"Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" is such an unlikely book--a series of letters by a British female independent traveler / amateur anthropologist traveling through the unbeaten paths of a Japan at the dawn of its opening to the West. Seeing Japan through Isabella Bird's eyes is fascinating both for her account of rural northern Honshu and Hokkaido, as well as what her writings say about her own mindset and worldview. Bird herself is an unlikely protagonist in her own story, a female traveler who had suffered painful maladies her whole life, who nonetheless eschewed comforts and took the rather arduous route through parts of Japan that even today are largely off the beaten path. Bird is a gifted writer, skilled at narrating both the mundane and the sublime aspects of her journey through a Japan that will be both familiar and yet intriguingly foreign for those readers familiar with modern Japan.
Bird is very observant, and especially for her time, very empathetic, open-minded, and gracious--in many ways, she is easy for the modern reader to relate to, despite the wide gulf in time and culture that separate us. However, I think it is precisely because she exhibits so many relatable qualities that it is all the more jarring when she does describe the Japanese or Ainu as grotesque, savage, stupid, hideous, looking like monkeys, or any other number of descriptions that will be rather shocking for the modern reader. I imagine there are some who would either blacklist Bird for this reason, or at the other extreme, excuse her for being a product of her time. I wrestled with this issue throughout my reading of this book, and I came down in the middle between these two extremes: I could *understand* Bird as the product of her environment, while at the same time finding such utterances (and the mindset that produced them) as abhorrent and, to borrow one of her own phrases, savage. Not only that, but it also represents a missed opportunity--how can one fully understand or appreciate peoples that they view in patronizing terms as children, even animals, no matter how 'well-intentioned' they might be? How the reader thinks about this issue will likely differ from individual to individual, but for many, it will likely be difficult not to let this issue affect their enjoyment of this work. Yet, it also provides an important and thought-provoking meditation on issues of race, class, and religion that Bird herself could not have anticipated when she wrote her letters. For this reason, I for one would've loved Ito's take on traveling with Bird!
Yet, for most of the book, this is not a major issue. If anything, the reader will likely get a little weary of the descriptions of the difficult roads or uncooperative horses or flea-infested lodgings, which get a bit predictable and repetitive after a time (although, they do make one appreciate Bird's hardships all the more, as well as her restraint in not romanticizing her journey). Yet, just when one starts to grow a bit weary of such descriptions, Bird will give a fascinating account of a wedding or hospital or temple that pulls one in completely. Her writings in Hokkaido are particularly poignant, poetic even. This work might not be for everyone, but for anyone interested in this time period and this location, it is an important document and an interesting read. Warts and all, I'm glad I read it, and would happily recommend it to others with similar interests.
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2019
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A fascinating travelogue of Japan written 140 yeaars ago by a woman of adventurous spirit, curiosity, courage, and grit.
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2015Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2013
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Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2016
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Top reviews from other countries
MikeRichardson
Great book, interesting to see the changes in Japan over the last 150 yers
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2021Verified Purchase
maryleopard
late Victorian perspective on Japan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2009Verified Purchase
Ian Guy-Moore
Easily readable quality book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2017Verified Purchase
A. S. Bird
Fascinating account of travels in 19th-century rural Japan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 6, 2015Verified Purchase
Kate M.
Water damage
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2020Verified Purchase
