Review by Mike Fester

I was going through some books the other day (still haven't unpacked every thing from my move back to the 'States) and pulled out my old copy of _Japanese Things_ by Basil Hall Chamberlain, currently published by Tuttle& Co. The edition I have is the reprint of the 1905 version, and is truely a ... read more

Review by Jim Breen

A truly delightful book. I have the original 1905 edition, and it is one of my treasures, along with all my Lafcadio Hearns, Mitford's Tales of Old Japan and, of course, Isabella Bird's classic travel book from the 1870s.

The 1905 Hall Chamberlain has a tinted map showing all the old prefectures, and the railway network as it then was, including lines under construction. Apparently the Chuuoo line had only reached Oofuna, and the only train to Nagano was the line through Karuizawa.