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The History of Japan focuses on the history of the Tokugawa Era (1600-1868), The Meiji Era (1868-1912), and the history and events after the eras, although it does include events about early Japan as well as Feudal Japan. The book itself written in 1998 provides accurate historical information especially about history of women. Not only that but this book is great for anyone who can read the newspaper to understand. He provides several Japanese maps for the reader to visualize. The author named Louis G Perez knows a great deal of information about Japanese History as he is Illinois State University professor.
Although the author is not Japanese, he loves Japan very much and thinks it as a magnificent place to stay at. In the first chapter: “A Wonderful Place”, he boasts about how Japan is one of the world’s most industrialized and technological. He enjoys learning and teaching other though his book about Japan’s history.
The author first gives simple summaries about early Japan and then about feudal Japan. In these chapters he explains about the formation of the written language, ideology, religion and arts of Japan. The author has great knowledge about Japan’s neighbor and perhaps rival, China, as well. He provides excellent comparison He explains how Confucianism from China was adapted by the early Japanese in addition to how it influenced them. Later he compares provides comparison between Japanese and Chinese. Describing about how China is mostly monosyllabic while Japanese is polysyllabic. He does a great analysis about how Chinese Taoism influenced the samurai’s “Way of the Warrior”. As well as how the Japanese combined and modified Buddhism, Shinto and other to form to the ultimate philosophy to use and teach to other.
After the first 3 chapters, the author starts focusing on 1500 to post Japan. He talks about the two most important eras: “Tokugawa Era (1600-1868) and The Meiji Era (1868-1912)”. He does a fantastic job focusing on a topic that other books minimally focus on: “Women”. Like other countries Japanese women had few political rights. In early Japan the author does a great job explaining about how the women had a low place. They had the “Three Obediencse” that they must obey which was their fathers, their husband, and later, their sons. In turn for the women’s obedience they would be protected and treated with respect. The author, in short, calls them “eternal children”. During the early periods women would be sold into slavery and prostitution by their fathers for honor or even for money for the family as geishas. However early women were educated in times to help run a family business or teach another male family member. Some even became very educated by accident.
After, he explains about Japan during and after the war., he does a great analysis about Japan after the war during the allied occupation. How the allied first used demystification to cleanse Japan of irrational myths of State Imperial Shinto, demobilization in which 3 million Japanese soldiers were disarmed, demilitarization where the Japanese weapons were destroyed, and last decentralization where the allied decentralized all political power out into hamlets and villages of the country. Last, he explains about Japan life after the allied left and how Japan was strong enough to turn into again a world superpower, as well as how Japan transformed into industrialized and technological country that it is today.
The author of the book keeps the reader awake and while still giving a detailed overview (especially about women) of Japan from the formation to present day. The book is great for anyone studying Japan and wanting to know more about the country’s history.
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