Nippon: Japan through the eyes of Philipp Franz von Siebold, 1832-1852

Abstract

"In 1823, the German physician Philipp Franz von Siebold arrived in Japan, which had been closed off to the West for nearly two centuries. There - while working from the tiny Dutch trading post Deshima - he was granted the unusual privilege to travel beyond the artificial island. This allowed him to work alongside renowned Japanese artists such as Keiga and Hokusai to glean as much information as possible about the country, its culture and its natural landscapes, introducing Japan to the Western world in texts and stunning images. The highlight for Siebold was the Court Journey to Edo in 1826, a trip of 2,500 kilometres across Japan. That journey and his compulsive urge to collect objects would come back to haunt him, though. In 1829, he was arrested on suspicion of espionage and banished from the country for life; the Japanese who had helped him were exiled, tortured and imprisoned for the rest of their lives. Despite that experience, once back in Europe, he made huge efforts to collate all his knowledge about Japan in a single monumental work, Nippon. This unique single-volume reissue contains all the original plates, featuring fascinating illustrations of Japanese rituals, warfare, court culture, traditional dress, landscapes and much more. Kuniko Forrer and Matthi Forrer, experts on Japan, provide the historical context and detailed commentary accompanying all the illustrations."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents

Foreword / Kurt De Belder -- For the miraculous rebirth of Nippon / Annejet van der Zijl -- Siebold's Nippon: the turbulent story of its origins -- Background and approach -- The 'discovery' of mysterious Japan -- The people of Deshima and Japanese warfare -- An extraordinary journey to see the shogun -- The early history of Japan -- Millions of gods and opportunistic Buddhists coexist -- The complex relationship between Japan and its neighbours.