Hildreth's "Japan as It Was and Is": A Handbook of Old Japan, Volume 1 (of 2)

A vivid portrait of Japan before the modern era, this handbook walks listeners through the archipelago’s early encounters with Europe. Beginning with the first Portuguese ships and the chronicles of Marco Polo, it charts how missionaries like Francis Xavier and Portuguese traders first glimpsed a land of distinct courts, rival warlords, and thriving ports.

The narrative expands to everyday life, describing agriculture, art, architecture, and the layered religious landscape of Shintō, Buddhism, and the budding Christian missions. Richly illustrated with maps and photographs, the work is peppered with scholarly notes that clarify historical details and correct earlier errors. Listeners will come away with a nuanced sense of how Japan’s political hierarchy, customs, and international intrigues shaped a remarkable period that set the stage for the country’s later transformation.