Illustrated History of Japan

From prehistoric times through the important milestones up to the modern day this is a wonderful introduction to Japanese history and culture--how Japan was originally part of the Asian continent, its transformation from the ice age and small villages to a Japanese empire and the world of samurais. Fascinating features of each era are highlighted such as the giant tombs of the Kofun period built by Chinese and Koreans. The power and the influence of the samurais are extensively depicted. The impact of western influences and how the Japanese wrestled with such influences are also explored. The tumultuous events leading to the collapse of the power of the samurais in the 19th centur are also documented. The devastation of the Second World War is illustrated and the book ends with Japan of today. Flowing from one page to the next, Shigeo Nishimura has taken the significant events and personalities of each historical period and brought them to life in vivid and detailed color, helping young readers grasp what people were like and how they lived long ago. Even if it's called the medieval era or aristocratic era, there were always common people--farmers, fishermen, craftmen and merchants. This picture book features the people who took part in the different trades, occupations, and lifestyles, and shows the history of Japan through the stone age to the present day. Illustrating almost 3,500 people, this is a magnificent history book.