The 10 Best Japanese History Books
Editor's Notes
October 25, 2019:
Japanese history books are as varied and engaging as the country's history. Whether you are looking for a tome that covers a very specific period in great detail, or one that gives a broad overview of nearly every major event and cultural phenomenon in this fascinating county, you can find it on this list.
During our most recent update, we replaced the fourth edition of Modern History: From Tokugawa Times To Present with the fourth edition, to ensure we are recommending the most current textbook to students. We also eliminated A Hundred Years Of Japanese Film because we felt that, in its effort to cover as many films as possible, it didn't delve far enough into each one. Its History And Culture 4th Edition was also removed due to the fact that many readers were finding it too dull, and if you are willing to deal with that kind of dry writing, we believe you will gain more from the extremely comprehensive A History of the Japanese People.
If you want a book that covers nearly as broad a range of topics and time periods as A History of the Japanese People, but in a more abridged and engaging format, we recommend A Concise History of Japan.
The Making Of Modern Japan maintains its position as one of our favorite choices. Encompassing the last 400 or so years, it covers three periods of social and institutional changes in the country and is written in a somewhat academic, yet still engaging, manner. We think most readers will appreciate its unbiased approach to presenting the information, too.
Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan is a new addition to the list that covers a period of Japanese history when country underwent some of the most rapid and jarring changes, 1926 to 1989. It places a heavy focus on the lead up to and aftermath of WWII and debunks many of the common myths surround the country's 124th emperor, such as that of him being a powerless constitutional monarch. It would make a great addition to any Pacific war buff's collection of World War II books.