist. He created many memorable characters including Atom and Princess Knight and was seen as a rival to Walt Disney. Again very interesting to read about Japan during the 1960s and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics which I just about remember. The Japanese were very creative and imaginative in their culture, but remained conservative in their politics.
In general I liked the way the book was structured and the way previous chapters and characters were referenced so that there was a sense of moving forward through history. Although in essence a history book it was an accessible book and was witty at times - for example Tsunenaga gets 'the economy version of a papal welcome'. There were often nice little anecdotes such as the manga artist whose parents left paper and pencils by his bed in case he felt anxious when he woke up. I thought that was so touching.
So what have I learnt about Japan from this book? It is cautious, conservative and at times cruel - but I warmed to a lot of the people described. I took a Russian history class at Mount Holyoke and our professor said that Russian history zigged and zagged. I think the same can be said of Japanese history! There were many times of upheaval but also times of peace and prosperity when their rich culture was so beautifully described. A land of contrasts. Definitely reading this book was an enriching experience for me.
Murasaki Shikibu was the first of these. She wrote what is said to be the world's first novel 'The Tale of Genji' during the 10th century and because of its success was invited to court where she wrote about the empress and the birth of her children. There were some lovely descriptions of the mansions and gardens in Kyoto during a golden age of poetry, gossip and outdoor parties in an era of peace and prosperity for the elite. Men and women tried to impress each other with flirtatious short poems. It sounded great fun! As often happened when reading this book, I found myself wanting to branch off and read The Tale of Genji.
Shinran was a Buddhist compared to Martin Luther by the author, in that he made religion much more accessible to all rather than just the rich and powerful. His chapter was called 'Power to the People'. This was a much more individualised form of Buddhism where anyone could gain salvation. So long as you recited the words 'I take refuge in the Buddha Amida' on your deathbed you were assured of a return to the Pure Land in the afterlife. Again some lovely descriptions with artificial lotus blossoms floating on the lake outside a mansion each topped by a Buddha 'its image mirrored in the water' - all designed to ease the transition between the two worlds. This chapter made me want to read more about Buddhism.
Zeami was a writer and performer of No plays. This sounds like a very interesting although possibly challenging type of entertainment! There were very few characters, often masked and the action was accompanied by drums. Much was demanded of the audience which I took to mean that they had to fill in the gaps themselves! Zeami started performing as a young boy and when his father's plays caught the attention of the current shogun Zeami became a favourite.
Hasekura Tsunenaga (1571 - 1622?) was a diplomat who travelled extensively from Japan to South America and Europe, during a time of approximately 100 years when Japan was open to different cultures and religions and Christianity was accepted. He travelled with a Spanish missionary to the court of Philip III in Spain and to Rome. He was even baptised. Alas while he was away the situation in Japan changed and he returned to Japan to find all the christians had been evicted or killed. The circumstances of his death are unclear but it's likely he was killed himself. I thought it was interesting how the Catholic Church was trying to increase its membership by sending its missionaries to countries like Japan, as it felt threatened by growing Protestantism. And this was one of several examples in the book of Japan seeming to open up to western ideas only to hastily retreat and return to isolationism.
The chapter about Ihara Saikaku was one of my favourites. He was a 17th century writer whose most famous work was 'The Life of an Amorous Man'. He traveled extensively and by all accounts led a very dissolute life! Society at this time was very structured and rigid and each class was only permitted to live in a certain way - even down to what they were allowed to wear. Pleasure was therefore a great escape! His work including haiku became very popular thanks to woodblock printing which meant that it could be easily circulated.
Kusumoto Ine (1827 - 1903) was the daughter of a Prussian father and Japanese mother who it is claimed was Japan's first female doctor. She was able to train as an obstetrician by working with a friend of her father's. She was very successful for a number of years, practising in various cities and delivered two of the emperor's children. However as often seemed to happen in Japan, women's brief period of equality was soon stifled and she ended up only being able to practice as a midwife. I enjoyed reading about Dejima, the island in Nagasaki harbour where the Dutch traders (the only foreigners allowed to trade in Japan) lived and worked, as I'd come across this in one of David Mitchell's books.
Tsuda Umeko was sent to live in the USA aged seven as part of a Japanese government scheme. She lived with an American family for 10 years and returned to Japan where she experienced quite a culture shock! She put her education to good use, working first with the foreign minister as a hostess to foreign guests and teaching in a school for upper class Japanese women. She went on to found her own school. She worked to further women's rights but tried to stay within the rules and remaining respectful, realising that change in this conservative society could only be gradual. She blended Japanese and western values.
Yosano Akiko was a poet who lived through the Chinese/Japanese war and died during world war 2. I enjoyed this chapter because it explained the increasing hostility between China and Japan in the 1930s which was the backdrop to the last book I read 'Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet'. Japan occupied Manchuria and tried to justify it by saying it was for the people's good and then blaming the Chinese for fighting back! This was Japan trying to build an empire - years after Britain, France and Spain had done so. This chapter also explained the run up to Japan's entry into world war 2. Very interesting - I learned a lot from this (and enjoyed her poems!)
Misora Hibari was a child star in Japan - a hugely popular singer and actress. As a young girl she mimicked the actions of older women which was felt by some to be distasteful, robbing her of her childhood innocence. I was fascinated by this period of Japanese history, immediately after their defeat in the Second World War. I had no idea that the Americans occupied Japan and even wrote their constitution, making Japan even more democratic than the USA! However predictably some of the more liberal measures, such as equality for women, did not last long. We did not learn about this at school!
Finally, Tezuka Osamu. I really enjoyed this chapter about this manga artist. He created many memorable characters including Atom and Princess Knight and was seen as a rival to Walt Disney. Again very interesting to read about Japan during the 1960s and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics which I just about remember. The Japanese were very creative and imaginative in their culture, but remained conservative in their politics.
In general I liked the way the book was structured and the way previous chapters and characters were referenced so that there was a sense of moving forward through history. Although in essence a history book it was an accessible book and was witty at times - for example Tsunenaga gets 'the economy version of a papal welcome'. There were often nice little anecdotes such as the manga artist whose parents left paper and pencils by his bed in case he felt anxious when he woke up. I thought that was so touching.
So what have I learnt about Japan from this book? It is cautious, conservative and at times cruel - but I warmed to a lot of the people described. I took a Russian history class at Mount Holyoke and our professor said that Russian history zigged and zagged. I think the same can be said of Japanese history! There were many times of upheaval but also times of peace and prosperity when their rich culture was so beautifully described. A land of contrasts. Definitely reading this book was an enriching experience for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2021
A little mixed opinions on this one. The first half of the book was quite heavy and hard to follow with lots of names and events that at times didn't seem too connected with each other. Even though some of the details and events were fascinating, it took me several months to get through this part of the book.
The latter part of the book (from around the mid-19th century onwards) on the other hand, was in my opinion a lot more interesting with an excellent selection of personalities from different fields of expertise through which the evolution of the modern Japanese society was portrayed.
All in all, I think the author was able to present the causal relations and give context to the events very well throughout the book even though I personally struggled a bit with the first half of it.
The latter part of the book (from around the mid-19th century onwards) on the other hand, was in my opinion a lot more interesting with an excellent selection of personalities from different fields of expertise through which the evolution of the modern Japanese society was portrayed.
All in all, I think the author was able to present the causal relations and give context to the events very well throughout the book even though I personally struggled a bit with the first half of it.
August 12, 2024
a perfect primer of japanese history, covering the yayoi period through to reiwa. i was a little disappointed with how much the book focuses on the modern era (10 people compose 1855 onwards) as it had to go through quite a bit of politics: the a-bomb and its ramifications, the introduction of democracy, zaibutsus, reprehensible japanese behaviour overseas, women’s education, &c. but for the most part, harding managed to keep every century absorbing despite how familiar it might be. i loved the chapters specifically on prince shōtoku, murasaki shikibu, hōjō masako, oda nobunaga, kusumoto ine, tezuka osamu, and owada masako. i did wish a little for the heian overview to focus on sei shōnagon rather than lady murasaki, i think her blog-like diary and “mischevious, merciless wit” make her slightly more fun (and secretly i’ve always preferred the pillow book to the tale of genji). and actually, this is a notably good overview of japanese literature, with a followable chronology for the classics. genji aside, i remember references to the man’yōshū, the tales of ise, the tale of the heike, in praise of shadows, snow country, &c. not to mention tezuka’s astroboy. i also thought the interplay of buddhism and political power through the ages was done very well, from its initial introduction, to its various offshoots (tendai, shingon), to nobunaga’s cadmean victory over a sect, to it finally being seen as a native religion in comparison to christianity. and of course there are many pages devoted to harmonious gardens, sorrowful folklore, meditative nō plays...overall, a beautiful perspective on the history of japan.
November 29, 2021
Japan has long been a subject of great fascination to me, so I immensely enjoyed this journey through two millenia of Japanese history through the stories of twenty remarkable figures who have each shaped the country's development in some way, from the ancient Shaman Queen Himiko to the current Empress Masako. It's a somewhat different approach to dive into a country's past than your usual history book, and the concept worked out wonderfully IMO.
November 13, 2025
The author clearly put a tremendous amount of work and research into this book. The histories themselves are fascinating, and each is brought vividly to life through Harding’s smooth, engaging writing. By the end you have a rich and moving picture of Japan’s constantly shifting identity across the centuries, with twenty extraordinary lives serving as symbols for the eras navigated so deftly throughout the pages. I really enjoyed this book and gained a lot from it. It will also be very useful as a reference.
February 19, 2023
Read to help plan a lesson sequence on feudal Japan, but enjoyed all the stories right up to the modern day ones. Would love to take the Masters modules on Japan that Harding teaches at Edinburgh uni, it would be fascinating.
May 16, 2025
Well written overview of important bits of Japanese history, focusing on what happens in the lifetime of one individual each chapter. I therefore missed some context here and there, but it was still an enjoyable read.
January 8, 2024
I now know everything about Japan
But actually really interesting to see the depth of the US’s meddling
But actually really interesting to see the depth of the US’s meddling
April 2, 2024
Oh mein Gott das war so gut bro
March 16, 2024
What a wonderful history book! Among the best I have ever read! The concept of dividing history into periods of time, then pairing each period with the life story of someone who was representative of the period is brilliant. The clear, witty, entertaining writing in this book is brilliant. Tying a person to each period humanizes the history, making it that much more interesting and understandable. This method also seems to help Harding weave in all types of cultural elements of the periods, including arts, religion, science and technology, economics and business, politics, cuisine, family life, clothing styles, attitudes about women and people of differing ethnicities. Eight of the 20 lives are women, including the first and the last chapters. The history covered is vast—from about 190 to 2020—but the writing and stories of the 20 lives propelled me through it, a fascinating trip through time.
March 5, 2021
This is an enormous book that talks about twenty Japanese people that somehow comes together in defining Japanese culture from rulers, politician , artist and inventor. People that we consider part of the building of Japanese culture.
Every chapter focus on a persons' time period and it goes in chronological orders from about 3000 years ago until modern days. It select specific people in Japanese history and talk about their time period. From that person we can see their politics, religion, art and also information about that particular era, architecture and beliefs.
This is really an interesting book and for those who like to study about the history of Japanese culture in the early age till modern day can check out this book.
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy in exchange for honese review.
Every chapter focus on a persons' time period and it goes in chronological orders from about 3000 years ago until modern days. It select specific people in Japanese history and talk about their time period. From that person we can see their politics, religion, art and also information about that particular era, architecture and beliefs.
This is really an interesting book and for those who like to study about the history of Japanese culture in the early age till modern day can check out this book.
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy in exchange for honese review.
May 9, 2025
Well written. I like how the history of an era is tied to a person, it keeps the story on track and easy to follow. The fact that previous persons of interest are mentioned in connections to future persons is interesting and fun! I'm docking one star because it feels like the choice of characters and the context of some of the analysis is subtly trying to lecture me on socialism and I find that really frustrating. Solid read.
abandoned
October 4, 2023L’idea mi piaceva (e mi piace tantissimo), ma i capitoli sono troppo compressi: nella quindicina di pagine dedicate a ogni protagonista vengono riassunti decenni di battaglie, complotti, cambiamenti culturali epocali. Non mi sta lasciando nulla, se non qualche nome e una vaga impressione degli eventi. Forse dovrei tornarci su dopo aver approfondito la storia del Giappone in maniera più sistematica.
August 12, 2023
Lovely intro/summary of japanese history in a digestible easy to read format!
January 1, 2025
Very readable history of Japan, chopped up into twenty profiles of historic figures that handily are about the length of a long bath.
March 1, 2021
My memories of high school Japanese history are pretty fuzzy. (In fairness, that applies to a lot of my high school classes.) I enjoyed it, but I got lost in the blizzard of historical periods and ruling families and art styles.
Harding's tour of history through biography doesn't dig too deep into those details, but it provides a strong sense of the flow and interconnectedness of Japanese history and culture, of how the figures of the past influenced later periods and the present. The subjects are well-chosen, and the book is a thoughtful and often entertaining read.
Harding's tour of history through biography doesn't dig too deep into those details, but it provides a strong sense of the flow and interconnectedness of Japanese history and culture, of how the figures of the past influenced later periods and the present. The subjects are well-chosen, and the book is a thoughtful and often entertaining read.
February 10, 2021
I found this really engaging and informative. It really takes you through the full history of Japan and focusing on key people gives it real added strength. Interestingly it seemed to engage me more than his 1850 to modern day book, not sure why as it's a similar concept. I learnt quite a lot and had existing knowledge enhanced, particularly around the moves from Kyoto to Kamakura, to Kyoto and finally Edo as the capital. I thought 1800s to 2020 was also covered really well.
If you're interested in the history of Japan an the people of Japan this is a really engaging book.
If you're interested in the history of Japan an the people of Japan this is a really engaging book.
August 26, 2022
A broad, glancing look at Japan's shared history and culture, using the biographies of several important Japanese figures as a framework. Predictably, it doesn't have the time or focus to get really in-depth on either front. Far too reliant on nineteenth and twentieth-century individuals for my money, too. I most enjoyed the entries about pioneers of the arts - the nation's first noteworthy novelist, trailblazers of noh and manga, the prophet of monosodium glutomate - and felt that too much time was dedicated to political figures. An ambitious idea, but it comes up a little empty in practice.
April 26, 2024
I am not sure that I could have waded through the 425 pages of this fascinating book but ‘cheated’ in listening to it in bite sized chunks whilst walking, driving and digging the allotment.
My knowledge of Japan, like, I suspect, most of us, is superficial. There seems to be a lot to commend modern Japan and much to wonder about its history, development and culture that fascinates and, in becoming a Nation ostensibly known for its ruthless cruelty in WWII, mystifies us.
Christopher Harding uses the vehicle of biographies of 20 influential figures, spanning many centuries, to introduce us to both the individuals and the country - its geography, sociology and cultural influences and development - that unlocks some of the inscrutable nature of Japanese society and takes us on an incredible journey.
It’s hard not to be drawn in by Harding’s enthusiastic narration, although I found the large number of hard-to-get-one’s-ear-around names, both places and people, both somewhat bewildering and instantly forgettable. I would have definitely struggled with the written word. This is, nonetheless, a book worth preserving with, particularly if, like me, you want to better understand a country you want to visit.
My knowledge of Japan, like, I suspect, most of us, is superficial. There seems to be a lot to commend modern Japan and much to wonder about its history, development and culture that fascinates and, in becoming a Nation ostensibly known for its ruthless cruelty in WWII, mystifies us.
Christopher Harding uses the vehicle of biographies of 20 influential figures, spanning many centuries, to introduce us to both the individuals and the country - its geography, sociology and cultural influences and development - that unlocks some of the inscrutable nature of Japanese society and takes us on an incredible journey.
It’s hard not to be drawn in by Harding’s enthusiastic narration, although I found the large number of hard-to-get-one’s-ear-around names, both places and people, both somewhat bewildering and instantly forgettable. I would have definitely struggled with the written word. This is, nonetheless, a book worth preserving with, particularly if, like me, you want to better understand a country you want to visit.
February 9, 2025
(4,4/5)
𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘰'𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦'𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘬𝘶'𝘴 𝘦𝘳𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘣𝘶'𝘴 𝘏𝘦𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘬𝘶'𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 - 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 - 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘫𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯. 𝘕𝘰𝘸, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘈 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘰, 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺'𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭.
This book accompanied me to the Ushiku Daibutsu, Mt. Tsukuba, Nikko, Shikoku, Himeji Castle and back home - a long book. Rating non-fiction is always a bit harder but this was thoroughly an enjoyable read, at times 5-star quality - especially part 4 about the years before the war. It managed even to be a page-turner, something I find rather rare in non-fiction books. I also like the structure of the book, blending a certain personality with a time period and juxtaposing them.
Interesting and informative, a good read for someone who wants to get a general view over Japanese history.
𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘰'𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦'𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘬𝘶'𝘴 𝘦𝘳𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘣𝘶'𝘴 𝘏𝘦𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘬𝘶'𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 - 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 - 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘫𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯. 𝘕𝘰𝘸, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘈 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘰, 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺'𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭.
This book accompanied me to the Ushiku Daibutsu, Mt. Tsukuba, Nikko, Shikoku, Himeji Castle and back home - a long book. Rating non-fiction is always a bit harder but this was thoroughly an enjoyable read, at times 5-star quality - especially part 4 about the years before the war. It managed even to be a page-turner, something I find rather rare in non-fiction books. I also like the structure of the book, blending a certain personality with a time period and juxtaposing them.
Interesting and informative, a good read for someone who wants to get a general view over Japanese history.
December 16, 2025
I always want more about pre-Meiji Japan than the "modern" era, but to be fair, more than half this book is about everything before the Americans showed up with warships and inspired modernisation and imperialist expansion. Harding's Japan Story, a history of Japan since 1850, remains my favourite on that period - and it's fairly impressive that the second half of this book manages to avoid feeling repetitive.
It's also neatly done, with a mix of well-known and more obscure figures acting as starting points for exploring entire eras of Japanese history and cultural evolution. Much I was familiar with, quite a bit I was not.
I do, however, still crave a decently detailed English language history of the Sengoku period and reunification under Nobunaga/Hideyoshi/Tokugawa Ieyasu, as well as one on the Genpei War (and Kamakura Shogunate) to set me up for a re-read of the Tale of the Heike. Very open to recommendations.
It's also neatly done, with a mix of well-known and more obscure figures acting as starting points for exploring entire eras of Japanese history and cultural evolution. Much I was familiar with, quite a bit I was not.
I do, however, still crave a decently detailed English language history of the Sengoku period and reunification under Nobunaga/Hideyoshi/Tokugawa Ieyasu, as well as one on the Genpei War (and Kamakura Shogunate) to set me up for a re-read of the Tale of the Heike. Very open to recommendations.
December 9, 2024
An overall enjoyable read with a very ambitious notice to describe a 1,000+ years of Japanese history into 20 significant figures. It was really fascinating reading Japan’s history through the eyes of the individual and then having overlap with one another occasionally.
However, it felt a bit formulaic - clearly intended to, of course, narrate japan’s history chronologically through the different historical figures, but sometimes it felt like the individual was ignored in favour of explaining the time period they were in. It would have been nice to have some more nuanced ideas about the individuals involved. I also would have liked the modern period to have a few more mentions of other topics in Japan.
However, it felt a bit formulaic - clearly intended to, of course, narrate japan’s history chronologically through the different historical figures, but sometimes it felt like the individual was ignored in favour of explaining the time period they were in. It would have been nice to have some more nuanced ideas about the individuals involved. I also would have liked the modern period to have a few more mentions of other topics in Japan.
April 21, 2025
Reunion with Old Friends
I lived 16+ years between 1990 and 2009 with three return visits thereafter. During my years in Japan I taught English and learnt from my students at all levels of formal study about their marvellous country - travelling to most corners to see for myself. On-line I recently made the acquaintance of historian Christopher Harding and did some background reading - finding this excellent History of Japan of his - built around the lives of 20 individuals significant to their eras or times. I can’t think of a better way to have spent the past few nights - engaging with so many familiar names and events and learning a few new things as well. I highly recommend this book for anyway interested in knowing Japan…
I lived 16+ years between 1990 and 2009 with three return visits thereafter. During my years in Japan I taught English and learnt from my students at all levels of formal study about their marvellous country - travelling to most corners to see for myself. On-line I recently made the acquaintance of historian Christopher Harding and did some background reading - finding this excellent History of Japan of his - built around the lives of 20 individuals significant to their eras or times. I can’t think of a better way to have spent the past few nights - engaging with so many familiar names and events and learning a few new things as well. I highly recommend this book for anyway interested in knowing Japan…
July 14, 2025
I tried listening to this book while I was in Japan.
The format is cute. Try to tell a 2,000 year by picking 20 individuals who lived in each era, and explain their lives as a means to illustrate Japanese history. I got lost in the Japanese names, I never knew or remembered the person whose life was supposed to be symptomatic of the nation. My main takeaway from the first few chapters was that the capital moved from Nara to Kyoto to Tokyo, mainly because I had visited all.
The book showed flashes in the final few chapters when talking about how Japanese art and cinema influenced the west, and the West influenced Japanese art. Low and behold, the author is a cultural historian. He just wasn't qualified to write a 2,000 year history imo.
The format is cute. Try to tell a 2,000 year by picking 20 individuals who lived in each era, and explain their lives as a means to illustrate Japanese history. I got lost in the Japanese names, I never knew or remembered the person whose life was supposed to be symptomatic of the nation. My main takeaway from the first few chapters was that the capital moved from Nara to Kyoto to Tokyo, mainly because I had visited all.
The book showed flashes in the final few chapters when talking about how Japanese art and cinema influenced the west, and the West influenced Japanese art. Low and behold, the author is a cultural historian. He just wasn't qualified to write a 2,000 year history imo.
November 4, 2023
The long reading time isn't really accurate as pretty much didn't read it for several months and then picked it up properly at the end of September. I think the choices that the author makes in terms of lives to focus on was always very interesting as many were obscure but provided a lot of illumination of a particular aspect of Japanese culture or on the changes occuring in the country during their lifespan. I do think that it was a shame there wasn't a chapter on any baseball players or sportspersons in general as this was the only important aspect of culture that didn't really get any attention.
Favourite chapters - Murasaki, Nobunaga, and Kusumoto Ine.
Favourite chapters - Murasaki, Nobunaga, and Kusumoto Ine.
March 3, 2024
#thejapanese by #christopherharding published in 2020. A brilliant introduction to the history of Japan and its people through short biographies of 20 people from ancient times to the modern day. Some really fascinating stuff, particularly the ancient and medieval periods which have compelled me to buy some more books on the period. Also some really fascinating details about individuals whom in my ignorance I had never heard about. Particular highlights from the more modern period were the accomplishments of one of the first female doctors and the current empress as well as the corruption and background of the prime minister during the 1970s and 80s.
March 10, 2024
I really liked the way this was set up: a Chronicle of Japan throughout 20 lives of those who made a large impact on its culture. Each chapter focuses on one individual, yet they follow each other chronologically. Sometimes the author diverts from the story of their lives to provide some relevant historic context, and in doing so leaves the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the history of Japan.
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