When Japan opened to the outside world in the mid-19th century, people in the West were curious about this previously little-known country. Many foreign visitors and long-term residents tried to satisfy that curiosity by publishing written accounts of their stays. Japan As They Saw It collects excerpts from those accounts. The excerpts are grouped into seven broad categories:
Each category is divided into subcategories. A full list appears in the Contents. Readers are encouraged to browse as their interests take them.More information about Japan As They Saw It appears in the Introduction. There is also an annotated timeline of Japanese history during this period; a Glossary, to help readers identify the current spellings of place names and other Japanese terms; and a list of Sources, including links both to the books excerpted here and to many others.
A video introduction to Japan As They Saw It is available at the Internet Archive.
All of the content of Japan As They Saw It may be downloaded as a free ebook from any of the following links: