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Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912
When Emperor Meiji began his rule, in 1867, Japan was a splintered empire, dominated by the shogun and the daimyos, who ruled over the country's more than 250 decentralized domains and who were, in the main, cut off from the outside world, staunchly antiforeign, and committed to the traditions of the past. Before long, the shogun surrendered to the emperor, a new constitution was adopted, and Japan emerged as a modern, industrialized state.
Despite the length of his reign, little has been written about the strangely obscured figure of Meiji himself, the first emperor ever to meet a European. Most historians discuss the period that takes his name while barely mentioning the man, assuming that he had no real involvement in affairs of state. Even Japanese who believe Meiji to have been their nation's greatest ruler may have trouble recalling a single personal accomplishment that might account for such a glorious reputation. Renowned Japan scholar Donald Keene sifts the available evidence to present a rich portrait not only of Meiji but also of rapid and sometimes violent change during this pivotal period in Japan's history.
In this vivid and engrossing biography, we move with the emperor through his early, traditional education; join in the formal processions that acquainted the young emperor with his country and its people; observe his behavior in court, his marriage, and his relationships with various consorts; and follow his maturation into a "Confucian" sovereign dedicated to simplicity, frugality, and hard work. Later, during Japan's wars with China and Russia, we witness Meiji's struggle to reconcile his personal commitment to peace and his nation's increasingly militarized experience of modernization. Emperor of Japan conveys in sparkling prose the complexity of the man and offers an unrivaled portrait of Japan in a period of unique interest.
Despite the length of his reign, little has been written about the strangely obscured figure of Meiji himself, the first emperor ever to meet a European. Most historians discuss the period that takes his name while barely mentioning the man, assuming that he had no real involvement in affairs of state. Even Japanese who believe Meiji to have been their nation's greatest ruler may have trouble recalling a single personal accomplishment that might account for such a glorious reputation. Renowned Japan scholar Donald Keene sifts the available evidence to present a rich portrait not only of Meiji but also of rapid and sometimes violent change during this pivotal period in Japan's history.
In this vivid and engrossing biography, we move with the emperor through his early, traditional education; join in the formal processions that acquainted the young emperor with his country and its people; observe his behavior in court, his marriage, and his relationships with various consorts; and follow his maturation into a "Confucian" sovereign dedicated to simplicity, frugality, and hard work. Later, during Japan's wars with China and Russia, we witness Meiji's struggle to reconcile his personal commitment to peace and his nation's increasingly militarized experience of modernization. Emperor of Japan conveys in sparkling prose the complexity of the man and offers an unrivaled portrait of Japan in a period of unique interest.
928 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
310 people are currently reading
1347 people want to read
About the author
Donald Keene
183 books183 followersDonald Keene was a renowned American-born Japanese scholar, translator, and historian of Japanese literature. Born in Brooklyn in 1922, he developed a love for foreign cultures early in life. He graduated from Columbia University in 1942 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he studied Japanese at the Navy Language School. After the war, he returned to Columbia for his master’s and later earned a second master’s at Cambridge, followed by a PhD from Columbia in 1949. He studied further at Kyoto University and became a leading authority on Japanese literature.
Keene taught at Columbia University for over fifty years and published extensively in both English and Japanese, introducing countless readers to Japanese classics. His mentors included Ryusaku Tsunoda and Arthur Waley, whose translations deeply influenced him. After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Keene retired from Columbia, moved to Japan, and became a Japanese citizen under the name Kīn Donarudo. He was awarded the Order of Culture in 2008, the first non-Japanese recipient. Keene remained active in literary and cultural life in Japan until his death in 2019 at the age of 96.
Keene taught at Columbia University for over fifty years and published extensively in both English and Japanese, introducing countless readers to Japanese classics. His mentors included Ryusaku Tsunoda and Arthur Waley, whose translations deeply influenced him. After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Keene retired from Columbia, moved to Japan, and became a Japanese citizen under the name Kīn Donarudo. He was awarded the Order of Culture in 2008, the first non-Japanese recipient. Keene remained active in literary and cultural life in Japan until his death in 2019 at the age of 96.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 20, 2023
Respectfully, I’ve just finished reading this remarkable book on a famous Japanese emperor and felt so awed and humble that I thought I would never write any review on this deservedly acclaimed book since it’s been authoritatively narrated, referenced and summarized by one of the great Japanologists, Professor Donald Keene who has recently been granted his Japanese citizenship and moved to live in Tokyo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_K...).
