Ben Waber reviewed Concise History of Japan by Brett L. Walker
An Excellent History of Ancient Japan with a Standard Walkthrough Post-Nara Era
4 stars
The chapters in this book on ancient Japan are fascinating - the archipelago was once attached via land bridge to Korea until extremely recently, and the analysis of Chinese reports that detail gender balanced leadership with copious tattoos (!) are enlightening. Post Nara period the history will be familiar to anyone familiar with Japanese history, although the sections on environmental changes in Japan are insightful. Highly recommend