The Mikado's Empire: A History of Japan from the Age of Gods to the Meiji Era (660 BC - AD 1872) (Stone Bridge Classics)

This book has some unique tales that I have not read in any other book on the subject, and some are very colorful. For example, most books mention the cold dry fact that Oda Nobunaga was killed by Akechi Mitsuhide (if they mention even this much) but this book tells of an incident that sealed Nobunaga's fate. Apparently Nobunaga was in good spirits one night and had locked Akechi's head under his arm, and proceeded to tap out a tune on it with his folding fan like a drum. Okay, there were other reasons recorded elsewhere as well, but this one made me laugh out loud. The book portrays these historical figures as real human beings. It was written in the late 1800s while the Meiji era was still new, and many of the main characters were still alive (the author mentions having talked personally with some of them). The emperor Meiji is referred to by his name used at the time, Mutsuhito. This gives the book a unique flavor. The Roman spellings of many Japanese names are different from what we use today. If you enjoy 19th century classics and the English language they use, then you will enjoy this book. I would recommend it as a second book on Japanese history for color and depth after you have read one that gives just the facts.