Our guest today is author Lesley Downer an expert on Japanese culture and history. She writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her novels transport readers to the intriguing world of 19th-century Japan, while her non-fiction takes us along on the Narrow Road to the Deep North with poet Matsuo Basho; behind the scenes of the Geisha community; and into the intrigues of the richest family in Japan. Oh, and she also writes fiction! Today, she discusses her just-released The Shortest History of Japan: From Mythical Origins to Pop Culture Powerhouse, which provides a concise yet detailed account of Japanese history.

Show Notes:

Downer highlights the significance of historical figures like Himiko, the shaman queen who unified Yamatai, and Empresses Suiko and Koken, who ruled Japan in their own right. She also touches on the feminist movement in Japan, particularly the contributions of Hiratsuka Raicho and Akiko Yosano. Lastly, she shares insights into her writing career, including her transition from nonfiction to fiction and her research on geisha.

Lesley mentions Yosano Akiko’s poem “Until Death Do Us Part” (“Shini tanoma”) which Akiko wrote before her brother went off to war:

Until Death Do Us Part
by Yosano Akiko

Though my body dies,
My soul will remain with you.
Until the end of time,
Let us pledge to be together,
Until death do us part.

(translation: ChatGPT 4o)

Downer’s three favorite books on Japan:

1. Japan Journal, 1855-1861 by Henry Heusken, which covers the author’s experiences during his time as the secretary and interpreter for Townsend Harris, the first U.S. Consul General to Japan.

2. As We Saw Them: The First Japanese Embassy to the United States by Masao Miyoshi, about the first Japanese diplomats who visited the United States in 1860.

3. Taiko by Yoshikawa Eiji, a historical novel that tells the story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s greatest warlords and unifiers during the Sengoku period.

You can visit Lesley Downer at the following links:

The Books on Asia podcast is produced and edited by Amy Chavez and Michael Palmer, and is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, publisher of fine books on Asia for over 30 years. Amy Chavez is author of Amy’s Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.

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