Some might wonder why we should read his biography to better understand this unique country, one of the reasons is that his name has long been mentioned in terms of the Meiji Restoration due to his wise and diplomatic rule essentially destined to modernize Japan in crisis resulted by the influential shogunate and some powerful Western countries demanded the opening of the country. It’s interesting to read and know how the emperor had engaged in various imperial functions, for instance, we can’t help admiring his interest in visiting schools:
… He visited a middle school where he observed classes and listened while pupils were questioned about punctuation, arithmetic, and foreign languages. He also visited a school that had been founded to teach boys and girls of the aristocracy foreign languages (English, German, and French) and manual arts, but now also admitted children of the commoner class. He gave audiences to the foreign teachers. Finally the emperor issued a rescript expressing pleasure over the devotion of the foreign teachers and his hope that they would encourage the pupils to work even harder at their studies. (pp. 214-215)
Some might wonder why we should read his biography to better understand this unique country, one of the reasons is that his name has long been mentioned in terms of the Meiji Restoration due to his wise and diplomatic rule essentially destined to modernize Japan in crisis resulted by the influential shogunate and some powerful Western countries demanded the opening of the country. It’s interesting to read and know how the emperor had engaged in various imperial functions, for instance, we can’t help admiring his interest in visiting schools:
… He visited a middle school where he observed classes and listened while pupils were questioned about punctuation, arithmetic, and foreign languages. He also visited a school that had been founded to teach boys and girls of the aristocracy foreign languages (English, German, and French) and manual arts, but now also admitted children of the commoner class. He gave audiences to the foreign teachers. Finally the emperor issued a rescript expressing pleasure over the devotion of the foreign teachers and his hope that they would encourage the pupils to work even harder at their studies. (pp. 214-215)
January 17, 2022
Donald Keene's Emperor of Japan provides an exhaustive overview of the life of Meiji, whose 45 year rule (1867-1912) saw Japan evolve from a near-feudal state to modern world power. Coming to the throne at age 14, Meiji inherited a country in turmoil: its bakufu system of shoguns and rich landowners, along with an inward-looking policy, was rapidly collapsing as the country opened to foreign trade and influence. Meiji sided with the reformers, creating Japan as a modern nation-state of (relatively) liberal government, modern industry and trade and expansive foreign policy. Though this received considerable resistance from the bakufu and samurai classes, often violent, in a series of rebellions and assassination attempts against the Emperor that continued for decades after his assumption of powers. Keene makes the case for Meiji as a liberal reformer: he and his ministers created a Western-style constitution and parliament, made education more thorough and available to the public and established freedom of religion in a country that had long oppressed Christians and other minorities. On the other hand, his sense of nationalism encouraged Japan to build its military and assert its power abroad, with imperial campaigns in Formosa, China, Korea and the Russo-Japanese War that inspired both admiration and fear from Western powers (along with the lasting enmity of the countries Japan occupied). Meiji himself never comes fully into focus as a person (the most we get are accounts of his tumultuous family life, losing most of his children early, snatches of his poetry and occasional fretting about the bloodiness of his wars), which might be attributed to the Emperor's godlike mystique preventing any but occasional anecdotes informing a biographer's portrait. But Keene establishes his legacy as complex and fraught, embodying the strengths and failings of modern Japan; the island nation of strong identity, industriousness and forward energy; the militarist empire that sought to beat the Western powers at their own bloody game. Keene's biography is thorough, sometimes dense but never less than readable; an admirable account of the first hinge point in modern Japanese history.
January 9, 2024
Sometimes I am hundreds of pages into a book before you realize why I am reading it.
Several chapters into this book, I realized that I was really wanted to know: How does a country become successful? In this age, we are seeing a lot ofblather commentary about countries failing and becoming ungovernable, specifically here in the US, but also elsewhere. But what about success?
Japan, at the beginning of Meiji's life, was a woefully backward nation in the world power sweepstakes, using ancient weapons and organizationally completely unprepared to confront the Western nations who forced it to open to the world. By the time that Meiji died, Japan had stomped two much larger nations in conflicts beyond its borders, including inflicting the first major military defeat by an Asian nation on a European power (Russia), becoming a country to be seriously reckoned with on the world stage. At the same time, the country seemed to have improved its standard of living by great leaps and bounds, and started to generate scholars at an impressive rate. How did that happen? Were they led by a great emperor?
Spoiler alert: This book does not answer the question of how Japan succeeded.
However, Meiji was an interesting character and I'm glad I know more about him. Strangely, he is a bit of a cipher, an unknowable entity at the center of the storm. He didn't seem to engage in high-profile acts of leadership but was obsessed with setting a good example, often to the point of mania. As a result, while alive, he put a brake (I feel) on the tendency – uniform across the globe and throughout time – of political, aristocratic, and military elites to fritter away society’s wealth while showering themselves with honors, privilege, and material wealth, usually at the expense of the rest of society. Perhaps Meiji didn't seem to lead the people into their successes, as much as he stood out of the way and let it happen.
Meiji also remains a bit of a mystery as the Japanese who met him, either regularly or occasionally, were almost always extremely reluctant to commit their candid assessments of the Emperor, or even observations of the mundane details of his daily life, to paper. Maybe this was out of a genuine sense of respect for the Emperor but maybe also because if your personal written thoughts about the Emperor were insufficiently reverent and fell into the wrong hands, you and your family might face some serious trouble, and even complete ruin.
This book was very interesting, but it was also tough sledding – it took months to read. I occasionally took breaks to read other books.
The choice of subject matter in this book sometimes seems a little eccentric if you are coming at this book from the point of view of an interested amateur. For example, for every year of Meiji’s reign, the author explicitly points out whether or not Meiji participated in a traditional New Year’s prayer ceremony. Meiji, with increasing frequency through his reign, does NOT take part in this ceremony. I guess that I was supposed to interpret this as Meiji’s gradual drift away from imperial tradition, but it was never clear to me, for example, what I was supposed to make of the meticulously-noted information concerning which member of the royal family or leadership went in his stead.
Since I know much more about Western history than Asian history, the bits of this book where Meiji crosses paths with Western leaders (e.g., Ulysses Grant, the first US President to visit Japan) were often fascinating and fun to read, wherein the parts about purely internal struggles sometimes dissolved into a puddle of difficult-to-keep-straight names and places.
Donald Keene is unmatched as a scholar of Japan, as far as I know. His ability to cite, translate, and integrate Japanese-language sources is astonishing, probably without equal, at least among native-English-speaking scholars. Many footnotes refer to scholarship which, if I understand correctly, is available only in Japanese.
The author had a long fascinating life as a scholar and translator of Japanese, and in his old age renounced his US citizenship to take Japanese citizenship. Read his obituary in the NY Times here.
I bought this book when it popped up in Kindle’s “Daily Deals” for $2.99 – a steal for 700+ pages of excellent scholarship. Sometimes books that appear in Daily Deals once come back for another appearance, if you look sharp.
Several chapters into this book, I realized that I was really wanted to know: How does a country become successful? In this age, we are seeing a lot of
Japan, at the beginning of Meiji's life, was a woefully backward nation in the world power sweepstakes, using ancient weapons and organizationally completely unprepared to confront the Western nations who forced it to open to the world. By the time that Meiji died, Japan had stomped two much larger nations in conflicts beyond its borders, including inflicting the first major military defeat by an Asian nation on a European power (Russia), becoming a country to be seriously reckoned with on the world stage. At the same time, the country seemed to have improved its standard of living by great leaps and bounds, and started to generate scholars at an impressive rate. How did that happen? Were they led by a great emperor?
Spoiler alert: This book does not answer the question of how Japan succeeded.
However, Meiji was an interesting character and I'm glad I know more about him. Strangely, he is a bit of a cipher, an unknowable entity at the center of the storm. He didn't seem to engage in high-profile acts of leadership but was obsessed with setting a good example, often to the point of mania. As a result, while alive, he put a brake (I feel) on the tendency – uniform across the globe and throughout time – of political, aristocratic, and military elites to fritter away society’s wealth while showering themselves with honors, privilege, and material wealth, usually at the expense of the rest of society. Perhaps Meiji didn't seem to lead the people into their successes, as much as he stood out of the way and let it happen.
Meiji also remains a bit of a mystery as the Japanese who met him, either regularly or occasionally, were almost always extremely reluctant to commit their candid assessments of the Emperor, or even observations of the mundane details of his daily life, to paper. Maybe this was out of a genuine sense of respect for the Emperor but maybe also because if your personal written thoughts about the Emperor were insufficiently reverent and fell into the wrong hands, you and your family might face some serious trouble, and even complete ruin.
This book was very interesting, but it was also tough sledding – it took months to read. I occasionally took breaks to read other books.
The choice of subject matter in this book sometimes seems a little eccentric if you are coming at this book from the point of view of an interested amateur. For example, for every year of Meiji’s reign, the author explicitly points out whether or not Meiji participated in a traditional New Year’s prayer ceremony. Meiji, with increasing frequency through his reign, does NOT take part in this ceremony. I guess that I was supposed to interpret this as Meiji’s gradual drift away from imperial tradition, but it was never clear to me, for example, what I was supposed to make of the meticulously-noted information concerning which member of the royal family or leadership went in his stead.
Since I know much more about Western history than Asian history, the bits of this book where Meiji crosses paths with Western leaders (e.g., Ulysses Grant, the first US President to visit Japan) were often fascinating and fun to read, wherein the parts about purely internal struggles sometimes dissolved into a puddle of difficult-to-keep-straight names and places.
Donald Keene is unmatched as a scholar of Japan, as far as I know. His ability to cite, translate, and integrate Japanese-language sources is astonishing, probably without equal, at least among native-English-speaking scholars. Many footnotes refer to scholarship which, if I understand correctly, is available only in Japanese.
The author had a long fascinating life as a scholar and translator of Japanese, and in his old age renounced his US citizenship to take Japanese citizenship. Read his obituary in the NY Times here.
I bought this book when it popped up in Kindle’s “Daily Deals” for $2.99 – a steal for 700+ pages of excellent scholarship. Sometimes books that appear in Daily Deals once come back for another appearance, if you look sharp.
May 24, 2023
While the book was interesting and informative, it was extremely detailed and long and took me four months to read. More of a sleep aid than a page turner.
Keene is widely known and respected as an interpreter and translator of Japanese literature, and included many of Meiji's tanka poems in the biography. This was unusual and interesting.
Meiji is probably the most influential and respected figure in modern Japanese history. He presided over the opening and modernization of Japan after 400 years of isolation, established a strong alliance with then super-power Great Britain, was victorious in war against both China and Russia. But he also started Japan down the road of European-inspired imperialism which led to well-known disastrous consequences a few decades after his death.
Keene is widely known and respected as an interpreter and translator of Japanese literature, and included many of Meiji's tanka poems in the biography. This was unusual and interesting.
Meiji is probably the most influential and respected figure in modern Japanese history. He presided over the opening and modernization of Japan after 400 years of isolation, established a strong alliance with then super-power Great Britain, was victorious in war against both China and Russia. But he also started Japan down the road of European-inspired imperialism which led to well-known disastrous consequences a few decades after his death.
September 13, 2023
بالنده شدن و درخشش علمی و صنعتی ژاپن در عصر جدید، در کنار جلوۀ فرهنگ و هنر والای آن، توجه بسیاری را به خود گرفته است. پژوهندگان آگاهی های تازه ای از گوشه های تاریک تمدن و تاریخ ژاپن یافته اند و آثار بسیاری از روزگار باستان سر از خاک درآورده است.
دراین میان تاریخ تجدد ژاپن و رویدادهای مهم و سرنوشت ساز دورۀ امپراتور میجی (1912-1868) بخش مهمی از تاریخ آن سرزمین به شمار می آید و بی گمان ترکیب و گردش کار جهانی را که امروز می بینیم شکل داده است.
امپراتور میجی هم عصر ناصرالدین شاه قاجار بود و از این رو شرح زمانه، سرگذشت و کارهای او برای خوانندگان ایرانی جالب و تامل برانگیز است.
دراین میان تاریخ تجدد ژاپن و رویدادهای مهم و سرنوشت ساز دورۀ امپراتور میجی (1912-1868) بخش مهمی از تاریخ آن سرزمین به شمار می آید و بی گمان ترکیب و گردش کار جهانی را که امروز می بینیم شکل داده است.
امپراتور میجی هم عصر ناصرالدین شاه قاجار بود و از این رو شرح زمانه، سرگذشت و کارهای او برای خوانندگان ایرانی جالب و تامل برانگیز است.
August 12, 2009
Quite uncharacteristically I was unable to finish this biography. As I recall (and it's been several years) I couldn't get past about page 150. It wasn't that the subject matter wasn't fascinating; the problem was that Keene has no sense of priority. The book is loaded down with far too much detail with no concession to relevance.
December 14, 2019
Dry, dry, dry.
...and not really much information about the life of Meiji himself, yet, if you are looking for an in-depth account of the political, economic and war issues and questions that arised during this period, is a very good source of information.
...and not really much information about the life of Meiji himself, yet, if you are looking for an in-depth account of the political, economic and war issues and questions that arised during this period, is a very good source of information.
August 2, 2021
An extremely thorough examination of Emperor Meiji’s life from his birth to his death.
Before this book, all I had known or heard of Emperor Meiji was that he was the emperor when Japan started to modernize its country after hundreds of years under the rule of the Shogunate. In this massive tome, Mr. Keene provides the fix for my deficiency in my knowledge of, arguably, Japan’s greatest Emperor.
In this comprehensive biography, Mr. Keene paints an earnest Emperor who was bound to follow a set of complex tradition and moral principles, which often clashed with the rapid development of global events in his lifetime. During his lifetime, Meiji witnessed the Meiji Restoration, as a group of nobles from the Choshu and Satsuma domains wrestled control of the government from the Tokugawa Shogunate; the decline of the Samurai as a way of life and a social class, which led to numerous dissatisfactions with his government as well as countless assassinations and numerous rebellions; the opening up of international relations and trades as Japan had to learn how to grapple against various competing nations with shifting alliances, each with intention to exploit Japan; and, probably most importantly for modern Japan, the transformation to a constitutional monarchy as Meiji had to carefully navigate an untested territory while balancing his own set of complex moral philosophy, personal vision of what an Emperor should or shouldn’t be able to do, as well as competing political ambitions of various historical characters.
While at times this book can be boring and confusing (especially during the continuous change in prime ministership and other ministers), I thought Mr. Keene is able to depict a rather comprehensive and relatively neutral view if Emperor Meiji as a person. Overall, Meiji appears to be an excellent Emperor with an earnest desire to better the livelihood of his peoples.
Now, I’m waiting for the book on the Tokugawa Shogunate that I ordered because of this book!
Before this book, all I had known or heard of Emperor Meiji was that he was the emperor when Japan started to modernize its country after hundreds of years under the rule of the Shogunate. In this massive tome, Mr. Keene provides the fix for my deficiency in my knowledge of, arguably, Japan’s greatest Emperor.
In this comprehensive biography, Mr. Keene paints an earnest Emperor who was bound to follow a set of complex tradition and moral principles, which often clashed with the rapid development of global events in his lifetime. During his lifetime, Meiji witnessed the Meiji Restoration, as a group of nobles from the Choshu and Satsuma domains wrestled control of the government from the Tokugawa Shogunate; the decline of the Samurai as a way of life and a social class, which led to numerous dissatisfactions with his government as well as countless assassinations and numerous rebellions; the opening up of international relations and trades as Japan had to learn how to grapple against various competing nations with shifting alliances, each with intention to exploit Japan; and, probably most importantly for modern Japan, the transformation to a constitutional monarchy as Meiji had to carefully navigate an untested territory while balancing his own set of complex moral philosophy, personal vision of what an Emperor should or shouldn’t be able to do, as well as competing political ambitions of various historical characters.
While at times this book can be boring and confusing (especially during the continuous change in prime ministership and other ministers), I thought Mr. Keene is able to depict a rather comprehensive and relatively neutral view if Emperor Meiji as a person. Overall, Meiji appears to be an excellent Emperor with an earnest desire to better the livelihood of his peoples.
Now, I’m waiting for the book on the Tokugawa Shogunate that I ordered because of this book!
June 11, 2023
This book was an excellent and very detailed overview of the life of Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito). I really had no information on this period of time that roughly corresponds to the US Civil War until just prior to WWI. This book was dense but highly enjoyable. Though it was a pretty hefty commitment to get through it! The book roughly follows one chapter per year of life/reign vice a few exceptions. A few of the other reviews on GoodReads point out that there is no clear explanation of how Meiji modernized Japan. Modernization was underway as a result of the "opening of Japan" under his father's reign (Kōmei). Kōmei deeply resented deviation from the old and feudalistic societal construct. Both progressive and conservative factions did things in the name of the emperor but to different ends (emperor as symbolism and emperor as power center). I think what Meiji did to usher in modern Japan was not stifling progressive change in Japan that induced societal turmoil, resulting in rebellions and upheaval. Instead he took his role as guiding arbitrator and this role evolved over time. It is an incredible feat to change from a feudal society to a constitutional monarchy in a matter of fifty-ish years.
July 29, 2024
This is a very academic history book which I appreciate, which enlightens the reader deeply to vast changes right before and during Meiji’s reign.
Although this not a thrilling biography, it to me is not meant to be. It establishes Meiji’s character well as a gracious to almost overly stoic monarch who took solace in discomfort as a way to share the plights a lot of his people suffered from soldiers dying in wars he had seldom fondness for to people who were destitute and couldn’t be shaded from extreme weather which he bore without complaint.
What is really important about this book is what Meiji’s reign represented, rapid change to become civilized and modern nation and the context of why even in our age that glorifies STEM studies though we equally need the arts, issuances to change education to prepare middle and high class people with the technical knowledge needed for modern technical jobs.
It is also key to note all the people who surrounded him who made the era what it was and we even see the price of the loss of traditional culture during this time to play imperialist catch up in an increasing country eat county world. They had to become an imperial power to not be swallowed up by Russia, Europe and America.
I admire the Emperor’s lack of frivolities and utmost duty to his nation by engaging in Marcus Aurelius like austerities, but ironically that is why a lot of this biography of the man himself is dry because we do not get to really see what he struggled with internally as he put on stoic front nearly at all times (though was humorous and gracious to foreign guests). This is not a fault on Keene’s writing as it is that the shell of stoicism makes it hard to know the interesting part of humans which to me is how does one struggle with life with the fear and self-doubt and the good bad or grayish character that can come from that.
Although not an easy read, I would recommend this to all interested in the Meiji era for its excellent context of the times.
Although this not a thrilling biography, it to me is not meant to be. It establishes Meiji’s character well as a gracious to almost overly stoic monarch who took solace in discomfort as a way to share the plights a lot of his people suffered from soldiers dying in wars he had seldom fondness for to people who were destitute and couldn’t be shaded from extreme weather which he bore without complaint.
What is really important about this book is what Meiji’s reign represented, rapid change to become civilized and modern nation and the context of why even in our age that glorifies STEM studies though we equally need the arts, issuances to change education to prepare middle and high class people with the technical knowledge needed for modern technical jobs.
It is also key to note all the people who surrounded him who made the era what it was and we even see the price of the loss of traditional culture during this time to play imperialist catch up in an increasing country eat county world. They had to become an imperial power to not be swallowed up by Russia, Europe and America.
I admire the Emperor’s lack of frivolities and utmost duty to his nation by engaging in Marcus Aurelius like austerities, but ironically that is why a lot of this biography of the man himself is dry because we do not get to really see what he struggled with internally as he put on stoic front nearly at all times (though was humorous and gracious to foreign guests). This is not a fault on Keene’s writing as it is that the shell of stoicism makes it hard to know the interesting part of humans which to me is how does one struggle with life with the fear and self-doubt and the good bad or grayish character that can come from that.
Although not an easy read, I would recommend this to all interested in the Meiji era for its excellent context of the times.
October 2, 2018
This is a huge book, close to 900 pages. In it Mr. Keene exhaustively covers the life of the Emperor. Thus the length is both a major strength (EVERYTHING is there) and the major weakness (it can get pretty dreary) of the biography.
Part of the author’s problem, as he admits, is that it is very hard to find sources as to what Meiji was thinking. Keene works around that by going into detail on what he did. In this, and in analyzing what his subordinates did, and why, Keene provides the reader with material to make one’s own judgement.
But this reader would still have preferred a bit less detail and a good deal more analysis.
On the other hand, one can not read this massive work without learning a lot about how Japan transitioned into a Great Power. Keene’s impressive scholarship makes this a valuable book.
Part of the author’s problem, as he admits, is that it is very hard to find sources as to what Meiji was thinking. Keene works around that by going into detail on what he did. In this, and in analyzing what his subordinates did, and why, Keene provides the reader with material to make one’s own judgement.
But this reader would still have preferred a bit less detail and a good deal more analysis.
On the other hand, one can not read this massive work without learning a lot about how Japan transitioned into a Great Power. Keene’s impressive scholarship makes this a valuable book.
November 23, 2020
Respect cho công trình nghiên cứu hết sức chi tiết và khách quan của tác giả. Ơ mây dình, gút chóp.
September 27, 2025
Well. This was certainly... thorough. Undoubtedly well researched and crammed full of detailed information, this doorstopper of a biographer manages to exhaust both its subject and its reader.
December 18, 2011
Keene sets out to portray Meiji the man not the era, but ends up concluding that this "almost ostentatiously impassive" (718) monarch may not have had any personality beyond his driving sense of duty and a mess tent humor. The book is best approached as a court-centered history of Japan's most dynamic period of modernization and Westernization. As such it depicts in fine detail the interpersonal register of joining in the European nation-state system, such as the Japanese royalty becoming "cousins" of their European counterparts, hosting princes and a president on their world tours and onerously observing mourning periods every time a European counterpart passed away (but not, significantly, intermarrying). Keene's command of literary sources leads to revealing embellishments, such as Meiji's ode to the smoke over Osaka as a beacon of industrial progress or an English poetess's doggerel on the Russo-Japanese war. While Japan's eager environmental despoliation and acquisition of colonies is easy to lament, it's also understandable why they chose to become predator rather than prey.
Keene devotes a chapter to the anarchist Kōtoku Shūsui (1871-1911; pp. 680-692) and his circle, explaining how assassinating the emperor become thinkable in a Japanese context as it had in Europe and (in regards to the President) the U.S., but he himself appears to have no substantive critique of the emperor system. Rather, he reifies it by lauding Meiji's fulfillment of the ideal, cattily quipping that in contrast Czar Nicholas II of Russian and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany didn't deserve the term Emperor. (602)
Overall, this biography is an impressive achievement, though not at all times compelling reading.
Keene devotes a chapter to the anarchist Kōtoku Shūsui (1871-1911; pp. 680-692) and his circle, explaining how assassinating the emperor become thinkable in a Japanese context as it had in Europe and (in regards to the President) the U.S., but he himself appears to have no substantive critique of the emperor system. Rather, he reifies it by lauding Meiji's fulfillment of the ideal, cattily quipping that in contrast Czar Nicholas II of Russian and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany didn't deserve the term Emperor. (602)
Overall, this biography is an impressive achievement, though not at all times compelling reading.
November 15, 2020
This is quite the thorough (and long) book. Basically every significant event of every year of Emperor Meiji's reign is covered in 700+ pages of small font text. That could make the book tedious but for the most part I found the information interesting and it was a pleasant read. The main drawbacks are the length, the lack of further analysis beyond the presentation of the historical events, and the inherent difficulties with presenting a biographical portrait of the Emperor. There's not much of a textual record showing the inner life of Emperor Meiji - the formalities of his life are much clearer than his personality. Hence, this is not as much of a standard biography as it is a review of both Meiji and his world. 3.5 stars.
Nevertheless, this is a wonderful book for learning about how Japan changed from being closed to the outside world to becoming one of the great powers of the world. Starting with Emperor Komei and the opening of Japan to foreign trade the book covers the Restoration and the constitutional reforms and cultural changes of the Meiji era and then ends with Japan's military endeavors overseas through the 1895 Sino-Japanese war, the 1905 Russo-Japanese war, and the 1910 annexation of Korea. This history is absolutely fascinating, covering everything from the relationship of the court to political change, the change in fortune for the samurai, how Japan experienced both xenophobia and an openness to learning and adapting governance structures from the western world, and the beginnings of a more imperial and militaristic foreign policy path. Absolutely a go-to book for understanding the origins of modern day Japan.
Nevertheless, this is a wonderful book for learning about how Japan changed from being closed to the outside world to becoming one of the great powers of the world. Starting with Emperor Komei and the opening of Japan to foreign trade the book covers the Restoration and the constitutional reforms and cultural changes of the Meiji era and then ends with Japan's military endeavors overseas through the 1895 Sino-Japanese war, the 1905 Russo-Japanese war, and the 1910 annexation of Korea. This history is absolutely fascinating, covering everything from the relationship of the court to political change, the change in fortune for the samurai, how Japan experienced both xenophobia and an openness to learning and adapting governance structures from the western world, and the beginnings of a more imperial and militaristic foreign policy path. Absolutely a go-to book for understanding the origins of modern day Japan.
August 10, 2021
Một cuốn sách lịch sử thú vị, kể về 1 thời kỳ bước ngoặt của đất nước Nhật Bản, với vai trò trị vì của Thiên hoàng Minh Trị. Lấy Thiên hoàng là trung tâm, sách kể về những câu chuyện nhỏ đời thường quanh Thiên hoàng xen kẽ với những sự kiện lịch sử chính trị, quân sự quan trọng của đất nước Nhật Bản thời kỳ đó. Có thể thấy Thiên hoàng giống như 1 biểu tượng hơn là 1 vị chính khách, ông không hẳn là người đưa ra những sách lược, mà là những vị quan lại xung quanh ông mới là những người có tài, và ông biết cách sử dụng họ, tin theo họ để lèo lái đất nước vượt qua giai đoạn khó khăn, phát triển ngày càng mạnh mẽ.
