Tales of Old Japan - 1910

Step into the vanished world of feudal Japan through the eyes of a Victorian diplomat who witnessed its final days. Lord Redesdale's *Tales of Old Japan*, first published in 1871, offers a captivating window into a society on the brink of transformation—a land of samurai honor, ancient rituals, and storytelling traditions stretching back centuries. This remarkable collection presents everything from thrilling accounts of the 47 ronin and their legendary vendetta, to ghost stories that chill the spine, from detailed explanations of the tea ceremony and marriage customs to the solemn ritual of seppuku. Redesdale (aka A.B. Mitford) documents a culture that fascinated and mystified the Western world. His retellings of classic Japanese folklore preserve narratives that might otherwise have been lost in Japan's rapid modernization. More than mere entertainment, these stories reveal the soul of old Japan: its rigid codes of honor, its reverence for duty and loyalty, and its rich supernatural imagination. For modern readers, Redesdale's work remains invaluable—a bridge between East and West, a preservation of oral traditions, and an adventure into a world where the samurai's sword and the storyteller's art shaped daily life. - Tales of Old Japan - Lord Redesdale with illustrations drawn and cut on wood by Japanese Artists Printed 1910, Macmillan and Co. London Hardcover. Approx. 5x7in. 302pp. Spine is a bit faded; otherwise in decent antique condition.