"It succeeds admirably in its goal of making the present country comprehensible through a narrative of its past, with asides on everything from bonsai to zazen, in a brisk, highly readable style... you could easily read it on the flight over, if you skip the movie."

"Tames's readably concise survey of Japanese history comes supplied with an impressive array of facts and statistics."

"This clearly written and succinct volume romps through Japan's history and provides useful cultural descriptions and essays."