Donald Keene

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Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912

Donald Keene

Synopsis:
When Meiji began his rule, Japan was dominated by the shogun and the daimyos, the rulers of the more than 250 decentralized domains, most of whom were cut off from the outside world, staunchly antiforeign, and committed to the values of the past. During Meiji´s reign the shogun surrendered to the emperor, a new constitution was adopted, and Japan emerged as a modern, industrialized state. How Japan was so transformed -to the point where, by the end of Meiji´s life, it was counted among the five great powers of the world -is an extraordinary story.
Not much is known about Meiji himself beyond the fact that he was the first emperor ever to meet a European, and most historians discuss the period with barely a mention of his name, assuming that he had no real involvement in affairs of state. In this magisterial work, Donald Keene sifts the available evidence to present a rich portrait not only of Meiji but also of this pivotal period in Japan´s history.

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Other editions: Softcover - 2009, Hardcover - 2008, Hardcover - 2006, Softcover - 2006, Softcover - 2005, Softcover - 2005, Softcover - 2003, Softcover - 2003, Hardcover - 2003, 2003