Samurai Revolution by Romulus Hillsborough
See the dawn of modern Japan through the lens of the power players who helped shape it — as well as those who fought against it — in this exploration of Samurai history. Samurai Revolution tells the fascinating story of Japan's historic transformation at the end of the nineteenth century from a country of shoguns, feudal lords and samurai to a modern industrialized nation. The book covers the turbulent Meiji Period from 1868 to 1912, widely considered "the dawn of modern Japan," a time of Samurai history in which those who choose to cling to their traditional bushido way of life engaged in frequent and often deadly clashes with champions of modernization. Knowledge of this period is essential to understand how and why Japan evolved into the nation it is today. The book opens with the fifteen-year fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which had ruled Japan for over 250 years, and the restoration of the Meiji emperor to a position of power at the expense of the feudal Daimyo lords. It chronicles the bloody first decade of the newly reestablished monarchy, in which the new government worked desperately to consolidate its power and introduce the innovations that would put Japan on equal footing with the Western powers threatening to dominate it. Finally, Samurai Revolution goes on to tell the story of the Satsuma Rebellion, a failed coup attempt that is widely viewed as the final demise of the samurai class in Japan. This book is the first comprehensive history and analysis in English covering all the key figures in this exciting drama and is the result of over twenty-five years of studying this critical period in Japanese history. The book contains numerous original translations of crucial documents and correspondence of the time, as well as photographs and maps. Samurai Revolution goes in-depth to reveal how one era ended and another began.
"Hillsborough deserves high praise for successfully combining high drama…with meticulous scholarship" —The Daily Yomiuri
"Hillsborough…has done a masterful job of bringing a chaotic period to life." —Booklist
"With his easily readable and entertaining style, Hillsborough does a great job of elucidating the complex customs that ruled Edo Period life and politics." —The Japan Times
"We found it to be not only an excellent biography of Katsu, but an exceedingly well-done, intricate, and clearly written overview of this vital period of Japanese history." —Samurai Archives blog
"…Samurai Revolution serves as a compelling and timely warning for America today. Hillsborough astutely captures the serious consequences of self-imposed isolation, xenophobia and failure to adapt to the changing world." —Major Christopher J. Heatherly, Armchair General magazine
"Hillsborough's prose is cinematic and intense." —The Wargamer blog
"This fine book is one of only a small number of books in the English language that gives a true and authentic account of Japanese history." —Tsutomu Ohshima, Chief Instructor, Shotokan Karate of America
"This is a fascinating study of a fascinating period, when an ancient culture was forced to come to terms with the modern world and almost uniquely managed to achieve a rapid transformation…" —Historyofwar.org
"Hillsborough…has done a masterful job of bringing a chaotic period to life." —Booklist
"With his easily readable and entertaining style, Hillsborough does a great job of elucidating the complex customs that ruled Edo Period life and politics." —The Japan Times
"We found it to be not only an excellent biography of Katsu, but an exceedingly well-done, intricate, and clearly written overview of this vital period of Japanese history." —Samurai Archives blog
"…Samurai Revolution serves as a compelling and timely warning for America today. Hillsborough astutely captures the serious consequences of self-imposed isolation, xenophobia and failure to adapt to the changing world." —Major Christopher J. Heatherly, Armchair General magazine
"Hillsborough's prose is cinematic and intense." —The Wargamer blog
"This fine book is one of only a small number of books in the English language that gives a true and authentic account of Japanese history." —Tsutomu Ohshima, Chief Instructor, Shotokan Karate of America
"This is a fascinating study of a fascinating period, when an ancient culture was forced to come to terms with the modern world and almost uniquely managed to achieve a rapid transformation…" —Historyofwar.org
Romulus Hillsborough lived in Tokyo for sixteen years, immersing himself in the study of Japanese language, history and culture. Hillsborough's books include Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai and Shinsengumi: The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps. He lives with his wife, Minako, and son, Matthew, in San Francisco.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9784805312353 |
| ISBN 10 | 4805312351 |
| Title | Samurai Revolution |
| Author | Romulus Hillsborough |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Tuttle Publishing |
| Year published | 2014-03-25 |
| Number of pages | 608 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |