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Sir George Bailey Sansom
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A History of Japan to 1334 1st Edition

by George Sansom (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 70 ratings
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This is a straightforward narrative of the development of Japanese civilization to 1334 by the author of Japan: A Short Cultural History. While complete in itself, it is also the first volume of a three-volume work which will be the first large-scale, comprehensive history of Japan.

Taken as a whole, the projected history represents the culmination of the life work of perhaps the most distinguished historian now writing on Japan. Unlike the renowned Short Cultural History, it is concerned mainly with political and social phenomena and only incidentally touches on religion, literature, and the arts. The treatment is primarily descriptive and factual, but the author offers some pragmatic interpretations and suggests comparisons with the history of other peoples.

A History of Japan to 1334 describes the growth from tribal origins of an organized state on a Chinese model, gives a picture of the life of the Royal Court, and examines the conflict between a polished urban nobility and a warlike rural gentry. It traces the evolution of an efficient system of feudal government which deprived the sovereign of all but his ritual functions and the prestige of his ancestry. The structure of Japanese feudal society is depicted in some detail and explained in terms of its internal stresses and its behavior in peace and war, especially during the period of the Mongol attacks in the last decades of the thirteenth century. The volume ends with the collapse of the feudal government at Kamakura under the attack of ambitious rivals.

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  1. ISBN-10
    0804705232
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0804705233
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publication date
    June 1, 1958
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 1.32 x 9 inches
  7. Print length
    528 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Superb . . . This work will be the standard history of Japan for all serious students."
The American Historical Review


"A brilliant synthesis . . . The culmination of the life work of the most distinguished historian writing on Japan, it is not likely to be equaled in our generation."
The Canadian Historical Review


"Not likely to be superseded. . . . An impressive achievement."
The Times Literary Supplement

From the Back Cover

The author has attempted to eschew theoretical assumptions about human societies and confined himself to a straightforward narrative. He has made use of the work of leading Japanese historians, and consulted primary sources.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stanford University Press; 1st edition (June 1, 1958)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0804705232
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0804705233
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.32 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 70 ratings

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Sir George Bailey Sansom

Sir George Bailey Sansom

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
70 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Yep, a classic
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
Wow. How do I start this.

This is part of a massive 3-volume history of Japan. It is very complete as to the politics and, very often, the economics of why the rulers of Japan did what they did when. Scholarly without being totally desiccated the prose is imminently readable and enjoyable. This is not for the casual reader, unless said casual reader is very eclectic in their reading.

Detailed, very detailed. And I'm not catching any major (nor really, minor) mistakes. The series becomes increasingly better as history progresses but mainly because the source material becomes increasingly better, a problem any historiographer will have.

Any of the three volumes is readable in and of itself, but as with all history knowing what came before is of importance. The three volumes divide Japanese history into 3 uneven periods; Volume 1 essentially deals with the history up to through the early feudal period and the rise of the military class, Sansom cuts this off at 1333. Volume 2 essentially deals with the Sengoku Period where the country was being united by the warlords, ending with Volume 3, the Tokugawa Shogunate to the beginning of the Meiji Restoration. Sadly, due to Author Existence Failure there won't be any subsequent volumes. A fourth volume of Modern Japan, 1867 - 1955 would have been fascinating, especially in that Sansom participated in much of the postwar occupation of Japan as well having had been a diplomat in the period leading up to the war in the Far East. Happily there are other volumes by him that addresses some of this, and other Japanese topics.

For the historian of Far East Asia I cannot praise this series enough. For the history student, I recommend the series as a marvelous example of how history should be written. For the casual reader, it can be a slog. Japanese names are daunting enough and then there's the Japanese habit of changing names, sometimes radically so. Some Japanese cultural aspects also take getting accustomed to, but as long as you remember it is their culture and they are allowed to have their culture their way (something too few people remember...) then it will be alright.
22 people found this helpful
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Dominique l.
5.0 out of 5 stars The content of the book
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Just got the book in today I bought it used and there is definitely some damage to the spine, but overall I'm happy with my purchase and beyond excited to begin reading the book by just glancing at the index it verifys to me that I finally found a book that will give me the information I have been looking for in a Japanese history book.
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'60s Rodder
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic reference
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2018
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A bit wordy, but then if you aren't willing to read, there are always videos. Excellent and elegant reference.
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Jay White
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2018
Verified Purchase
good book so far. was in great condition.
One person found this helpful
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Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2018
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Great book
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David S.
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, if somewhat dated
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2006
First published in the late 1950s and early 1960s, George Sansom's three-volume history of Japan is still a valuable English-language introduction, though it does show its age in a few ways. This first volume surveys the history of Japan from its earliest prehistory to the Kemmu Restoration of 1334. Sansom focuses largely on political and military history, but also spends considerable time on high culture, especially as related to Buddhism. Sansom includes a lot of detail, which makes his history especially useful as a reference, though sometimes tough to read straight through.

Sansom, typically for historians of his generation (he was born in 1883), focuses almost exclusively on the elite and upper classes. Though his discussions of cultural matters expand his account beyond the proverbial 'princes and battles', they are still in line with the elite focus; it often seems as though Sansom doesn't actually recognize any culture at all among the lower classes. For instance, he dismisses Japan's indigenous "pagan cult" as a collection of "rudimentary beliefs": "simple", "illogical", "weak and primitive", without theological, cultural or intellectual merit and of interest chiefly in its relations with the civilized Buddhism imported from the continent (23, 228 - 233). According to Sansom, it was not until the ninth century that Japanese culture even began to take shape, based on the example of China (129).

China plays a major role in Sansom's interpretation of Japanese history: the general story he tells is one of importation of political and cultural ideas from China, and their gradual adaptation to Japanese circumstances (132). This interpretation is not necessarily wrong, but Sansom weakens his argument by swearing off any interpretive treatment in his preface and promising to restrict his work to "the mere collection and arrangement of facts." The result is that even though he presents an interpretation of Japanese history, he doesn't argue for it effectively, making some of his conclusions seem more like sweeping generalizations with insufficient support than they might otherwise have been. This unfortunately detracts from the generally high quality of his history.

Another annoying habit of Sansom's is to explain features of Japanese history by analogy to Europe. Christianity and European paganism stand in for Buddhism and indigenous Japanese religious practices; the Fujiwara regency is explained through reference to the Merovingian Mayors of the Palace in seventh and eighth century Frankish kingdoms; literary accomplishments of Japan and Europe are put alongside each other. Sansom assumes extensive familiarity with European history. I, for example, was put in the ironic position of trying to understand the roles of the Merovingian Mayors of the Palace by using my prior knowledge of the Fujiwara regency, where Sansom had intended precisely the opposite.

Even though I've been somewhat critical in this review, I don't want to give the wrong impression. Despite its age, Sansom's history remains a good comprehensive (and affordable) English-language introduction to Japanese history. Indeed, the fact that it remains such a popular and respected study so long after its creation speaks volumes about its overall quality and worth. The high level of detail makes it especially valuable as a reference or supplement to other works that assume familiarity with the basic facts.
43 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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YuMi Hc
3.0 out of 5 stars Aburrido
Reviewed in Mexico on March 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
Es un libro lento y aburrido. Se la pasa comprando los inicios con otras culturas de otras épocas y no continúa. Menciona deidades pero no explica todas, y tienes que buscarlas. Si tu intención solo es conocer más de Japón y no eres historiador, no lo compres
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Francine da Silva Lacerda
5.0 out of 5 stars A History Of Japan
Reviewed in Brazil on July 26, 2018
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livro muito bom! Leitura esclarecedora e um olhar diferenciado para a história do Japão. Livro em ótimo material e chegou rápido.
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GC
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic overview
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2019
Verified Purchase
Eloquently written, this book provides a detailed and yet readable overview of the early history of Japan. Its focus is on political events and developments, but it still covers some economic and social history. For any student of Japanese history it is a worthwhile read and an excellent foundation for further research.
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Guy Chardon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent classique
Reviewed in France on August 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
Cet ouvrage est un classique bien connu des spécialistes de l'histoire du Japon. Il procure une remarquable introduction pour quiconque s'interresse 0 cette question.
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Martin Boeker
5.0 out of 5 stars Beeindruckend
Reviewed in Germany on December 3, 2012
Verified Purchase
Für eine sehr ausführliche und tiefgehende Beschreibung und Erklärung der japanischen Geschichte ist dieses Buch überraschend angenehm und leicht zu lesen. Eine echte Empfehlung für Geschichtsinteressierte
3 people found this helpful
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