Susan B. Hanley

The goal of the book is to show that the Tokugawa 'dark period' of Japanese economics wasn't really so dark after all and that comparing items like GDP with Western civilizations is an inappropriate way to measure it. It's a useful reference book that details social structure, clothing, housing and food. I used this for research while writing a novel and there are some interesting details that I haven't found elsewhere (e.g. an interesting little section on the Kawaya Kami or Toilet God). It's a good addition to the Tokugawa-era enthusiasts library, but you will need to supplement with other texts if you want a bigger picture.… (meer)