Japan and Britain after 1859: Creating Cultural Bridges - Hardcover

Checkland, Olive

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0700717471 ISBN 13: 9780700717477

Publisher: Routledge, 2002

Synopsis

In the years following Japan's long period of self-imposed isolation from the world, Japan developed a new relationship with the West, and especially with Britain, where relations grew to be particularly close. The Japanese, embarrassed by their perceived comparative backwardness, looked to the West to learn modern industrial techniques, including the design and engineering skills which underpinned them. At the same time, taking great pride in their own culture, they exhibited and sold high quality products of traditional Japanese craftsmanship in the West, stimulating a thirst for, and appreciation of, Japanese arts and crafts. This book examines the two-way bridge-building cultural exchange which took place between Japan and Britain in the years after 1859 and into the early years of the twentieth century. Topics covered include architecture, industrial design, prints, painting and photographs, together with a consideration of Japanese government policy, the Japan-Britain Exhibition of 1910, and commercial spin-offs. In addition, there are case studies of key individuals who were particularly influential in fostering British-Japanese cultural bridges in this period.

About this title

About the Author:

At present Olive is fellow (Overseas) Fukuzawa Memorial Centre, Keio University, Tokyo, jaoan. She is also Associate Editor of teh new Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University press) with responsibility for Nineteenth Century East Asian entries.

Review:

..."provides a narrative of the cultural interaction between Japan and Great Britain from 1859 to the early 20th century. The book is very handsome, with numerous period photographs and illustrations, and offers new understandings of various aspects of British-Japanese cultural exchange.."
-Choice

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0700717471
• ISBN 13: 9780700717477
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304