I'm interested in reading up on the history of Japan and was wondering if someone could recommend me a history book. I could take a Japanese history class at my university next semester, but maybe won't. I browsed the reading list for the class, but they don't list any single history book that covers your standard bunch of historical facts; rather, it's mainly a list of primary documents. I just want a basic run-down of the history of the country where somebody else has summarized the main points for me. Not necessarily brief, just a good book or set of books that cover the basics. I know almost nothing so launching right into primary documents seems a little pointless at this point. Thanks in advance.

I have Japan: A Short History which has a reasonable broad run-down (concentrating more on the later history). OTOH there may be better ones out there, and at less than 250 pages its coverage is inevitably limited. At least it's cheap :-)

At completely the opposite end of the 'scope' spectrum, I would recommend Pat Barr's _The Coming of the Barbarians_ as a very readable pop-science level treatment of the early years of Western settlement in Japan (1853-1870).

Also you've reminded me that I really ought to have another go at working through NHK's series on Japanese history for high school students. I got a bit past the Heian era before I got stuck last time...

You might look into the Cambridge History of Japan. Multiple volumes, very expensive, unless you're unscrupulous like some folks on the internet... ^_^

To be honest, it seems like any of the decently high rated books on Japan at Amazon are good for an overview.

ruiner Wrote:You might look into the Cambridge History of Japan. Multiple volumes, very expensive, unless you're unscrupulous like some folks on the internet... ^_^

To be honest, it seems like any of the decently high rated books on Japan at Amazon are good for an overview.

Wow - when you said very expensive I initially thought how bad could it be? But seriously WOW!!! I'd want it personally dedicated by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself for the prices the're offering on Amazon UK.

Rooboy Wrote:

ruiner Wrote:You might look into the Cambridge History of Japan. Multiple volumes, very expensive, unless you're unscrupulous like some folks on the internet... ^_^

To be honest, it seems like any of the decently high rated books on Japan at Amazon are good for an overview.

Wow - when you said very expensive I initially thought how bad could it be? But seriously WOW!!! I'd want it personally dedicated by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself for the prices the're offering on Amazon UK.

Only $918 for the 6-volume set at Cambridge.org! ;p

They seem dated too, so any developments in the past 15-20 years in historical research would be best found elsewhere, methinks.

Thanks for the recommendations so far. Don't worry about the prices, though. I can borrow most of these books from the uni library (in fact I think I saw a few volumes of the Cambridge series when I was in there today).

That NHK series is a fantastic resource, wish I had seen that earlier.

I took a course on Japanese history, ages and ages ago. I believe the text was Varley's book, "Japanese Culture." "Japan: A Modern History," was also used for the more modern events.

Another book we used was "Japan at War: An Oral History," which is a collection of anecdotes from Japanese (and other Asians) who were involved in the events surrounding the Pacific War. I really recommend this one.

pm215 Wrote:Also you've reminded me that I really ought to have another go at working through NHK's series on Japanese history for high school students. I got a bit past the Heian era before I got stuck last time...

Sweet!

Schirokauer's "A Brief History of Chinese and Japanese Civilizations" has been really enjoyable. I'm sure the Japanese-only version is just as good (they use it for the "Intro to Japan" class at University of Texas, which has a great program). It's a bit pricey, but you can get it used, and in an older edition if possible (I got 2nd edition at Half Price Books for $8).

Inventing Japan: 1853-1964, by Ian Buruma is a short, concise, and very engagingly-written history of that period.

A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present, by Andrew Gordon, is a longer, more detailed treatment of that time period. It's coverage ends in the 1990's.

Of course, these are not comprehensive but for the time range they cover both are excellent.

I am not familiar with the NHK series that a couple of posters have mentioned but, in my opinion, anything that NHK promotes should be very carefully evaluated as regards its impartiality. NHK really toes the official line and shies away from anything that is controversial about Japanese history much less anything that the (many and influential) rightists in the government and ministries might get antsy about.

I started out with A Traveller's History of Japan by Richard Tames. It compresses the entire history into less than 300 pages. Incredibly shallow of course, but well-written for what it is.

This: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Premodern-Japan-...0813380650
followed by: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Modern-Japan-His...674&sr=1-9

Is a good BASIC primer of Japanese history. You're going to need many more (thick) books to get anything resembling a good understanding instead of a brief outline though (those two books have survey in the title for a reason). You're going to also want to study art, literature, and religion, because they all played a huge part in Japan (moreso than the west in the case of art and literature imo) and the court rarely gets enough coverage in a survey history book because samurai are more exciting.

For literature I recommend: http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Japane...y_b_text_b and the followup: http://www.amazon.com/Early-Modern-Japan...0231109903 which are by the foremost authority on Japanese literature.

For art I recommend http://www.amazon.co.jp/Japanese-Art-Wor...41&sr=1-35

I have no recommendations for religion since I never studied it from a (single) book, instead using academic journals and excerpts from religious texts.

I also recommend the first two books mentioned by bluemarigolds as supplements.

Finally, for greater depth of understanding you should also study Indian art & religion and Chinese art/religion/literature, since they are the foundation upon which Japanese culture is built.

markal Wrote:I am not familiar with the NHK series that a couple of posters have mentioned but, in my opinion, anything that NHK promotes should be very carefully evaluated as regards its impartiality.

Yes, I'd agree; I treat it more as language practice than as an unbiased source of information.

Scholarly articles are also a great way to get basic info down too you know.
Try reading one. Although they are written to argue some specific point of view or idea, the first few pages almost always consist of a nice summary on a period of history. Don't think that just because you know nothing about Japanese history mean that you won't be able to understand/appreciate an article written about an influentual person of the day or something.

If you're at university you'll have free access to them so just check them out too, they're good.

JSTOR has a large collection of shit, try searching through there for a primer/historical survey, you're bound to find something. Or a REVIEW of something even which is good either way.