In its day the most popular book on the then-mysterious nation of Japan, this volume covers the history and culture of Japan from the earliest times to the Meiji Restoration of 1868.William Elliot Griffis (1843–1928) was an educator and writer and a respected authority on Japanese culture.
Griffis (1843-1928) travelled to Japan in 1870 to teach and soon became a leading educator in Tokyo. His work took him around the country meeting various prominent people. He wrote and lectured extensively on Japan upon his return home, becoming the West's most respected authority on Japanese culture. He received the Order of the Rising Sun in 1928.