The First European Description of Japan, 1585

In 1585, at the height of Jesuit missionary activity in Japan, long-time missionary Luis Frois drafted the earliest systematic comparison of Western and Japanese cultures. This book constitutes the first critical English-language edition of the work. The book provides a translation of the text, which covers subjects as diverse as gender, religion, medicine, music, drama and seafaring. In addition, the book includes a substantive introduction, background information and comparisons with present-day Japanese life. Overall, the book is an important primary source for understanding a particularly challenging period of history and its connection to contemporary Europe and Japan.