June 17, 2015
Keane presents the reign of Emperor Meiji in such depth that it can feel overwhelming. There's a sense that you're losing the forest for the trees, but it's in being presented the complete breadth of the Meiji Era that you come to really appreciate the scale of what was achieved. That said, Keane's singular focus on the Emperor can result in a less detailed analysis of the events themselves (particularly in respect to foreign policy), but it is what it says on the tin: a book about the Emperor and his world.
December 29, 2023
I got out of the habit of reviewing but I usually noted how many stars. I'll go back into reviews in 2024 and try to rectify, but I'm injured and just going to do the star ratings and copy and paste this explanation. Happy Reading!
December 28, 2020
"Emperor of Japan" is a gigantic biography of Emperor Meiji of Japan, by japanese Scholar Donald Keene. With more than a thousand pages and 63 chapters, this is almost a narration year by year on the life of Emperor Meiji and the times and situations he lived through.
The author narrates in a clear an precise way, and with astonishing detail for every major, and minor events of this very complex and revolutionary period in the history of Japan. The book strongly benefits of, on top of Keene's expertise on Japanese studies, the author's capacity for researching Japanese sources and not merely relying on foreign accounts.
Given that emperor Meiji left no personal records or memoirs, and not one of its closest aides at court would write a personal account of their relationship with Emperor Meiji, The emperor himself comes across a true confucian stoic with tamed emotions, and no personal life whatsoever. In this aspect, Keene's has to resort to speculation on Meiji's personal reactions, and dense description of the ceremonies and personalities, to enrich the narrative, which can sometimes make the reading drag a bit.
In conclusion, this is a master work of, perhaps, the most revered Japanese Emperor leading his people through an incredible revolution from and isolated medieval military dictatorship to a modern global industrial empire in less than 50 years.
The author narrates in a clear an precise way, and with astonishing detail for every major, and minor events of this very complex and revolutionary period in the history of Japan. The book strongly benefits of, on top of Keene's expertise on Japanese studies, the author's capacity for researching Japanese sources and not merely relying on foreign accounts.
Given that emperor Meiji left no personal records or memoirs, and not one of its closest aides at court would write a personal account of their relationship with Emperor Meiji, The emperor himself comes across a true confucian stoic with tamed emotions, and no personal life whatsoever. In this aspect, Keene's has to resort to speculation on Meiji's personal reactions, and dense description of the ceremonies and personalities, to enrich the narrative, which can sometimes make the reading drag a bit.
In conclusion, this is a master work of, perhaps, the most revered Japanese Emperor leading his people through an incredible revolution from and isolated medieval military dictatorship to a modern global industrial empire in less than 50 years.
August 11, 2024
If you are seeking for a book on Japanese society costumes this is not the case.
The book subject is:
Firstly how Meiji restoration defeats Shogunate.
Secondly how Japanese court get used to Imperialistic age and, finally, learns from: USA, British Empire, France or Germany how to grow and import technology. As a result Japan defeats China (1894-95) and Russian Empire (1904-05).
Meiji Japan wins International consideration,as well as territory, combining soft and hard power.
You have to love details because the book has:
723 Pages of text+138 Pages of notes
63 Chapters
Pros:
1 Very contextualised analysis.
2 A subtile vision of political violence in Japanese Society (subtile because although between 1860-69 is quite evident, it's harder to detect in 1900-05).
3. An interesting approach to how Europeans and Americans diplomacy learns to conduct a 'normal' relationship with a non white race power.
Cons:
1 Too much unnecessary notes , often the book seems an academic tesis not a book
2 There's no index (the chapters are between 8-13 pages).
3. The author often goes back to a already passed year,once he is explaining an another. This makes your reading unnecessarily difficult.
Enjoy your reading!
The book subject is:
Firstly how Meiji restoration defeats Shogunate.
Secondly how Japanese court get used to Imperialistic age and, finally, learns from: USA, British Empire, France or Germany how to grow and import technology. As a result Japan defeats China (1894-95) and Russian Empire (1904-05).
Meiji Japan wins International consideration,as well as territory, combining soft and hard power.
You have to love details because the book has:
723 Pages of text+138 Pages of notes
63 Chapters
Pros:
1 Very contextualised analysis.
2 A subtile vision of political violence in Japanese Society (subtile because although between 1860-69 is quite evident, it's harder to detect in 1900-05).
3. An interesting approach to how Europeans and Americans diplomacy learns to conduct a 'normal' relationship with a non white race power.
Cons:
1 Too much unnecessary notes , often the book seems an academic tesis not a book
2 There's no index (the chapters are between 8-13 pages).
3. The author often goes back to a already passed year,once he is explaining an another. This makes your reading unnecessarily difficult.
Enjoy your reading!
August 13, 2017
I picked up this book hoping for a biography of a person who (I had assumed) played a pivotal role in Asian politics at the turn of the 20th century. Keene's volume, in its 723 pages, gives a sweep of the history of that era, while never quite approaching the threshold of biography for his subject. Keene explores Meiji's personality through his poems (numerous) and some of the anecdotes about him that are left by the visitors who were kind enough to leave their unvarnished thoughts on the Emperor behind. The result is an impressive work of scholarship, but will leave the reader wanting for a sense of Meiji's personality. I will recommend this book, nonetheless because it takes the reader from the waning days of the shogunate through to the emergence of a modern Japan. For the reader who hope sot walk away with a sense of a complex personality, this is not the volume.
July 20, 2024
I was always curious about the Meiji era and how Japan changed from medieval shogunate society to a modernized nation. I received a lot of answers in this book, many parts truly painted a picture of Japan of those times.
I liked the close-ups to some events and political figures that featured one way or another in those times. I would have liked more on technology and economical development, but that's my preference.
The four stars because the book is very long (though a lot of the book - almost 1/3 - is footnotes), and some of the details about the constant change of ministers was redundant and did not add anything. Yeah, after three or four times we get the picture: the ministers rotated from the same people and they were very flaky.
Also, minus points for reductionist view on Korea's Queen Min.
I liked the close-ups to some events and political figures that featured one way or another in those times. I would have liked more on technology and economical development, but that's my preference.
The four stars because the book is very long (though a lot of the book - almost 1/3 - is footnotes), and some of the details about the constant change of ministers was redundant and did not add anything. Yeah, after three or four times we get the picture: the ministers rotated from the same people and they were very flaky.
Also, minus points for reductionist view on Korea's Queen Min.
June 7, 2024
I cannot believe I finished this massive tome. And more importantly, I can’t believe the audiobook narrator Eric Jason Martin managed to get through this! He did an amazing job making the text engaging. (I also wasn’t expecting the fluent French in the end.)
This is a very readable text because whenever possible, Donald Keene offers Meiji’s thoughts and feelings on events that had happened. Keene takes us through the entirety of Meiji’s life and how Japan evolved as a country. It is not a text on Japanese history, per se, but how Meiji interpreted the history and what his role was in it.
This is a very readable text because whenever possible, Donald Keene offers Meiji’s thoughts and feelings on events that had happened. Keene takes us through the entirety of Meiji’s life and how Japan evolved as a country. It is not a text on Japanese history, per se, but how Meiji interpreted the history and what his role was in it.
January 8, 2022
A detailed account of his life
There is very little of his personal life available. The last chapter emphasizes this as well as commenting on his Confucian stoic approach to life.
The body of the book covers the details of what is known of his life and reign.
I found interesting the difficulty of keeping capable officers in the government. He often refused to let them resign.
There is very little of his personal life available. The last chapter emphasizes this as well as commenting on his Confucian stoic approach to life.
The body of the book covers the details of what is known of his life and reign.
I found interesting the difficulty of keeping capable officers in the government. He often refused to let them resign.
November 18, 2022
I'm not sure it can be called a biography of the Mejii Emperor as such, but rather a detailed look at the start and rise of modern Japan iuntil 1912. The author tries to build a picture of the Emperor by looking at what was happening around him, it seems you never quite catch him directly only obliquely. It also covers the reign of his father the Komei Emperor. I'd recommend it, but be warned it's long and occasionally detail is repeated.
January 11, 2024
For anyone who is interested in Japanese history and its Boshin period or its impressive rise to a major power in East Asia. Fair enough, the author himself states that there is not much information or sources that could describe more Mejis personality, so this book is a more detailed view about the Meji period, rather than a typical biography. Nevertheless I enjoyed very much reading this and I can highly recommend it.
July 20, 2025
Meiji is a fantastically boring figure whose life Keene renders in excruciating detail. This is an excellent read that weaves together Meiji’s biography, thorough descriptions of Imperial court traditions that would have seemed obscure and incomprehensible even to contemporary western visitors, and a complete overview of Japan’s modernization. Highly highly recommend to anyone interested in this period of japanese history if they can get past how admittedly boring much of the book is.
December 16, 2017
Interesting biography of a man who was very hard to know. Describes not only the man, but the general history of Japan during one of the most important periods in its history during which it went from a frankly backward, closed country to first-world power.
Though like everyone, he has faults, Meiji comes across as a man somewhat uncomfortable with power, a stoic driven by duty.
Though like everyone, he has faults, Meiji comes across as a man somewhat uncomfortable with power, a stoic driven by duty.
February 23, 2022
One of the most thorough biographies I have ever read, "Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912" covers Japan's meteoric ascent to become Asia's first developed country. He also beautifully conveys the nationalism that led to the fanaticism of the post-Meiji Japanese nationalism, leading to a destructive global empire.
May 14, 2024
Very detailed biography of Meiji of Meiji restoration. A truly remarkable transformation in Japan’s history. Wish there could be more detailed description of the military campaigns fought. 5 stars if you like court politics and details. Very good mini bios on other famous characters in Meiji’s orbit.
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