A brief history of Japan : samurai, shogun and zen : the extraordinary story of the land of the rising sun by
This fascinating history tells the story of the people of Japan, from ancient teenage priest-queens to teeming hordes of salarymen, a nation that once sought to conquer China, yet also shut itself away for two centuries in self-imposed seclusion. Stretching for nearly 2000 miles and encompassing almost 7000 islands, Japan has the fourth largest GDP and the tenth largest population in the world. Japan is a country of paradoxes, a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes and an active earthquake zone. Despite a reputation for sprawling cities and cutting-edge technology, seventy-three percent of its land comprises uninhabited mountains and forests. First revealed to the West in the Travels of Marco Polo, Japan was the legendary faraway land defended by the fearsome Kamikaze storm, and ruled by a divine sovereign. It was the terminus of the Silk Road and the edge of the known world, a fictional construct for European arts and crafts, and an enduring symbol of the mysterious east. In recent times, it became the powerhouse of global industry, a nexus of pop culture and a harbinger of post-industrial decline.
A History of Japan by
A classic of Japanese history, this book is still the preeminent work on the history of Japan. Newly revised and updated, A History of Japan is a fascinating look at the nation of Japan throughout history. Starting in ancient Japan during its early pre-history period A History of Japan covers every important aspect of history and culture through feudal Japan to the post-cold War period and collapse of the Bubble Economy in the early 1990's. Recent findings shed additional light on the origins of Japanese civilization and the birth of Japanese culture. Classic illustrations and unique pictures are dispersed throughout the book. A History of Japan, Revised Edition includes: Archaic Japan--including Yamato, the creation of a unified state, the Nana Period, and the Heian period Medieval Japan-- including rule by the military houses, the failure of Ashikaga Rule, Buddhism, and the Kamakura and Muroachi Periods periods Ealy Modern Japan--including Japanese feudalism, administration under the Tokugawa, and society and culture in early modern Japan Modern Japan--including The Meiji Era and policies for modernization, from consensus to crisis (1912-1937), and solutions through force This contemporary classic continues to be a central book in Japanese studies.
Japan: History and Culture from Classical to Cool by
Japan: History and Culture from Classical to Cool provides a historical account of Japan's elite and popular cultures from premodern to modern periods. Drawing on the most up-to-date scholarship across numerous disciplines, Nancy K. Stalker presents the key historical themes, cultural trends, and religious developments throughout Japanese history. Focusing on everyday life and ordinary consumption, this is the first textbook of its kind to explore both imperial and colonial culture and offer expanded content on issues pertaining to gender and sexuality. Organized into fourteen chronological and thematic chapters, this text explores some of the most notable and engaging aspects of Japanese life and is well suited for undergraduate classroom use.
Modern Japan by
A valuable companion reference Concentrating on the period following Admiral Perry's visit in the 1850's, the encyclopedia examines the historical events, leaders, and societal pressures in the country's recent past that affected Japan's entry into the modern age. Like its companion volume, the encyclopedia covers important political topics, the arts, religion, business, literature, education, journalism, and other major social, cultural, and economic forces. Looks at the emperor and nationalism Emphasizing the close ties that always existed between the emperor system and nationalism, the encyclopedia carefully explores the various forms of nationalism that flourished since the middle of the last century, discusses how hte supernationalism of the beginning of the century ultimately led to World War II, looks at the uniquely Japanese custom of national self-analysis, and examines the country's remarkable postwar market-building economic nationalism. Charts major influencesand contemporary concerns TheEncyclopediabrings together in a single volume the major themes and currents that influenced and shaped Japan into a modern economic giant. Ranging over the entire spectrum of modern Japanese history, expert contributors provide concise entries on specific episodes and individuals, as well as longer articles on broad topics such as militarism, labor, cinema, censorship, and returning students. TheEncyclopediaalso examines many of the forces driving Japan today: trade relationships, attitudes towards World War II, the role of national defense, whether to revise the constitution, dealing with unskilled foreign labor, and more. All major entries are followed by an English-language bibliography for pursuing subjects in depth.
Polish some of the research skills that will be necessary for research, writing, and presentation across multiple academic disciplines.
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