The book is the result of my own investigations, and the opinions expressed therein are entirely my own. I have, however, read nearly every work on Japan that has appeared in recent years, and when the views put forward in any of these have not coincided with my own I have endeavoured, by impartial investigation and inquiry, to arrive at a correct conclusion in the matter. No doubt some of my views and opinions will be questioned and criticised, but I claim to have written this book with a mind free from prejudices of any kind. I have sought to depict Japan as it really is, not the Japan seen through glasses of various colours, of which, I think, the public has had enough. H. B. M. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE v CHAPTER I. A GLIMPSE AT THE PAST 1 II. THE COUNTRY: ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES--PRODUCTS--FAUNA--FLORA, ETC. 17 III. THE JAPANESE RACE AND ITS LANGUAGE 29 IV. THE RELIGIONS OF JAPAN, THEIR INFLUENCES AND EFFECTS 39 V. THE CONSTITUTION--THE CROWN AND THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT 49 VI. THE PEOPLE, THEIR LIFE AND HABITS 63 VII. TRADE, COMMERCE, AND INDUSTRIES 80 VIII. JAPAN'S FINANCIAL BURDENS AND RESOURCES 90 IX. EDUCATION 102 X. THE JAPANESE ARMY AND NAVY 117 XI. JAPANESE ART--INTRODUCTORY--LACQUER AND PORCELAIN 131 XII. JAPANESE ART--SCULPTURE--METAL WORK--PAINTING 149 XIII. JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE 167 XIV. POSTAL AND OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION 176 XV. LAW AND ORDER 185 XVI. LITERATURE AND THE DRAMA 193 XVII. NEWSPAPERS IN JAPAN 202 XVIII. JAPANESE MORALITY 211 XIX. JAPAN AND CHINA 221 XX. EUROPEANS IN JAPAN 231 XXI. A VISIT TO SOME BUDDHIST TEMPLES 244 XXII. THE AINOS 250 XXIII. JAPAN AS IT IS TO-DAY 258 XXIV. THE FUTURE OF JAPAN--PHYSICAL--MORAL--MENTAL 276 XXV. THE FUTURE OF JAPAN--NATIONAL--POLITICAL--ITS INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD 288 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS