Japan: A Short History

Title: Japan: A Short History
Author: John K. Gillespie
Publisher: IBC PUBLISHING
Level: 5.8

Summary:
Not only Japan but also any other countries have their original history. This book shows Japanese history very shortly and simply. In this book, there are seven chapters. Japanese history has some periods, and each of them has distinctive characteristic. Say Kamakura Period for example, there were many bushies, or professional warriors, and the Genji and Heike clans fought each other for control of the country. It is called “Gempei war.” At first, Heike won some battle and took control, but after the leader, Heike no Kiyomori, dead, it is defeated by the Genji clan. Finally, Minamoto no Yoritomo, who is the leader of the Genji, become shogun, supreme general, and established his military government in Kamakura in 1192. Therefore the period is called Kamakura period.

Rate: ★★★★★
This book is very fan for me. I am Japanese and, of course, I have studied Japanese history. However, if you asked me to explain it in English, I couldn’t. This book tells us important things about Japanese history, but the explanation is not difficult and very short. So after reading this book, I think I may become able to explain Japanese history in English a little.