Everyday Life in Traditional Japan

Rating:
Summary: A very informative book
Review: Charles Dunn gives a very detailed book on the traditional way of life of Tokugawa Japan. From the lowly peasant to the nobles Mr. Dunn extensively explains what they did, why they did, & how they did everything. For the casual reader this book might be a little too detailed; but for the historical interested - it is a must. I have yet to find the kind of information that Charles Dunn presents in this book anywhere else.

Rating:
Summary: A very informative book
Review: Charles Dunn gives a very detailed book on the traditional way of life of Tokugawa Japan. From the lowly peasant to the nobles Mr. Dunn extensively explains what they did, why they did, & how they did everything. For the casual reader this book might be a little too detailed; but for the historical interested - it is a must. I have yet to find the kind of information that Charles Dunn presents in this book anywhere else.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Useful Book!
Review: I've just started to read this book for research of a novel in the planning, and it has been very useful, even within the first few pages! It goes thru all the classes from the samurai class to the outcasts. I would highly reccommend this book to anyone that needs to know how the Japanese lived during the reign of the Tokugawa shoguns!

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Useful Book!
Review: I've just started to read this book for research of a novel in the planning, and it has been very useful, even within the first few pages! It goes thru all the classes from the samurai class to the outcasts. I would highly reccommend this book to anyone that needs to know how the Japanese lived during the reign of the Tokugawa shoguns!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Introduction
Review: This book covers the everyday life of the Edo period which is from the 1600's to the 1800's. During this period, Japan was shut off from the outside world and developed a unique culture. When people think of old Japan, this is usually the period they think of thanks to the great number of period dramas that depict this era.

The book examines the social divisions of this period. The four main groups are the samurai, the farmers, the craftsmen, and the merchants. Each group has an entire section devoted to it which details the lifestyle of each group. After this, several outsider groups are considered. The book ends with a general overview of life in the old capital Edo which is now called Tokyo. For those who are looking for a resource for information on the world of the samurai, this book gives a good overview of their world.

My only complaint about this book is that it was published in 1969, so the writing style feels a little dated and it seems it was written for a Western audience which was unfamiliar with Japanese culture. Basically, it's style is dated, but the information is accurate and useful. Anyone who is interested in Japan and doesn't know well about the history of Japan will find this to be a great introduction

Rating:
Summary: A Great Introduction
Review: This book covers the everyday life of the Edo period which is from the 1600's to the 1800's. During this period, Japan was shut off from the outside world and developed a unique culture. When people think of old Japan, this is usually the period they think of thanks to the great number of period dramas that depict this era.

The book examines the social divisions of this period. The four main groups are the samurai, the farmers, the craftsmen, and the merchants. Each group has an entire section devoted to it which details the lifestyle of each group. After this, several outsider groups are considered. The book ends with a general overview of life in the old capital Edo which is now called Tokyo. For those who are looking for a resource for information on the world of the samurai, this book gives a good overview of their world.

My only complaint about this book is that it was published in 1969, so the writing style feels a little dated and it seems it was written for a Western audience which was unfamiliar with Japanese culture. Basically, it's style is dated, but the information is accurate and useful. Anyone who is interested in Japan and doesn't know well about the history of Japan will find this to be a great introduction