Japan and Her People

Japan and Her People is both a detailed description of late 19th century Japan and an overview of the country’s history. Written in 1902 by Anna Hartshorne, a Western educator and long time resident of Japan, the work provides a unique insider’s glimpse at Japanese society as it moved from the traditional Edo period lifestyle towards industrialization. Lively and engaging prose gives life to the urban areas and countryside of Japan from Kyushu to the then wild lands of Hokkaido, exploring lifestyles, customs, culture, and everyday behavior. Regional legends, landmarks (including the tombs of the Tokugawa Shoguns and the Great Buddha of Kamakura), and figures of note (such as “Western Samurai” William Adams and the Christian Hosokawa Gracia) further embellish Hartshorne’s first person observations. Period photos also help to illustrate this era of transition in Japan. Hartshorne covers Japanese history from the earliest creation legends in the Kojiki and Nihongi through the Genpei Wars, the Sengoku Jidai, Japan’s Three Unifiers, and the chaos of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Restoration. Also featured in this edition is a foreword by Lian Hearn, bestselling author of the Tales of the Otori series. Hearn gives information on Anna Hartshorne’s place in history and her impact on early Western images of Japan (including the influential book, Bushido: The Soul of Japan). A welcome addition to any Japanophile or historian’s bookshelf, Japan and Her People will allow the reader to experience the Japan that was. Japan and Her People, has been republished in association with Samurai-archives.com and Jetlag press. Read more