The Japanese nation in evolution; steps in the progress of a great people

By William Elliot Griffis

Book Overview

How did a secluded island realm become a modern power? William Elliot Griffis traces the answer with rare clarity and immediacy. Japan remade itself in decades. Written by an early Western observer with long experience of the country, this classic Japan history follows the forces that reshaped society, government, education, religion, and everyday life as the old order met new ideas. It is a public domain history book with the pace of reportage and the breadth of a national portrait. Griffis maps the Meiji Restoration modernisation as a lived process: the tensions of Japan westernisation and reform, the rethinking of institutions, and the disciplined energy behind the rise of modern Japan. For readers drawn to Meiji era Japan and nineteenth century Japan, the book offers a grounded narrative that connects policy to people and tradition to transformation. Its perspective stands alongside other foundational English-language encounters with Japan, from early Western Japanology to the more literary Lafcadio Hearn Japan essays, making it valuable both as history and as a record of how Japan was first interpreted abroad. Ideal for east Asian studies reading, and a strong choice for Japan history students seeking context beyond timelines and battles. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today -- a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike. Offered as a complete unabridged edition, it belongs on the shelf of any classic-literature collector who values serious, enduring nonfiction.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9353707803
• ISBN13: 9789353707804
• Release Date: June 2019
• Publisher: Alpha Edition
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 1.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.5"