Japan and the Shackles of the Past by R. Taggart Murphy

Japan's oldest surviving narrative, the eighth-century Kojiki, chronicles the mythical origins of its islands and their ruling dynasty through a diverse array of genealogies, tales, and songs that have helped to shape the modern nation's views of its ancient past. The Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters Recommended by Mark Berghan, Owner, A2ZTranslate Limited Know where you have been to understand where you are going!” Between them they encapsulate a lot of the underlying structures and ethics of modern Japan. “Genji Monogatari, Kojiki, Nihon Shoki (all in EN translation). He is a passionate character whose tempestuous nature, family circumstances, love affairs, alliances, and shifting political fortunes form the core of this magnificent epic. Genji, the Shining Prince, is the son of an emperor.

Written in the eleventh century, this exquisite portrait of courtly life in medieval Japan is widely celebrated as the world’s first novel. Note: Slight edits were made for grammar, punctuation, and clarity. Get ready-you’ll want to bookmark this list for the best books on Japan, as recommended by Japan’s expat and executive community.įrom 5-star fiction to serious examinations of Japan’s politics and governance, here are 31 book recommendations to fill out your summer reading list. As part of our continuing series where we get insights directly from our readers, we asked Jason Ball's Business in Japan members to recommend a book that deepened their understanding of Japan.

Japan and the Shackles of the Past by R. Taggart Murphy