Everyday Life in Traditional Japan (Tuttle Classics of Japanese Literature) (Paperback)

~ Charles J. Dunn (Author), Laurence Broderick (Author) "Being at the eastern end of the Asian continental mass, Japan has a climate in many ways like that of the Northern Atlantic states of..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Everyday Life in Traditional Japan paints a vivid portrait of Tokugawa Japan, a time when contact with the outside world was deliberately avoided and the daily life of the different classes consolidated the traditions that shaped modern Japan. Authentic samurai, farmers, craftsmen, merchants, courtiers, priests, entertainers and outcasts come to life in this magnificently illustrated portrait of a colorful society.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (December 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804813841
• ISBN-13: 978-0804813846
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #715,136 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very informative book, November 26, 1998

By A Customer

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.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Useful Book!, November 30, 1999

By	Jennifer Sneed "valiantstables" (Callender, IA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Introduction, January 15, 2004

By	T. Hooper "thdizzy" (Osaka, Japan) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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